A TikTok Challenge Brings The Heat To Erica Banks

Originally published January 15, 2021.

Front Seat

This is what's driving hip-hop this week….

New year, new me, the saying goes. And with folks still sitting at home while we fight through this pandemic, there’s gotta be a way to show that you’re moving past 2020 and into the new 365 ready to get at it. Enter the #BussItChallenge. The TikTok challenge has gone viral on the platform and crossed over onto other social media channels. All in the timelines, yo. Think the #DontRushChallenge, but ladies not only glamming it up but also dropping it low. Soundtracked by Erica Banks’ “Buss It,” the challenge has proved a boon for the upstart Dallas rapper. She’s been working a long time for a moment like this.

Back Seat

Respect my mind or die from lead shower.

The talk of the music industry so far in this young 2021 is undoubtedly Olivia Rodrigo’s record-setting debut single, “Drivers License,” which arrived last Friday (January 8) and proceeded to rack up numbers for the pop starlet like Russell Westbrook during his MVP season. Currently, the song is topping charts on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and Amazon Music and it’s the number one music video on YouTube. It’s a certified phenomenon. Even Spotify execs are like, Whoa!

But, not every musical act has the fortune of a built-in Disney audience, a ready-made breakup narrative with more juice than Minute Maid to dive into and, well, this type of luck at the onset of their career.

You know how it normally goes: Show me an overnight sensation and I’ll show you someone who has been putting in the work long before anyone started paying attention.

Case in point, the soon-to-be talk of the music industry (if not already): Erica Banks.

The Dallas rapper’s “Buss It” has been blowing up since the new year began. The Nelly-sampling joint is trending across social media in short video clips up and down the timeline due to the #BussItChallenge on TikTok, where (mostly) ladies stand around in loungewear (pajamas, sweats, etc.) before a transition cut suddenly shows them decked out in club attire (sequin! heels! big hair!), twerking to the chanting chorus: Buss it, buss it. Get this, though: the music video for the song premiered SEVEN MONTHS AGO.

Banks wasn’t even actively pushing “Buss It” by the end of 2020. Another one of her records, “Toot That,” had her attention and she was hoping it would have yours. That’s kind of been her M.O. — to keep recording and to keep it moving.

She’s a prolific young talent who released two indie projects in 2020 (one was a Christmas EP!), which followed three self-released collections in 2019. She’s grinding and still on the come up so much that she’s not even verified on Twitter yet. Banks was prolly best known as 1501 Certified Entertainment's answer to losing their grip on Megan The Stallion; the Texas-based label would usher in another local talent, this time from the D. (In a bit of irony, Megan was 2020’s biggest act on TikTok, according to the platform’s first year-end music report.)

But then an innocuous TikToker decided to tee up the challenge last month (and, if I’m not mistaken, she didn’t do it herself, more so she chopped up the track and asked other folks to do it) and suddenly, a few years worth of work set the foundation for what would come, if not overnight, in about a month’s time.

I checked the charts from a month ago and “Buss It” was nowhere to be found. But when I checked again in early January, the song was being added to RapCaviar (January 8) and had cracked the all-genre chart at Apple (January 6). Both firsts for Banks.

The “Buss It” music video just crossed 1 million views last week, on January 7, becoming Erica Banks’ first clip ever to achieve the feat. Less than a week later it surged past the 2 million mark (January 13). In a bit of serendipity, she announced on January 6 that she signed to Warner Records through 1501.

These things are hard to see coming. In fact, as many folks that predicted women acts would hit big in hip-hop from my post last week, there wasn’t one mention of Erica Banks. And for my money, I thought the #SoPrettyChallenge, also kicked-started last month on TikTok (I stay on TikTok with the burner account), featuring a beat by Kato On The Track and vocals by Reyana Maria, would be the track to blow. For what it’s worth, the pair got mad streams on TikTok but their collaboration isn’t an actual song yet. Tyga’s lurking. Money is waiting to be made.

The morale of the story is, if you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready.

Erica Banks was plenty ready.

Erica Banks drew early comparisons to Meg for some similarities they share, such as their Texas drawls and both have an affinity for aye and huh ad-libs. While Meg is the better rapper, Banks is no slouch on the mic and her delivery is appealing with her Bacon slab thick accent. She can also carry a tune with a melody, which puts her more in line with Nicki Minaj than Thee Stallion. Below is her discography as it appears on DSPs. Not sure if there’s proper mixtape material out there. I listed some of my favorites cuts from each project.

Art of the Hustle (2019) - “Breakin’ Down” and “No Groupies”

Pressure (2019) - “NO Hook, Pt. 3” and “Do It”

Cocky On Purpose (2019) - “I’m Great” and “4am”

Erica Banks (2020) - Aside from “Toot That” and “Buss It”, there’s “Trip Out” and “Do What I Like”

Banks B4 Christmas EP (2020) - I haven’t listened to this one yet. Ha.

A challenge isn’t a challenge if the artist doesn’t get in on the action themselves, right?

Trunk

Music, links, podcasts and videos I'm checking for.

Flo Milli looks to kick the year off right with “Roaring 20s.” [Listen]

DaBaby be working, got another one with “Masterpiece,” an ode to his lady. [Listen]

Favio x Funk Flex. [Listen]

Salute to Mark Pitts!

Like Backseat Freestyle’s list, Billboard also does the 25 predictions for 2021 thing. [Read]

Speaking of the BF predictions, Kelly G was onto something with his Peloton prediction. [Read]

Cardi B is hitting the big screen; Big Meech’s son hitting the small screen. [Read] [Read]

Cover Stars! Zendaya on GQ, LaKeith Stanfield on EW, SZA on Cosmo and Rihanna on Essence. (Jazmin Sullivan inside the pages of New York.)

Jemele Hill finally had Michael Smith on her pod. [Listen]

RollingStone talks to Missy for their podcast on their new 500 Greatest Albums list [Listen]

Benny The Butcher and Black Soprano Family set off the year with a banger. [Watch]

Backseat Freestyle is written and produced by Jayson Rodriguez for Smarty Art, Inc. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, feel free to email me: [email protected]. And follow me elsewhere:

Instagram: @jaysonrodriguez

YouTube: smartyartllc

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