Bay Area rapper
Show Banga started his rise with a prolific string of singles and assists. He began rapping as a child, later pouring his focus into hip-hop when he entered high school. Early on, he was affiliated with the local San Francisco group Go-Gettaz. Later, he developed his skills by participating in the Team Backpack cyphers. Starting in 2011,
Show Banga began posting his music online. Tracks like "Shots Fired" and "It's My Swagger" displayed a speedy lyrical flow similar to
Lil Wayne or
André 3000, with a grit akin to contemporary
Vince Staples. His first full-length, Don't Stop Votin' (HomeTeam Entertainment), arrived in 2013. The following year, his viral hit single "I Been That," featuring
Sage the Gemini, led to a deal with Empire Distribution. "Milli" -- produced by Dave-O of the A-Team -- continued to build his audience. Sophomore set Mayor 4 Life was his first LP for Empire. It included production by
Juneonnabeat and appearances by
E-40,
Rich the Kid,
Sage the Gemini, and frequent collaborator
Iamsu! ShowTime 2 arrived in 2016. ~ Neil Z. Yeung