Alfred Banks

The River Kings Tour with Alfred Banks and Marco Pavé
with special guest Drunken Monkeee(Chicago's Wildest)
Showtime: 9:00 pm
Tickets: $6 In Advance / $8 At Door Must be 21 or older

About Alfred:

The emergent New Orleans rapper Alfred Banks has already garnered critical acclaim from some of Hip-Hop’s most esteemed publications. In addition to being named one of Complex’s 10 upcoming New Orleans MCs, Banks was featured prominently in DJBooth’s list of best indie rappers from Louisiana. Having performed at renowned festivals like Atlanta’s A3C and Austin’s SXSW, Banks has also made considerable headway in the European market, starring in a Volkswagen ad campaign featuring his song “HomeComing” in addition to achieving notable performances in Germany and Spain. In late 2016, the BBC’s Russian network interviewed Banks, extending his reach well beyond Europe.
–
In 2014, Banks joined celebrated MC and former XXL Freshman Mickey Factz’s 15-city Red or Blue Pill Tour as an opening act, an accomplishment which earned him the accolade of Charles Hamilton, another XXL Freshman Class MC. Thus far, Banks has also shared the stage with Snoop Dogg, Chris Brown, Lupe Fiasco, Mac Miller, and A$AP Ferg, and his live show earned the attention of RevoltTV, who crowned Banks the winner of their Local Love Tour. Additionally, he and Bay Area superstar G-Eazy teamed up to create the song “My Style.”
–
Most recently, Banks released his 2016 EP, A Beautiful Prelude. Inspired by his brother’s struggle with mental illness and his eventual suicide, the EP serves as a springboard for his forthcoming LP, Beautiful. Slated for a Spring 2017 release, his third album is his most ambitious to date and features a conceptual approach dealing with schizophrenia and the complexity of identity. In late 2016, the National Alliance of Mental Illness took notice of Banks’s music and its focus on mental-health awareness, and have partnered with him on promotional efforts for Beautiful.
–
Banks, who struggled with homelessness while attending Loyola University on a full-ride scholarship, opted to leave academia behind and pursue MCing full-time. Outside of music, the New Orleans native has made a name for himself through his unapologetic sense of personal style, and can often be seen sporting a fresh pair of sneakers and a scarf tied around his mic. His sense of individualism is something he applies to his life mantra, which is embodied by his UnderdogCentral movement. Created in 2012, UnderdogCentral represents a place where the overlooked are embraced and encouraged to finesse their potential.
About Marco:
Marco Pavé is Project Pat meets KRS-One, spitting an urban country consciousness with a confidence that could only emerge from coming of age as a Muslim millennial in North Memphis. As a rapper and songwriter, Marco Pavé appeals to a diversity of rap enthusiasts, from purists to radio lovers to hipsters, with a soulful style of hip-hop storytelling and community engagement that appeals to racially and geographically diverse millennial audiences. Marco’s lyrics are often painting pictures with his songs. Marco’s content is abundant yet both understandable and relevant, speaking on topics fans would agree are distressing and all too common in the life of a person his age in today’s society, using these experiences to encourage others like him to persevere.  As a sought-after public speaker in community and university contexts, he lectures on hip-hop and conducts workshops on hip-hop and social justice.Marco Pavé has been building a solid profile for a couple years now. In 2014, he released his first mixtape, Obscure Reality, which was positively reviewed on several blogs. Based on his incredible live performances and the early positive reception of his mixtape, he was invited to perform at SXSW. Next, he was invited to Los Angeles to record an EP with Grammy-nominated producer Haskel Jackson, Memphis native and prolific Grammy-winning producer Carlos Broady, and Grammy-winning engineer James Hunt. His most loyal fans even donated over $3,000 to send Marco to LA to record this project. Radio Rahim Music released Marco’s current project, the EP Perception, in November 2015. With this release Pavé has gained attention from nationally recognized online publications such as The Source, Soul Train, AllHipHop, and more. Hip Hop scholar Mark Anthony Neal has given Marco the seal of approval through his blog, NewBlackMan. Beyond Internet buzz, Pavé has made a huge debut and impact on college radio. Perception debuted at #24 on the College Music Journal (CMJ) charts and reached the #4 position by its third week. Over 90 stations from Canada to the USA have picked up the EP. Perception was also named one of the top ten albums in Memphis music by their paper of record, The Commercial Appeal.