Bangs (hip hop artist)

Ajak Chol (born 28 September 1990), better known by his stage names Bangs, Ur Boy Bangs or Ur Boi Bangs and formerly Bstar Bangs, is a South Sudanese-born, Australian hip hop artist. He provided viral songs, "Take U to Da Movies" (2009) and "Meet Me on Facebook" (August 2010). In December 2009 he released an album, Hard 2 Be Up.

Bangs
Birth nameAjak Chol
Also known asBangs, Ur Boy Bangs, Ur Boi Bangs, Mutal Bangz
Born (1990-09-28) 28 September 1990
Juba, Sudan (Today South Sudan)
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
Years active2004–present
LabelsHSM Entertainment
Associated actsNubian Knights, Ray Harmony
Websitehttp://www.bangs8.com/ (archived)

Biography

Ajak Chol was born in Juba, South Sudan in 1990. At the age of 11, he moved to Egypt with his family after his father married another wife. He spent two years there before emigrating to Australia with his family in 2003.[1]

Musical career

In 2005 Chol formed the Nubian Knights, a hip-hop collective with fellow east-African migrants Ezeldin Deng, Francis Dbuia, Abraham Adet and Tong Bol. It resulted from the Footscray Community Arts Centre's ID Check project. The Nubian Knights produced a self-titled album and performed at St Jerome's Laneway Festival in 2009.[2]

Chol recorded his debut album Hard 2 Be Up in mid-2008 at Gateway Living Music Studios in Footscray, Victoria, with producer John Favaro. In 2009, he posted "Take U to Da Movies" on YouTube as a satire on real rap music, where it became a viral hit after a few months.[3] In 2010 he appeared at the Melbourne Big Day Out on the Lilyworld stage,[4] he recorded two singles, titled "Meet Me on Facebook"[5] and "Christmas Story". A percentage of profit from each sale of "Christmas Story" was donated to the International Rescue Committee, to aid their work in Sudan.[6]

Bangs has collaborated with other Sudanese artists such as Ezu on his song "Hi Haters", Click Fablice on "I Know U Like" and Lil' Fablice on "Forever".

Bangs is signed to record label HSM Entertainment.[7][8]

In 2011 Bangs released his second album Reflections.[9] His most recent album is Bangz the Don, released in December 2012.[10] He also released his first mixtape called NICE in September 2013 as a free download on HotNewHipHop,[11] with part two released on 28 September 2014 – Bangs' birthday.[12]

Reception

Bangs recorded his first album in 2008 in an Australian studio. By late 2009 his internet visibility began to grow as he increased in fame when his video became a viral hit. Bangs was discovered and interviewed on Eminem's internet radio station in 2009. When videos of the interview appeared on YouTube, his fame skyrocketed and several of his music videos accumulated millions of views.[6]

Bangs became visible enough in the mainstream media that in 2010 Honda hired him for an advertisement.[5] The advertisement asked, "How much rap can you fit into a Honda Jazz", and featured Bangs rapping to the beat of "Take U to Da Movies".[7] On the 15 July 2015 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, his song, "Take U to Da Movies", was used in a segment, "Do not Play", where both Fallon and the show's announcer, Steve Higgins, "ridiculed" and "mocked" him.[13][14] On 19 July, Bangs released a diss track directed at Fallon, "Ur Boy Bangs – Response to Jimmy Fallon – Do not Watch".[13][15] On 25 July Bangs performed the track live to an audience at Laundry Bar in Fitzroy, Victoria[16]

Although Bangs' main fan base is in Australia, his renown extends even to the Middle East. He has developed a following in Dubai.

Influences

Bangs has cited that he was inspired to make music after hearing Soulja Boy.[17] He is also quoted as saying his main musical influence is the rapper Chingy, with Dr. Dre as an additional inspiration for producing. He is also a fan of Kendrick Lamar which can be seen in his "Keep Ur Head Up" video.

Discography

Albums
  • 2009: Hard to Be Up[18]
  • 2011: Reflections[19]

Singles
  • 2010: "Take U to Da Movies"[20]
  • 2010: "Meet Me on Facebook"[21]
  • 2010: "Christmas Story"[22]
  • 2011: "Livin My Life" featuring EZU[23]
  • 2011: "Hi Haterz" featuring EZU[24]
  • 2012: "I Know U Like" featuring Click Fablice[25]
  • 2013: "It Was My Mistake"[26]
  • 2013: "Christmas Story Part II"[27]
  • 2019: “Take U To KFC”
  • 2020: “Take U To Burger Kings/Hungry Jack’s”
  • 2020: “Christmas Story Pt 6”

Guest appearances
  • 2016: "Ayo" B-Nasty featuring Bangs, Breezy & EZU[28]

Tours

Bangs completed his first tour of New Zealand in May 2014, playing shows in Auckland and Wellington.[29]

References
  1. Hemsworth, Ryan. "Interview w/ Bangs". A Half-Warmed Fish. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  2. "The Very West Showcase". St Jerome's Laneway Festival. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  3. Savage, Jay (11 November 2009). "Unlikely rap hit Bangs back for 'Sex'". nineMSN. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  4. Blackman, Guy (24 January 2010). "Best in show". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  5. Vick, Megan (3 August 2010). "African Rapper Bangs Debuts'Facebook' Single". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  6. "Sudanese Rap Phenom Bangs Gets into The Spirit With New Holiday Single, 'a Christmas Story'". PRLog. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  7. Samuel, Anslem (2 August 2010). "Bangs the Great, "50 Cent Ain't Call Me Back Yet"". XXL. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  8. O'Neil, Megan (9 April 2010). "Rapper Bangs Scores Fame and a Record Deal on Youtube". Social Times. WebMediaBrands Inc. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  9. https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/reflections/id428750360
  10. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bangz-the-don/id590778196
  11. http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/ur-boy-bangs-nice-mixtape.93637.html
  12. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=908964042462631&set=a.470635096295530.126504.162826990409677&type=1
  13. Stanforth, William (25 August 2015). "The accident and art of Ur Boy Bangs". Overland. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  14. Bowden, Ebony (17 July 2015). "Jimmy Fallon makes fun of 'terrible' Australian rapper Bangs on The Tonight Show". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  15. "Bangs fires back at Jimmy Fallon with polite rap diss track". Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. "EVENT RECAP: BANGS YOUR BOI GOT LIVE AT LAUNDRY". Acclaim. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  17. Kalagas, Sophie (29 November 2012). "Bangs takes us to the Movies". Everguide (Sydney). Lifelounge Pty Ltd.
  18. "Release group "Hard to Be Up" by Bangs - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  19. "REFLECTIONS by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes.
  20. "BANGS TOOK THE WORLD TO DA MOVIES | VICE | United States". VICE. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  21. "Meet Me On Facebook - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes.
  22. "Christmas Story - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes.
  23. "Livin My Life (feat. Ezu) - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes.
  24. "Hi Haterz (feat. Ezu) - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes.
  25. "I Know U Like (feat. Click Fablice) - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  26. "It Was My Mistake - Single by Ur Boy Bangz on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  27. "Christmas Story Part II - Single by Ur Boy Bangz on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  28. "Recording "Ayo" by B-Nasty feat. Bangs, Breezy and EZU - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  29. "Ur Boy Bangs in Auckland review". 3news.co.nz. David Farrier.
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