The Hunger for More is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Lloyd Banks. Originally scheduled for a May 25, 2004 release,[1] the album was ultimately dropped on June 29, 2004 through G-Unit Records and Interscope Records.
Recording sessions took place at Sony Studios, Spydadome, Right Track Studios and Teamwork Studios in New York, The Power House at Metropolis Studios in London, The Big House in Farmington, The Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, and 54 Sound in Detroit.
During an interview Lloyd Banks explained the reason behind naming the album. He said:
When I say The Hunger for More, it could be referring to more success. It could be more money. Or Respect. More power. More understanding. All those things lead up to that hunger for more, because my more isn't everybody else's more. I feel like I made it already, because I got already what everybody on the corners of the neighbourhood I grew up in is striving to get.[2]
Recordings
We had a studio on the tour bus. I wrote on the road, going through different situations, constantly touring. 50 was out there, Snoop Dogg was out there, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, a lot of people and I'm tryin' to find my lane at the same time as goin' through all the ins and outs.[3]
I recorded about 50 tracks and I had 50 choose the tracks for the album. “Chips it down” meaning that when the finances are not there, you realize that you need money for everything, and you know that money can change everything. It is talking about the move from having nothing to having all the money and the cars and jewelry.[4] When I'm doin' records for my album, I'm givin' you the same thing I'm givin' you on the mixtapes, but I'm also givin' material that I don't care about getting an (oooh or wow) at the crowd. I do it to basically to tell you stuff you need to know. You understand. If I said you need to know this is what to expect from my neighborhood its kinda like a message at the same time you see good news travel slower than bad news. Yanno so if you grow up in the suburbs or you out of the country or whatever maybe my personal experiences will make you appreciate your neighborhood better. So it's certain things that when I make a record or my album where I'm tellin' you I don't care about your *oooohs and ahhhhs* I just feel like you need to know this.[4]
During the first week of The Hunger For More's release, a distribution house in Manhattan was robbed of approximately eight boxes of the CDs (200 copies). A New York record store had nearly 100 copies of the CD stolen from its racks by a single perpetrator on the album's first day in stores, though they were later recovered.[5]
The second single off the album, "I'm So Fly", was released on July 13, 2004. It did not make it to the US Billboard Hot 100, however, it peaked at number 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles, number 32 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 21 on the Hot Rap Songs. Music videos for the first two singles were directed by Jessy Terrero.
The album's third and final single, "Karma", was released on October 19, 2004. It reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 9 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 6 on the Hot Rap Songs in the US. The music video, directed by Little X, and radio versions of the song features R&B singer Avant instead of Kevin Cossom, who provided additional vocals on its album version.
The Hunger for More was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 66 based on ten reviews.[6]
Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews claimed: "while it's not better than 50's national debut or G-Unit's album, it's certainly no worse".[14]AllMusic's David Jeffries called it "another solid release from the crew", and also compared it with G-Unit's previous releases, saying it is "a couple steps down from 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' and a step above G-Unit's Beg for Mercy".[8] Rondell Conway of Vibe stated: "while he excels in clever jousting, Banks lacks range and storytelling ability".[16]E! Online reviewer found "the one thing Banks lacks is Fiddy's natural charisma--he's also about eight bulletholes short in the "life-experience department".[10]Dean Kuipers of Los Angeles Times wrote: "though not one of the songs on the album stands out in terms of head-popping new production -- there's not a hit that will transcend the hip-hop hard-core -- each cut is utterly bulletproof, and Banks' lyrics provide a few new twists".[12]
In mixed reviews, Chairman Mao of Blender resumed: "while Banks's wicked wordplay is impressive, his one-liners get him only so far".[9]Jon Caramanica of Rolling Stone concluded: "Banks... raps each verse as if his entire career depends on it".[15]
Commercial performance
In the United States, the album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and the Top Rap Albums charts, with 434,000 copies sold in its first week of its release.[17] It remained at number-one in the second week, selling close to 164,000 copies.[18] "That's the kind of debut that veteran artists have", says Banks. "That showed me that following 50's moves and studying the way that he played the game had put me in an incredible position". On September 9, 2004, the album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for 1 million units sold in the US alone.
In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 15 on the UK Albums Chart, number 7 on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart and number 19 on the Scottish Albums Chart. The album reached its Gold status by the British Phonographic Industry on June 17, 2016.
Track 13 contains elements from "All It Takes Is You and Me" written by David Porter and Ronald Williams and performed by The Sweet Inspirations.
Track 14 contains elements from "Love Serenade (Part 1)" written and performed by Barry White.
Track 15 contains elements from "Beware of the Man (With the Candy in His Hand)" written by Tony Hester and performed by The Dramatics.
Notes
Track 12 contains background vocals from Nate Dogg
The album was also released in a special edition, which featured a bonus track and different packaging (including a CD booklet on dollar bill-style paper). It also included a 25-minute DVD with the video for "My Buddy", a clip for "Smile" and "A Day in the Life of Lloyd Banks".[2]
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