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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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Megan Thee Stallion Shares Her Resilience and Grief In A New Documentary, “In Her Words”
Megan Thee Stallion, celebrated for her fierce confidence and electrifying performances, recently opens up in a new documentary that delves deep into the intimate struggles behind her public persona. In “In Her Words,” streaming now on Prime Video, the Houston rapper and superstar bravely recounts one of her life’s most devastating moments: the heartbreak surrounding the death of her mother, Holly Thomas, in 2019. Megan’s experience of resilience and vulnerability shines as she shares the heartbreaking decision to take her mother off life support and how this tragic event of loss immensely impacted her life.
Throughout the documentary, Megan reveals how her mother’s health deteriorated rapidly due to back-to-back seizures, ultimately leaving her unresponsive and eventually brain-dead. Holly Thomas was more than just family; not only her mother but also her manager, mentor, and most prominent supporter. She had always been Megan’s guiding force, the foundation of her artistry, instrumental in shaping her career. With honesty and tenderness, Megan describes spending each day by her mother’s side, hoping for a miracle. But as time went on, watching her mother’s condition remain unchanged, Megan knew what her mother would want, facing the heart-wrenching realization that her mother would not come back to let her go.
“They had to put her under, and she was just brain dead,” Megan recounts. “I stayed up there every day… just praying that she could shake back from it,” she said. “But once I realized she wasn’t coming back, I knew I couldn’t keep her like this.” She made the decision, and her mother passed the following day.
The documentary highlights the depth of their relationship and the irreplaceable loss Megan faced. With her mother gone, she felt an unfamiliar emptiness. “When my mama passed away,” she shares, “I think I really forgot who I was. I lost a lot of confidence because I was so used to my mama telling me what to do.” The absence of her mother’s guidance hit Megan personally and professionally, leaving Megan adrift, grappling to rediscover herself alone amid her grief.
“In Her Words” showcases Megan Thee Stallion’s incredible strength and resilience, offering fans a closer glimpse at her life and a reminder that even icons who seem confident and robust have vulnerable moments and hidden battles to face. In this documentary, Megan’s unfiltered honesty truly shines, paying tribute to the enduring bond that even death cannot sever. It exudes a powerful portrait of a young woman navigating loss, fame, and healing.
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Megan Thee Stallion Brings Texas-Sized Energy with a New Twerk Session Video
When Megan Thee Stallion proudly declares, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” she truly embodies that spirit with her incredible dance moves. Recently, the Houston rapper energized her fans with a lively twerk session set to her new song, combining the charm of Southern culture with her remarkable dancing. The video showcases her talent and pays homage to her Texan roots, reflecting her pride and joy.
While some people criticize Megan for her bold performances, calling them excessive, she sees her dancing as a joyful and confident expression of herself. It’s significant for her during these challenging times in her life. In her new documentary, “In Her Words,” she opens up about the heart-wrenching experience of losing her mother and the difficult choice she had to make about her mother’s care. This loss deeply affected Megan, leading her to feel lost and uncertain about herself. “When my mama passed away, I think I really forgot who I was,” she shares. “I lost a lot of confidence because I was so used to my mama telling me what to do.”
Megan’s story reveals a woman who carries much weight on her shoulders but still finds ways to spread joy to her fans. A recent fun clip from her Halloween party with fellow rapper Dreezy shows them dancing in fantastic costumes, celebrating life, and shaking off their worries for a fun night.
Despite facing ongoing legal challenges and public scrutiny related to the shooting case involving Tory Lanez, Megan remains solid and trustworthy. No matter what others think, her resilience and ability to enjoy the bright moments in life reflect her Texas-sized strength. For Megan, celebrating life and everything bold and big will always be essential to her adventure.
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