Ant Banks (born Anthony Banks, May 16, 1969), is an American

record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...

and

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing ...

from

Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Biography

Anthony Banks was born in Oakland, California on May 16, 1969. In band lessons at school, he learned to play

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

on a variety of instruments, while teaching himself how to play

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

at home on his

digital keyboard An electronic keyboard, portable keyboard, or digital keyboard is an electronic musical instrument based on keyboard instruments. Electronic keyboards include synthesizers, digital pianos, stage pianos, electronic organs and digital audio work ...

from bands like

Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. As one of the two flagship groups of George Clinton's P-Funk collective, they helped pioneer the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, ...

, and

The Gap Band The Gap Band was an American Contemporary R&B, R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie Wilson (musician), Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it wa ...

. Banks went on to produce mixtapes with his friend, Oakland rapper MC Ant, and sell them out of the trunk of their car at their high school. The tapes quickly gained popularity for the duo. In 1987, Banks, MC Ant, and other friends recorded MC Ant's debut album ''The Great'', released through Raw Dog Records in 1989. Banks also recorded California rapper Spice 1's debut album '' Let It Be Known'', released in 1991 through Triad Records. This production debut, combined with releases from Pooh-Man and Dangerous Dame sold over 100,000 units without record label or promotion, launching Banks into a prominent figure in the early 1990s

Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. The Association of Bay Area Governments ...

hip hop scene. He went on to produce songs for

Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by his stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper. A pioneer of West Coast hip-hop, Shaw was among the first acts to receive recognition in the genre during the late ...

E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. Stevens is a founding member of the rap group The Click (band), The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 27 stud ...

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

, and 3X Krazy. In 1993, he engaged in a beef with Oakland rapper Pooh-Man. In 1994, Banks released '' The Big Badass'', an album inspired by his nickname. In 1996, he appeared on '' America Is Dying Slowly'', a compilation CD focused on raising awareness of the

AIDS epidemic The global pandemic of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) began in 1981, and is an ongoing worldwide public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2023, HIV/AIDS ...

among African-American men released by the Red Hot Organization, also featuring

Biz Markie Marcel Theo Hall (April 8, 1964 – July 16, 2021), known professionally as Biz Markie, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, and record producer who gained prominence during hip hop's golden age. He was particularly recognized for ...

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...

, and

Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...

. In 1999, Banks started the group T.W.D.Y. ("The Whole Damn Yay"), with

Rappin' 4-Tay Anthony H. Forté (born March 2, 1968), known professionally as Rappin' 4-Tay, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California. Early life Anthony Forte was born March 2, 1968, and grew up in San Francisco's Fillmore District. He has a t ...

and Captain Save'm, releasing their debut album '' Derty Werk'', containing the single "Player's Holiday", featuring

, Mac Mall, and Otis & Shug. The album also marked the end of Banks' beef with Pooh-Man with the two appearing together on the track "Ride Wit' Me". In 2000, T.W.D.Y released their second and final album, '' Lead the Way'', before Rappin' 4-Tay left the group and was replaced by Dolla Will. His talent for producing basslines is well-known and has achieved cross-over appreciation in the techno genre. The album liner for Daft Punk's album ''

Homework Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed at home. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, Exercise (mathematics), math problems to be completed, informatio ...

'' gives a note of appreciation to Ant Banks for inspiration.

Discography

Studio albums

*'' Sittin' on Somethin' Phat'' (1993) *'' The Big Badass'' (1994) *'' Do or Die'' (1995)

Collaboration albums

*'' Don't Try This at Home'' with The Dangerous Crew (1995) *'' Derty Werk'' with T.W.D.Y. (1999) *'' Lead the Way'' with T.W.D.Y. (2000)

Compilation albums

*'' Big Thangs'' (1997) *''The Best of Ant Banks'' (1998)

Production discography

;1989 *MC Ant - ''The Great'' ;1990 * Pooh-Man - ''Teardrops'' (EP) *Pooh-Man - ''Life of a Criminal'' ;1991 *

Spice 1 Robert Lee Greene Jr. (born July 2, 1970), better known by his stage name Spice 1 (an acronym for "Sex, Pistols, Indo, Cash and Entertainment"), is an American rapper from Hayward, California. He began releasing albums in 1991, where he gained p ...

- '' Let It Be Known'' (EP) *Various Artists - ''

Juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...

'' *Dangerous Dame - ''The Bomb'' (Single) ;1992 *Dangerous Dame - ''Same Ole Dame'' *Pooh-Man - ''Funky As I Wanna Be'' *Spice 1 - ''

'' *

- ''

Shorty the Pimp ''Shorty the Pimp'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on July 14, 1992, via Jive Records. The album's title is taken from the 1973 blaxploitation film of the same name, featuring an eponymous character. ...

'' ;1993 * Dru Down - ''Fools From the Streets'' *Spice 1 - '' 187 He Wrote'' *Too Short - '' Get in Where You Fit In'' *Various Artists - ''

Menace II Society ''Menace II Society'' (pronounced ''Menace to Society'') is a 1993 American teen crime drama film directed by the Hughes Brothers in their directorial debut. Set in the Watts and Crenshaw neighborhoods of Los Angeles, the film follows the l ...

'' ;1994 *Dru Down - '' Explicit Game'' * Goldy - ''In The Land of Funk'' *

- '' Don't Fight the Feelin''' *Spice 1 - '' AmeriKKKa's Nightmare'' *Various Artists - '' B-Ball's Best Kept Secret'' ;1995 *Gangsta P - ''Meet The Lil Gangsta'' *Rappin' Ron & Ant Diddley Dog - ''Bad N-Fluenz'' * South Central Cartel - '' S.C.C. Presents Murder Squad Nationwide'' *Spice 1 - '' 1990-Sick'' *Too Short - ''

Cocktails A cocktail is a mixed drink, usually alcoholic. Most commonly, a cocktail is a combination of one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as juices, flavored syrups, tonic water, shrubs, and bitters. Cocktails vary widely acro ...

'' ;1996 *C.R.I.S.I.S. - ''Crazy Real Insane Soldiers In Sacramento'' *

- '' Tha Hall of Game'' * Mac Mall - '' Untouchable'' *Mr. ILL - ''Rebirth'' *Too Short - '' Gettin' It'' *Various Artists - '' America Is Dying Slowly'' ;1997 * 187 Fac - '' Fac Not Fiction'' * 3X Krazy - '' Stackin' Chips'' * Mack 10 - '' Based on a True Story'' * MC Breed - '' Flatline'' *Rappin' 4-Tay - '' 4 Tha Hard Way'' *Spice 1 - '' The Black Bossalini (a.k.a. Dr. Bomb from Da Bay)'' *Various Artists - '' In tha Beginning…There Was Rap'' ;1998 * Bad Azz - '' Word on tha Streets'' *E-40 - '' The Element of Surprise'' * Eightball - '' Lost'' *

MC Ren Lorenzo Jerald Patterson (born June 16, 1969), known professionally by his stage name MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the independent record label Villain ...

- '' Ruthless for Life'' *Mean Green - '' Major Players Compilation'' *Rappin' 4-Tay - ''Bigga Than Da Game'' * WC - '' The Shadiest One'' *Various Artists - '' Straight Outta Compton: N.W.A 10th Anniversary Tribute'' *Various Artists - '' Woo'' ;1999 * B-Legit - '' Hempin' Ain't Easy'' * CJ Mac - '' Platinum Game'' *E-40 - '' Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint of a Self-Made Millionaire'' *

MC Eiht Aaron Bernard Tyler (born May 22, 1971), better known by his stage name MC Eiht (pronounced "MC Eight"), is an American rapper. Many of his songs are based on his life in Compton. His stage name was partly inspired by the numeral in KRS-One's nam ...

- '' Section 8'' *

- ''

No Limit Top Dogg ''No Limit Top Dogg'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released May 11, 1999, by No Limit Records, No Limit and Priority Records. Following the mixed reception of his previous album, Snoop began to work again with ...

'' *

Suge Knight Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. ( ; born April 19, 1965) is an American former record executive, former National Football League, NFL player, and convicted felon, who is the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight was a central f ...

- '' Represents: Chronic 2000'' *Too Short - '' Can't Stay Away'' * Keak Da Sneak - '' Sneakacydal'' ;2000 *Captain Save 'Em - ''My Cape is in the Cleaners'' *Dual Committee - '' Dual Committee'' *Too Short - '' You Nasty'' *Various Artists - ''

Romeo Must Die ''Romeo Must Die'' is a 2000 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak in his directorial debut, and features fight choreography by Corey Yuen. The film stars Jet Li, Aaliyah (in her film debut), Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, ...

'' *Various Artists - '' Too Gangsta for Radio'' ;2001 * The Click - '' Money & Muscle'' *Too Short - '' Chase the Cat'' *Keak Da Sneak - ''

Hi-Tek Tony Louis Cottrell (born May 5, 1976), better known as Hi-Tek, is an American rapper and music producer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known for his work with Talib Kweli. His father is singer Willie Cottrell of the Willie Cottrell Band, ...

'' ;2002 * Celly Cel - '' Song'z U Can't Find'' * King T - '' The Kingdom Come'' *Too Short - '' What's My Favorite Word?'' ;2003 *Too Short - '' Married to the Game'' ;2004 *E-40 - '' The Best of E-40: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow'' * Hussein Fatal - ''Fatalveli, Volume 2: The Mixtape'' ;2007 * V-White - ''Perfect Timin ;2019 *Dann G & MC Magic - ''Special Lady'' ;2020 *Too Short & E-40 - "Triple Gold Sox" *Candyman - BLM? Aka Don't Shoot *Dru Down - Livin Legend (God Willin), Pt. 1 ;2021 *Chris Lockett - ''Man Up'' *Chris Lockett - ''Stay With Me'' ;2022 *

Mount Westmore Mount Westmore is an American hip hop music, hip hop Supergroup (music), supergroup composed of California-based rappers Snoop Dogg, E-40, Too Short, and Ice Cube. Formed in late 2020, the group's debut album, ''Bad MF's'' (2022) was initially r ...

- '' Snoop Cube 40 $hort'' *Khoree The Poet - ''All On Me'' *Khoree The Poet - ''Grown Man Ish''

2023

* J-Dee - ''The Pay Back Project'' *

Kokane Jerry Buddy Long Jr. (born March 10, 1969), better known by his stage name Kokane, is an American rapper and singer best known for his distinctive vocal style and numerous guest appearances, such as on Snoop Dogg's ''Tha Last Meal''. Early life ...

& Suga Free - ''SugaKane''

2024

* Kokane - ''Da Funkin Adventures of Dr. Kokanstine''

2025

* Too Short - ''Sir Too $hort Vol. I (Freaky Tales)''

References

External links

www.realantbanks.com
Ant Banks
at

Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...

Ant Banks
on

Myspace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banks, Ant 1969 births Living people 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American rappers African-American male rappers 21st-century American male rappers 20th-century American male rappers American hip-hop record producers Gangsta rappers G-funk artists Jive Records artists Rappers from Oakland, California Record producers from California West Coast hip-hop musicians 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians