David Banner Tackles Race Issues in Cartoon Debut

By: Rizoh

      With his latest venture, David Banner (born Levell Crump) seems to be saying, “If it worked for Andre 3000, it might work for me.” Following in Andre’s footsteps, whose Class of 3000 is a favorite on Cartoon Network, Banner has partnered with Adult Swim to produce a cartoon set in his home state of Mississippi. That Crook’d Sipp, loosely based on Banner’s life, debuted on May 13 on Adult Swim.

     “Crook’d Sipp deals with societal issues of the day and allows me as a rapper to use another avenue to get the word out on issues that they may not have a chance to do through sound recordings," said Banner in a statement.

      The Mississippi rapper/producer/actor plays Virgil, a young progressive black man who tells the story of The Beauregards—a Caucasian family trapped in the 1800’s in Mississippi but living in 2007. Virgil owns a couple of restaurants in a town called Sweet Tea and manages a music group called The Sweet Tea Monsters. The group plans to record a real-life album that will accompany the series.

David Banner took his first shot at acting in this year’s Black Snake Moan, where he played Tehronne—a person who takes advantage of a nymphomaniac. He’s currently working on his next album, The Greatest Story Ever Told.