Dallas Rap Star Erica Banks Signs to Warner Records in Partnership With 1501 Certified Entertainment

ENLISTS TRAVIS SCOTT FOR COLOSSAL “BUSS IT” REMIX

Today, rising Dallas rapper Erica Banks officially announces her signing to Warner Records in partnership with 1501 Certified Entertainment. The news arrives on the heels of the widespread success of her breakthrough single, “Buss It,” which has dominated streaming and social platforms since the start of 2021. Not one to be complacent, Erica enlisted fellow Texas titan, Travis Scott, to bless the “Buss It” remix. Scott’s signature style gives a fresh and fiery feel to the already infectious track. Listen HERE.

Carl Crawford, CEO of 1501 Certified Entertainment-one of the fasted growing independent labels said, “my gift for recognizing talent put Erica Banks on my radar, and I knew I wanted her to be a part of what we’re building at 1501 Certified Entertainment. Texas has such rich culture for music, and I’m happy for us to play a role in its continued evolution alongside the Warner Records team.”

Banks’ powerful 2020 included dropping her thrilling self-titled mixtape, home to “Buss It.” Over a smart flip of Nelly’s white-hot 2002 single, “Hot in Here,” Banks flexes her lyrical prowess while still having ample amounts of fun—at the end of the day, in her own words, she makes “turn-up music.” Building on the mixtape momentum, Erica went on to drop a string of new freestyles, including DJ Screams “Hoodrich Radio “ which shows off her agility and attitude that has drawn rap fans to her music and mixtapes since 2018. That energy proved infectious as “Buss It” took on a life of its own. Receiving widespread acclaim, Vulture has “no complaints,” and Harper’s Bazaar said “Buss It” is a “dancefloor banger.” Meanwhile, Billboard featured Erica as a “Hip-Hop Artist To Watch in 2021.”

Erica recently launched a t-shirt collab with AKIRA, a trendy fashion brand. AKIRA first opened its doors to fashion in 2002 offering a full line of clothing, accessories and footwear. They’re known for statement-making, uber-trendy pieces and expert service. AKIRA is the shopping destination for anyone who loves to turn heads like Erica. You can check out the official BUSS IT merch sold exclusively at shopAKIRA.com HERE.

Countless fans and celebrities have contributed to the #BussItChallenge, which originated on TikTok (racking up over 2.7 billion views) and has been used as the soundtrack to more than 5.3 million videos. With that came cosigns by artists like Monica, Rico Nasty, and Chloe Bailey, and actors like Gabrielle Union and Tracee Ellis Ross. Since its release, “Buss It” has racked up over 33.7 million streams and more than 15 million YouTube views. The hit single also hit #1 on Billboard’s Triller US and global charts. Though Banks has been writing since she was a kid and rising for the past three years, 2021 is shaping up to be her proper introduction to the world.

About Erica Banks

“Buss It” just proved to the world what Texas already knew: Erica Banks is a real rap spitter who knows an undeniable bop when she makes one. “I have a good ear for music,” says the MC. “I know what’s best for me.” She also knows what’s best for cars and clubs: a relentless flow made sticky by her Dallas drawl, glued to an explosive mix of big bass and eerie melody. You could say she’s been perfecting her style over three years of hotly tipped freestyles and mixtapes—Art of the Hustle, Pressure, and Cocky on Purpose represent 2019 alone—but Banks came out swinging from the start. And now that “Buss It” is climbing the Billboard Hot 100, she has the clout to underwrite her savage disses and tales of lust and luxury. That standout anthem from her booming self-titled 2020 mixtape took on a life of its own in 2021, soundtracking over 3 million dance challenge videos in less than a month, and earning tacit cosigns from the likes of Nicki Minaj, Monica, Rico Nasty, and Tracee Ellis Ross. Banks calls the whole thing “outrageous,” but she’s been working toward this moment since she fell in love with poetry as a child. She graduated from freestyling for kids at recess to taking rap seriously after seeing local artists like Asian Da Brat, Yella Beezy, Cuban Doll, and Tay Money take off nationally. She released her debut single “Talk My Shit” in 2018, and her momentum has been growing ever since. And now that Erica’s aligned with both 1501 Certified and Warner Records the turn-up is real. “I make turn-up music, so that’s what we’re going to do,” says Banks. “We’re going to continue to push it. What’s better than that?”

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Photo credit: Scrill Davis

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.