Ms Banks gives us an exclusive track-by-track guide to her debut album ‘SOUTH LDN LOVER GIRL’

Ms Banks releases her long-awaited debut album, SOUTH LDN LOVER GIRL, today (March 13). To mark the release, the rapper takes us through each and every song on the record and the stories and inspirations behind them.

1. ‘INTRO’

I really just wanted a strong start for the project. I took a lot of inspiration from Meek Mill’s ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ and Cardi B’s ‘Get Up 10’. I wanted something hard-hitting that captures you from the jump start and really build the scene of what a south London soundtrack would sound like in my mind.

2. ‘NO LOVE’ ft. Tiggs Da Author

Speaking of building a scene, ‘NO LOVE’ feeds into that narrative, opening up the track with sirens and a dog barking – it’s giving very much south London estate. It’s gritty, it’s hard hitting, the delivery is sharp and blunt, straight to the point. My thesis on this track is that when I had nothing on the come up, people didn’t wanna show me love, so now I’m at where I’m at, I don’t have no love to give. I only really want the fruits of my labour, nothing more nothing less.

3. ‘WHY?’

I really just wanted to have a vulnerable moment and express the questions that go through my mind when I do sometimes feel down or defeated. I’m never the type to go through life being like, “Woe, is me” or, “Why me?” But sometimes I do question my circumstances. I always find a way to make the best of a bad situation and find a resolution and take accountability for my life where I can. 

4. ‘WORK HARDER’ ft Layyah

This record is me coming to terms with the situation at hand and realising how much work I may have to put in. Sometimes I do feel like Black women have higher stakes than others, but the odds are stacked against all of us in some way. My favourite part of this song is from the first verse when I say, “I went to Spain try take away the pain, seeing my brothers sell shades at the seashore was my only memorabilia”. It’s funny how that memory really stuck with me, just seeing African people relocate in a European country trying to better their situation is something I can relate to, or my parents can relate to.

5. ‘POV’

“Could you see my point of view, if I said 2 things could be true?” ‘POV’ is about the juxtaposition of being beautiful on the outside but having feelings and thoughts that aren’t so beautiful on the inside and seeing if a potential partner can accept you, flaws and all. Will you stick around when I’m not so done up? When I don’t feel so good? When you realise how much I need and how much patience I may not have… Can you? Will you?

6. ‘4C’

For a long time, I hadn’t heard someone celebrate our hair type and I thought it was important to convey that message. One day I was in the studio with Hargo and I was just in my gym clothes with my hair in a bun, very much in my natural state, and I just got some inspiration to talk about my hair. Around that time I was constantly just in the gym, studio and wasn’t getting dolled up much. I tend to wear wigs a lot so I just wanted to embrace my natural self, my tight coils, my edges, my hair that reaches for the sun, I love it. That’s what ‘4C’ is about and if you didn’t know, 4c is a hair type, a texture.

7. ‘CATCH YOU LACKIN’

This is really me just popping my sh*t! The fans are probably used to this side of me, where I’m just having fun and also setting the tone that I’m not wanting to be played with. I love where aggression takes me when it comes to music, it can be used to create something impactful and meaningful. I’m also all for standing your ground and having boundaries, cause empathy without them is just self-destruction.

8. ‘SOUTH LDN LOVER GIRL’ 

The title track… whew, where do I start. This really is the glue to the project, inspired by two very true stories that are very close to home. On this track, we focus on romance crimes and domestic violence. South London girls tend to have a bad rep but all the girls I know from the ends have always had soft heart under a hard exterior. Due to not being shown what real love is, sometimes we fall in traps and end up giving the best parts of ourselves to people that don’t deserve it. No matter how tough we come across, most of us just want to love and be loved, the right way.

9. ‘WAR OUTSIDE’ ft Strandz

‘WAR OUTSIDE’ is that song that you sing for your ride or die. When you finally find that person you feel has your back but you just want that reassurance. I actually made this song in the midst of everything I was seeing happening in Ukraine and that really gave me inspiration. We can’t compare our daily struggles in the UK to something of that magnitude but sometimes it does feel like there’s a war going on, whether it’s against minorities or young women. There’s things happening that can make us feel not so at home. Just recently there was protest near where I live because some immigrants were being housed in a hotel. The area grew hostile with people that probably wasn’t actually fighting for the right cause. In those moments, you do think to question if the people are around you, because these people are among us in our everyday lives.

10. ‘S.O.S’

This is me in my lover girl era, I’m feeling all the feels, fun, flirty, sensual. The project takes a lighter turn here as I’ve got majority off of my chest earlier in the album. Funny story, the original concept was called ‘S.E.X’ but my producer thought it was too raunchy, so we found a way to tell the story without about being so upfront. “A lot of pressure if you wanna dive deep, don’t need no goggles cause you’re all that I see”. I love the play on water and the sea throughout this whole song and comparing it to my love, was super fun to create.

11. ‘THE ONE’

Another one for my lover girls. I made this one with Roddy Beatz. Just wanted something sleek, sexy and sultry. Inspired by Cashh Cobain and this whole new wave of drill, there was defo space for this song on my project. I love the courtship of something new, that honeymoon stage where we are just getting to know someone and the potential of you guys building something special is high. I love that feeling, I love love… and I’m definitely the jealous type, the monogamous type, so I’ve gotta be the one. The only one.

12. ‘IDK’ ft Zinoleesky 

Again, floating on that honeymoon high. ‘IDK’ embodies all of that. I also drafted in the amazing Zinoleesky and producer Puffy Beatz, both hailing from Nigeria. I wanted that original Nigerian Afrobeat sound and I knew the only way I could create it was going back home. ‘IDK’ is that type of song that gets you in the mood and allows you to put your guard down. I recorded at home, looking over the views of London. The smoothness and chilled vibe defo seeps through the record – you could defo listen to it on a long drive home.

13. ‘HEALING’

Keeping the afro/amapiano vibes high, ‘HEALING’ is a standout track for me. Coming to a close of the project, it’s like I’m having a real realisation of all the things I may need. I’m looking for all these things to make me feel better, whether it’s love or success. Within that, I realise the grace God has had in my life. I remember the day I’ve made this record, I just felt depleted. I don’t believe in writers block, but I just couldn’t come up with anything to really portray how I felt. Me freestyling on the mic is how the hook came to be and the rest was history.

14. ‘ME AND YOU’ (OUTRO)

This is a dialogue with my inner child. I’m having a 180 moment after achieving the one thing I’ve always wanted to do, which is creating this album. Something meaningful, something impactful, something timeless. Just reminding myself where I’m coming from and how cool my younger self would think I am for achieving all the things I have so far. It’s a nice way to bring a close to the album, cause I finally have my “woosah” moment where I can just breath. I really do want this album to empower young ladies and just let them know that no matter what obstacles are in your way, you can still create something from nothing and be exactly who you want to be. Do it for you, do it for the younger you.