ALFRED BANKS: How Do You Red Bean?

In the heart of Uptown New Orleans, Alfred Banks grew up surrounded by the city’s vibrant sounds and tough realities. He discovered his passion for rap early, but it was his older brother Orlandas, who was a gifted artist who nearly signed with Cash Money Records, who lit the spark. Tragically, Orlandas battled schizophrenia and took his own life, a loss that shaped Banks’ path forward.

At just 17, in 2009, Banks stepped onto the stage for his first show at a local hip-hop event. He started under the name Lyriqs da Lyraciss and later built the UnderDogCentral brand to lift up overlooked talents like himself. His music mixed hip-hop with soul and brass-band vibes, drawing from influences like Lupe Fiasco and other local NOLA rappers. By 2015, he switched to his real name to show a more personal side. This also opened doors to features in magazines like Complex, The Fader, and The Source. Complex even named him one of 10 rising New Orleans MCs.

Life threw him curveballs. He’s battled depression, bipolar disorder, a breakup, and job loss. All this pushed him to channel that into collaborations, like forming the duo SaxKixAve with saxophonist Albert Allenback and dropping their EP I Don’t Wear Suits. His solo work includes the 2016 EP A Beautiful Prelude, which led to 2017’s The Beautiful, a raw concept album about his brother’s death and mental health struggles. It climbed to #12 on iTunes’ Rap/Hip-Hop charts and sparked partnerships with groups like NAMI to promote healing conversations.

His 2019 album Road to a Rolex focused on chasing success, landing at #12 on iTunes again and on Billboard’s HeatSeekers list. He toured with Baton Rouge rapper Marcel P. Black, opened for legends like Lupe Fiasco and Rakim, hit the road with Mickey Factz and G-Eazy, and shared stages with Big Freedia and Tank and the Bangas. He’s performed at all the major festivals, including the New Orleans JazzFest, SXSW, Voodoo, and A3C. His tracks landed in films like Netflix’s Burning Sands and the 2019 thriller Black and Blue, plus a Volkswagen ad. In 2018, he was named the Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist at New Orleans’ OffBeat Magazine Awards, and by 2021, he joined a group album with GLBL WRMNG while scoring brand deals with Reebok, Durex, and Whataburger.

Through it all, Banks stayed grounded. He’s known to be calm off-stage, sharp with fashion like spotless sneakers, and committed to spotlighting local artists. His 2021 solo album One Guy Standing By Himself, made with producer Sedrick Avenue, captured a West Coast vibe while tackling equity, protests, and shutdown life after a stint in north Louisiana helping his grandfather.

Alfred Banks shows no signs of slowing. In December 2025, he released his latest EP, The Survivor’s Condition, produced by Pell. It’s a fresh chapter in his story of resilience, blending honest lyrics with that signature NOLA edge, proving he’s one of the city’s most thoughtful voices in hip-hop today.

I don’t remember the first time I had red beans & rice. I’ve had it so many times, I’ve definitely lost count! Lmao.

When you think about red beans and rice, what feeling or memory comes to mind first?

The first memory is coming home from school on a Monday & my mom cooking a big pot in the kitchen. It took a while to cook, but they were so good when we sat down to eat!

Any projects, events, or shoutouts you’d like people to know about?