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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

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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.”

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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.

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Standouts:

“Brothers” featuring Luh Kel

“Costa Rica”

“Whatchu On Today” featuring Polo G

Pain Is Temporary

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Yungeen Ace Steps In To Calm His Mom Amid Heated Foolio Mention

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In 2024, Yungeen Ace has had a busy year, releasing several music projects and establishing himself in the rap scene. Recently, however, he found himself in a more personal situation involving his mother during a tense online argument. The conflict centers around Foolio, a late rapper whose tragic death still impacts fans and the hip-hop community. According to a recent tweet from No Jumper, things heated up when Yungeen Ace and some friends reacted to a claim from streamer Tylil, who suggested that Ace isn’t truly from the streets.

What started as a typical online disagreement quickly intensified when Ace’s mother brought up Foolio’s name. This mention stirred up strong emotions because of the troubled history between Ace and Foolio, who had a well-known feud that continued even after Foolio passed away. Yungeen Ace laughed lightly at the mention of Foolio, likely aware of how sensitive that topic is for him, before telling his mom to back down. This moment offered a glimpse into a side of Ace that fans don’t often see, one of someone torn between loyalty to family and the complicated history of a rivalry that still affects his career.

For those not in the loop, the conflict between Yungeen Ace and Foolio has been one of the more painful stories in recent hip-hop news. Foolio’s death complicated things further, leaving many fans and artists divided. The sadness of losing someone so young, mixed with ongoing tensions, makes conversations about Foolio very delicate, especially for Ace. What’s the significance of this recent incident for Yungeen Ace? It could reignite discussions about his rivalry with Tylil and remind everyone that the past still lingers.

More importantly, it sheds light on the personal challenges Ace faces behind the scenes, balancing grief, family dynamics, and the pressures of fame while striving to succeed in his music career. In an age where social media can amplify conflicts beyond reality, this small yet meaningful moment between Ace and his mother serves as a reminder that the issues are about public battles and deeply affect the people involved.

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Fans Cold As Ice Over Lil Baby’s Leak Complaint

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In the fast-changing world of hip-hop, artists can be praised one moment and criticized the next. Recently, rapper Lil Baby found himself in a tough spot on social media. On June 21, he expressed his frustration on Twitter about several of his songs being leaked online. He tweeted, “Damn yall just gone keep leaking my songs!!” but the tweet was soon deleted after people responded mostly with indifference. Unfortunately for Lil Baby, instead of receiving sympathy, he faced a wave of sarcasm.

Many users replied harshly, with one comment saying, “ur good bro nobody is paying attention to ur leaks,” which reflected the overall dismissive attitude. It can be particularly hard for an artist who has achieved so much in the music industry. Since his album “It’s Only Me” came out, Lil Baby has encountered a lot of negativity from critics. While not all fans have loved his style, the recent feedback feels harsher compared to the past. Some believe people are simply tired of his music, while others think he hasn’t evolved his sound enough. Whatever the reason, the response has not been very warm lately.

But it’s not all bad news for Lil Baby. He still manages to make it onto the music charts, performs at big festivals, and has a huge number of followers. The leaks might upset him, but they also show that there is still interest in his work, at least from some fans. The real challenge seems to be the growing gap between him and his audience. In today’s world, where fans can change their opinions in an instant, handling public feedback can be quite difficult.

This situation highlights how the relationship between artists and their fans has changed. With the internet giving everyone a chance to share their thoughts, not all feedback is positive. For Lil Baby, this is just another moment in the complex journey of fame that may hurt now but won’t define his entire career. After all, one lesson from hip-hop is that comebacks are part of the game.

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