Yung Bans Has a World of His Own Creation in “The Streets”
Coming back after a brief hiatus, Yung Bans is ready to resume his reign at the top of the Atlanta rap scene. The 24-year-old emcee travels over land, sea, and snow to bring the world “The Streets,” a brand new video for his latest single. A burbling, melodic jam, “The Streets” finds Yung Bans exploring how his rough upbringing has hardened his emotions and turned him into someone not to be messed with. In the video, directed by Declan Kyle, Bans dramatizes his rebound from personal struggle, as he traverses harsh environments–from a frozen lake, to a snow-filled forest, to a hazy body of water–to return to his throne.
Emerging from SoundCloud in the late 2010s, Yung Bans established himself as one of the biggest stars of the Atlanta underground, winning co-signs from his city’s heavy-hitters–like Young Thug, Future, and Gunna–and the admiration of peers like Lil Tecca and YNW Melly. Now, after 2.5 years spent getting his life together and caring for his family, Bans is back with a refined and mature version of the melodic sound that made him famous. “The Streets” is the second single of the year by Yung Bans, following the confrontational “Who Want Smoke?,” produced by TM-88 and Bobby Raps. “The Streets” and “Who Wants Smoke?” will both appear on Vol. 6, Bands upcoming album, and his first full-length release since his debut album Misunderstood.
Honing an effortlessly addictive and inventive flavor of trap music, the Atlanta native burst into public consciousness as a teenager in 2018, releasing three self-titled EPs, collaborating with the likes of Future, Juice WRLD, XXXTentacion, and Lil Durk, and earning positive mentions in Pitchfork, The FADER, HYPEBEAST, and more. Bans was an early muse for Cole Bennett, who directed several of his music videos, including “Ridin” (34 million views) and “Lonely” (21 million views).
Still only 25-years-old, Yung Bans made a stir when he announced his return earlier this month. Bans performed his first concert in years when he appeared at Lyrical Lemonade’s 10 Year Anniversary show in Chicago, a testament to the strong relationship he still has with Cole, bringing out Jasiah to perform their collaboration “Shenanigans.” Shortly afterward, Bans teased “Who Wants Smoke,” his first new single since 2021, generating social media buzz and encouraging comments on IG from Cole Bennett, trap music peers like Doe Boy, Ralo, and Reese LaFlare, plus younger artists influenced by his work, like DC The Don and Bear1Boss.
With the upcoming Vol. 6, Bans welcomes old friends like YNW Melly and producers like Nick Mira, Maaly Raw, Bugz Ronin, and more, to usher him back into the spotlight. Stay tuned for much more information about Bans and Vol. 6 in the coming weeks.