BandGang Lonnie Bands, Detroit’s hometown hero, has been a consistent influence behind the city’s expansive distinct sound. Playing a significant role in the sound’s transition from regional phenomenon to national mainstream.
Earlier in the year, Lonnie Bands was shot in the head while in Las Vegas. His latest offering comes as a 16-track testament to his life. No matter the struggles and hardships he faced, he overcame them all and is still here with a purpose. In May of 2021, the Detroit rapper was attacked and shot in the head, hand, mouth, and wrist while in Las Vegas. Shortly after, Lonnie discharged himself after only being treated in the hospital for 48HRs. Before you know it, a week later he was in the studio cooking up more new music and living the Lonnie Bands Lifestyle.
The Lonnie Bands Legacy
Lonnie, a member of the renowned Detroit rap group BandGang, was only 13 years old when he, BandGang Javar, BandGang Biggs, and BandGang Paid Will decided to form the crew. When he was in high school, the group had already achieved regional success with their viral music video for “BandGang or No Gang”. Within a few years, the group began to make waves on a national scale, collaborating with artists such as Tee Grizzley and Shoreline Mafia.
The assassination attempt on Lonnie was just the latest in a series of tragic shootings that had disrupted Lonnie and BandGang’s path. Jizzle P, also known as BandGang AJ, was tragically shot and killed in his mother’s driveway on Detroit’s west side in September 2020. Less than two weeks later, Lonnie’s best friend Lenny Skinny was shot and killed while driving in a Porsche in Houston. While in December of the same year, fellow co-founding group member BandGang Paid Will was also killed in a similar shooting in Detroit.
Hard 2 Kill Testimony
Lonnie admits that the deaths of some of his closest friends, combined with the tragic death of his newborn son in 2020, put him in a rut. He felt he wasn’t as passionate about his music. But, he claims, his mindset shifted when one of his daughters asked him about his music and as to why he was no longer recording. This struck a chord with Lonnie. He returned to the booth with renewed energy, focus and an unlocked different type of hunger. As a result, we are here to celebrate his most recent release as his living testimony.
Maintaining the hype, Lonnie delivers his long-awaited album Hard 2 Kill (H2K) and to no surprise it’s a no-skip necessary. Keeping up the momentum with a peephole view into his artistry, Lonnie drops off the visual to the project’s highlight hit “Glocks & Choppas” ft Young Nudy. Which is a trendy track with an unapologetically aggressive message from two of the biggest stick enthusiasts in the rap game. Sending an official warning to all who try to go against them.
The Raving Return
As for the project, H2K is a high-intensity effort which is clear from the song titles itself. It demonstrates the tenacity of an artist who has avoided death in order to achieve the level of success he believes he deserves. In addition to being jam-packed with the quick-witted punchlines and true-life stories that make Lonnie stand out in the D.
Lonnie returns with his distinct, off-kilter flow, which has always distinguished him from his Detroit scene peers. Over H2K’s hard keys and stark 808s — a soundscape which mirrors the cold, iron jungle of Lonnie’s native west side — Lonnie raps with a restlessness and jumpiness that is becoming of someone who has been through as much as he has.
From start to finish Hard 2 Kill is laced with an underlying message. It opens up with the taunting album-titled track “H2K” which offers a skillfully lyrical statement about Lonnie’s superhuman resilience. From his hit single “Glocks & Choppas ft. Young Nudy to buzzing banger “Shoulda Got A Verse From Drake” ft. OnFully before wrapping up with “Gate Keeper”. Despite all of the hardships Lonnie has faced including his own near-fatal brush with death, Lonnie remains unfazed. His sneering shit talk has remained unwavering — if nothing else, the failed assassination attempt has given this aspect of his music new, even stronger legs to stand on.
Overall, the project is punctuated with bravado and unconventional flows that pique the ear’s interest. Infused with the new Motown sound, the BandGang-certified project features heavy hitters from other cities. Such as L.A. slick-talker OhGeesy on “Snow”, “Foreva Rollin” features Memphis mainstay Big30, and burgeoning artist EST Gee on “Hot” alongside The Big Homie.
Stream Hard 2 Kill
Since 2016, Lonnie has been a fixture in Detroit street rap, representing 6 Mile on tracks with Shoreline Mafia, Sada Baby, and others. Lonnie is ending the year with a bang before taking over 2022! Don’t believe me? Check out our dope and friendly interview! Such a talented creative with a genuine and dope vibe! First, take a look at the 16-track tracklist below.
Hard 2 Kill tracklist:
- H2K
- Rich And Dangerous
- Bullet Proof
- Hot ft. EST Gee & The Big Homie
- Where Is Marshall
- Marlow
- Glocks & Choppas ft. Young Nudy
- HI5 ft. VVS Beezy
- Gnarley ft. Nhale & IAmTK Peso
- Snow ft. OhGeesy
- Lock Jaw
- Foreva Rollin ft. BIG30
- Shoulda Got A Verse From Drake ft. OnFully
- Big Creature
- Murdah
- Gate Keeper
KAZI Magazine Brings BandGang Lonnie Bands Out For New Interview
- Hey Lonnie! Thank you for taking the time out to interview w| me and KAZI Magazine! Before we jump into our interview to talk about your ‘Hard 2 Kill’ project, your artistry, what’s next, and more. For now tell us a little more about who Lonnie Bands is and where it all began!
Wassup, my name is Lonnie Bands! I’m an artist from Detroit. I would say one of the gatekeepers of Detroit music. It started with a rap group when we were like 14-15 years old. So we made a rap group called BandGang so that’s really where it all started, those years. It was made up mostly of our family too.
- Who would you say influences your sound?
I would say the old Detroit music. For example the Street Lord music and blade ice wood. But also old school music in general influences my personal music.
The Detroit Delivery
- What’s your creative process like? How do you put pen to paper?
It depends. Sometimes I just go in there and punch in, especially if there’s nobody in the studio. I’ll go in there and punch in but if it was a lot of people in the studio I can’t. and Suddenly I can’t. I can’t think straight from telling people to be quiet so now I lost what I was thinking about. Funny though, I used to like a lot of people in the studio with me while I record. That’s just how we grew up. But now that I’m really getting tapped in with my artistry, I don’t like nobody in the studio.
- Dope! I get that. Sometimes it needs to just be you and the music and no outsiders and outside noise. As an emcee, rappers always have a particular record they love to perform that really sets the tone. What’s your go-to track to perform?
“Honestly, idk because I haven’t performed in so long lol. Also now that this new album dropped, I want to lean on that. I don’t really want to go back to my old stuff but I normally have to at my shows but I don’t want to. I haven’t figured that out yet *lol*”
- Respected! Felt that, we want to see what you’ve been cooking up! Being from Detroit, what’s it like being named amongst D-Town’s heavy hitters?
“It’s cool I guess, they don’t like mentioning me as much but it’s cool. It’s more hot music to come.”
Hard 2 Kill – BandGang Lonnie Bands
- What was the inspiration and curation process like for your 16-track offering?
It really took like two years forreal. Because I was just working and working. I wasn’t really focused on putting it all together yet like “iight here’s my next album”. I just kept working then a lot of my friends went to jail or got killed. Then I got shot in the head so it’s time now. And I named it Hard 2 Kill because that’s how I feel. I’m hard to kill.
- God Bless! It’s amazing you’re still here! Forever grateful. What was creating like after that experience?
It was motivating honestly. It showed me I’m here for a reason and I’m going to give it my all.
- That’s amazing! You stayed consistent with singles and now your project, what was the experience like creating during a pandemic?
I mean I never felt no difference with the pandemic and stuff because I’ve always been working every day no matter what I was into when I used to be in the streets or anything I always made sure I was in the studio — everyday.
What’s Next?
- Without telling too much… What else can we expect in correlation with the project?
I damn near got like 10 videos forreal. We are going to drop as we roll out because we’re not really trying to risk anything. Really want to try and let this album roll for atleast a year. I also already got the deluxe too…
- Ayeeeee litty! Sounds like we have an exclusive! I’m ready for it! My personal favorites off your album is “Glocks and Choppas”, I I love “Lock Jaw”, “Murder” and “Gatekeeper”. What are your lyrical highlights off your project? Like as you know, as a creator, you obviously have your own personal hits. What would you say are your top three favorites off the album?
“Rich and Dangerous”, “Bulletproof” and “Glocks and Choppas”… oh and “Forever Rollin’”. In fact, I got the video dropping today!
The BandGang Wrap Up
- Dope! I’m about to check it out. You are most definitely bulletproof! As we wrap up, what’s next for Lonnie Bands?
Honestly, I just started accepting bookings like when the album came out because I wanted to do it after the album so we can so we can roll this album out it. Because this the new me! I’m grown now and have been through so much. I don’t want to dwell on the past so much but I want to reflect on it and move forward.
- Thank you so much again for chopping it up with myself for KAZI Magazine today! Before we close out, is there a message that you’d like to leave fans with?
I love y’all! Y’all are all family to me. If you’re going through something, remember it’ll always get better. Expect ALL good music until I’m gone. Even after I’m gone — good music. I got over 1K unreleased songs so you’ll always have music coming! Thank you for everything!
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