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The Break Presents: Bankrol Hayden
Becoming a successful artist is difficult, and even more so when you have to face personal tragedy. Enter Modesto, Calif. rapper Bankrol Hayden, who faced a near-death experience before entering the rap game.
Rapping since he was an eighth grader, Hayden dropped his first song at 13 (“Modesto”) and kept working hard. Then in 2017, at 16 years old, Hayden nearly lost his life in a car accident in his hometown. The rapper was a in the backseat of a car when his friend crashed while under the influence of weed. The 16-year-old girl who was driving the car was charged with the murder of a mother and daughter in the other vehicle. The accident left Hayden badly injured, including a broken back, broken ribs and an injury to his small intestine.
Turning a tragedy into triumph, Hayden hit the studio in 2018, and recorded “29,” the title inspired by the date of the crash, Nov. 29, 2017. Though his injuries still hadn’t fully healed, Hayden dropped the song about the incident and started to experience real momentum. The song has 20 million Spotify streams and 7 million SoundCloud plays to date. “We was drivin’ hella fast, I woke up seeing nurses/Happened in a second, mind spinnin’ like a circus nigga/I’m in the back seat, how the fuck it’s my fault?/November 29th, almost died up on that asphalt,” he raps over a piano-driven beat.
Hayden’s true breakout song came out in 2019. “Brothers,” a Luh Kel-assisted track, finds the West Coast rhymer rapping about putting friends over the women that may come between that brotherhood. The subject matter, Hayden’s catchy chorus and sing-song delivery got him tons of streams, over 60 million on Spotify. “Costa Rica” came in 2020, and it’s moving even faster than “Brothers,” amassing 65 million plays on Spotify in considerably less time. He even teamed up with The Kid Laroi on the remix.
With a growing buzz, Hayden dropped his debut project, Pain Is Temporary, last Friday, and he is seeing better days. He’s grasping success after such a traumatic experience. Learn more about Bankrol Hayden in this week’s edition of The Break.
Age: 18
Hometown: Modesto, Calif.
I grew up listening to: “Kid Cudi was a big inspiration for me on music, and I used to go to record stores, and we would just rap on instrumentals and shit, but Kid Cudi was really who inspired me with my music, and still to this day that I’m here. His melodies, really how he talks about situations in real life and shit inspired me to do shit like that.”
My style’s been compared to: “[People say I look like] Lil Mosey, but when I went on tour with him, it ended all that. We can be locked in, and you feel me? But people who used to say that a lot, really him and then that’s pretty much it. I don’t really look like much artists.”
I’m going to blow up because: “Just, as an artist, it’s hard to always believe in yourself, but you got to, it’s just something that you have to be. As a rapper, you got to always believe that, and that’s something that I believe in strong, that I’m going to blow up, and yeah, just my music. I feel I’m coming different.”
What’s your most slept-on song, and why?: “Maybe ’29’ a little slept-on now, as time goes on and people forget about it and hear ‘Costa Rica’ and ‘Brothers’; but at the time I don’t really got a slept-on record, because I don’t got much records out, but when the project’s out, we’ll be able to tell. I feel like there’s a lot of slept-on records on the project that’s going to be fire, too, there’s a record called ‘School Girl,’ and I feel like a lot of people are going to connect to that could be a slept on record, in a good way.”
My standout records to date have been: “‘Costa Rica’ could go gold faster than ‘Brothers,’ it’s crazy. It’s picking up more speed every day. ‘Costa Rica’ is really big right now, and did amazing. We didn’t even think it was going to do that good. ‘Brothers’ is doing amazing, and same thing.”
My standout moments to date have been: “Being able to give back to my city was big for me, that’s something that I always wanted to do as a kid. Just being really, or getting just money off music was crazy, bro. Never thinking that. I was just in Malibu for the week, and I woke up and I just looked out the window, and I was playing my old, one of my first songs on YouTube, and I was just like, “Bro, that shit was so bad, how am I here?” So I don’t know, really, it’s all new.”
Most people don’t know: “I used to skateboard when I was little. That’s something I would be doing, but I don’t do it that much no more, and ever since I got hurt from the car crash, I can’t do too much. I don’t want to … Because my back and everything is still healing and messed up a little bit, so I can’t be wilding out like that.”
I’m going to be the next: “I’m going to be a superstar. When we met with a lot of the labels, that’s what I was trying to say, and to be a superstar, you going to have to do a lot of stuff. That’s why I’m putting out so much types of music.”
Follow Bankrol Hayden on SoundCloud and Instagram.
Standouts:
“Brothers” featuring Luh Kel
“Costa Rica”
“Whatchu On Today” featuring Polo G
Pain Is Temporary
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Risky Joke by Gary Owen Sparks Backlash With Kendrick Lamar’s “White Comedian” Lyrics
Gary Owen, the well-known comedian, is no stranger to controversy, and this time, he’s stirring up a wave of social media backlash after reacting to a lyric from Kendrick Lamar’s new project “wacced out murals.” While the track’s line, “Don’t let no white comedian talk about no Black women that’s law,” was aimed at Andrew Schulz, Owen seized the moment to inject himself into the sparked conversation.
In a post that quickly gained attention on Instagram, comedian Gary Owen joked, “If that’s law, that makes me a criminal,” referencing his history as a comedian and his past marriage to Kenya Duke, a Black woman. What he meant to be a light-hearted humor quickly spiraled into a social media firestorm of criticism. One Instagram user @realruebenwood remarked, “He probably shouldn’t have said anything since his name wasn’t mentioned.” Others dismissed the comment as “tone-deaf,” with one saying, “This ain’t the flex he thinks it is.” @sarkimberly echoed the sentiment and didn’t hold back, stating, “Gary Owen truly believes because he married a Black woman, he gets a FREE PASS, and that’s worrying.”
The incident underscores the layers of complexity in Kendrick Lamar’s lyricism, which often challenges societal norms and sparks dialogue beyond music. This time, however, the focus shifted to Owen’s attempt to center himself in a narrative that wasn’t about him, a move that seemed to backfire.
Meanwhile, Lamar’s surprise album drop, GNX, is making waves for reasons beyond the drama. Tracks like “Luther,” “TV Off,” and “Squabble Up” have dominated charts and social media discussions since the surprise release. Fans and critics are dissecting the project’s sharp lyricism, bold themes, and cultural critiques. From Lil Wayne’s Super Bowl snub to Nas’s subtle acknowledgment, Lamar’s album doesn’t hesitate to stir the pot.
Even McDonald’s hopped on the buzz, responding to Lamar’s reference to producer Mustard in the track “TV Off” with a cheeky social media post. The GNX rollout has dominated Apple Music charts and set the tone for Kendrick’s continued influence as a thought-provoking artist ahead of the Grammy Awards. Owen’s reaction to the “wacced out murals” audience reminds us that humor is subjective, and sometimes, staying silent might be the wiser choice.
Featured
Drake Allegedly Stirs Criticism After Pokimane’s Heartbreak with a Nod to Kendrick Lamar’s “Euphoria”
The internet spotlight is buzzing after Drake, the Toronto-born rapper, appeared to slyly reference Kendrick Lamar’s record-breaking “Euphoria” in response to comments made by popular streamer Pokimane. Even though Kendrick’s latest album has dominated headlines lately, it seems Drake remains unfazed, focusing instead on his orbit of controversies, this time involving an upset Canadian fan-turned-critic. On Saturday (November 23), Pokimane, a longtime admirer of the 6 God, expressed dismay over Drake’s endorsement deal with the controversial betting platform Stake. In a heartfelt video clip, she said, “When I heard Drake was involved with Stake, my heart broke.” “I’ve been a little Drake fangirl…but now, I don’t love him as much as a person.”
Enter Drake, never one to let criticism slide quietly. During a recap stream hosted by Los Pollos, he addressed Pokimane’s comments with a seemingly cryptic jab: “I watched the clip. What’s she mad about? Is it the braids??!” Fans were quick to dissect the comment, drawing parallels to “Euphoria,” Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping track where he raps about misunderstandings in the industry, “Cutthroat business, you got shit twisted / What is it? The braids?”
Whether Drake’s comment was intentional or not, it has sparked speculation about whether he was teasing both Pokimane and Kendrick at the same time. The timing is interesting since “Euphoria” has been extremely popular since its release in April, breaking streaming records and becoming one of the top rap songs of 2024.
Reactions among fans vary: some see Drake’s comments as a light-hearted way to dismiss the criticism, while others think it could be a sly dig at Kendrick, especially given their history of competing through music. Drake has previously responded to “Euphoria” with his songs.
Meanwhile, Kendrick is enjoying the success of “Euphoria,” referenced by the popular HBO series of the same title, starring Zendaya and executive produced by the 6 God. He also stood out during his electrifying Pop-Out concert opener. Even though “Euphoria” didn’t receive Grammy nominations, Kendrick’s album “Not Like Us” earned seven nominations, showcasing he still greatly influenced the music scene. On the other hand, Drake’s talent for stirring the cultural pot remains unparalleled. Whether it’s about his Stake deal, his rivalry with Kendrick, or the heartbreak of popular streamer Pokimane, the 6 God thrives in the chaos he leaves in his wake. And honestly, that might be the enduring allure that keeps people fascinated by him.
