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 rapper. He released 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 name | Ajak Chol |
| Also known as | Bangs, Ur Boy Bangs, Ur Boi Bangs, Mutal Bangz |
| Born | 28 September 1990 Juba, Sudan (now South Sudan) |
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | HSM Entertainment |
| Website | http://www.bangs8.com/ (archived) |
Early life and education
editAjak Chol was born in Juba, South Sudan. At the age of 11, he moved to Egypt with his family after his father married another wife. He spent two years there[citation needed] before emigrating to Australia with his family in 2003.[1][failed verification][better source needed]
Career
editBangs has cited that he was inspired to make music after hearing Soulja Boy.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4] In 2010, he appeared at the Melbourne Big Day Out on the Lilyworld stage,[5] he recorded two singles, titled "Meet Me on Facebook"[6] 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.[7]
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".[citation needed]
Bangs is signed to record label HSM Entertainment.[8][9]
In 2011, Bangs released his second album Reflections.[10] His most recent album is Bangz the Don, released in December 2012.[11] He also released his first mixtape called NICE in September 2013 as a free download on HotNewHipHop,[12] with part two released on 28 September 2014 – Bangs' birthday.[13]
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.[7]
Bangs became visible enough in the mainstream media that in 2010 Honda hired him for an advertisement.[6] 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".[8] 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.[14][15] On 19 July, Bangs released a diss track directed at Fallon, "Ur Boy Bangs – Response to Jimmy Fallon – Do not Watch".[14][16] On 25 July, Bangs performed the track live to an audience at Laundry Bar in Fitzroy, Victoria.[17]
Bangs completed his first tour of New Zealand in May 2014, playing shows in Auckland and Wellington.[18]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- 2009: Hard to Be Up[19][unreliable source?]
- 2011: Reflections[20][unreliable source?]
Singles
edit- 2010: "Take U to Da Movies"[21]
- 2010: "Meet Me on Facebook"[22][unreliable source?]
- 2010: "Christmas Story"[23][unreliable source?]
- 2011: "Livin My Life" featuring EZU[24][unreliable source?]
- 2011: "Hi Haterz" featuring EZU[25][unreliable source?]
- 2012: "I Know U Like" featuring Click Fablice[26][unreliable source?]
- 2013: "It Was My Mistake"[27][unreliable source?]
- 2013: "Christmas Story Part II"[28][unreliable source?]
- 2019: “Take U To KFC”
- 2020: “Take U To Burger Kings/Hungry Jack’s”
- 2020: “Christmas Story Pt 6”
- 2022: “Take U to Starbucks”
- 2023: “Take U To Domino’s”
Guest appearances
edit- 2016: "Ayo" B-Nasty featuring Bangs, Breezy & EZU[29][unreliable source?]
References
edit- ^ Chol, Ajak. "Interview w/ Bangs" (Interview). Interviewed by Hemsworth, Ryan. A Half-Warmed Fish. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ Kalagas, Sophie (29 November 2012). "Bangs takes us to the Movies". Everguide (Sydney). Lifelounge Pty Ltd.
- ^ "The Very West Showcase". St Jerome's Laneway Festival. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Savage, Jay (11 November 2009). "Unlikely rap hit Bangs back for 'Sex'". nineMSN. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
- ^ Blackman, Guy (24 January 2010). "Best in show". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ a b Vick, Megan (3 August 2010). "African Rapper Bangs Debuts'Facebook' Single". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ a b "Sudanese Rap Phenom Bangs Gets into The Spirit With New Holiday Single, 'a Christmas Story'". PRLog. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ a b Samuel, Anslem (2 August 2010). "Bangs the Great, "50 Cent Ain't Call Me Back Yet"". XXL. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
- ^ O'Neil, Megan (9 April 2010). "Rapper Bangs Scores Fame and a Record Deal on Youtube". Social Times. WebMediaBrands Inc. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ "REFLECTIONS by Bangs". iTunes. 29 March 2011.
- ^ "ITunes - Music - Bangz the Don by Ur Boy Bangz". iTunes. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- ^ "Ur Boy Bangs - NICE Feat. UBB". www.hotnewhiphop.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Facebook". Facebook.com. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ a b Stanforth, William (25 August 2015). "The accident and art of Ur Boy Bangs". Overland. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Bangs fires back at Jimmy Fallon with polite rap diss track". Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "EVENT RECAP: BANGS YOUR BOI GOT LIVE AT LAUNDRY". Acclaim. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "Ur Boy Bangs in Auckland review". 3news.co.nz. David Farrier.
- ^ "Release group "Hard to Be Up" by Bangs - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ "REFLECTIONS by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes. 29 March 2011.
- ^ "BANGS TOOK THE WORLD TO DA MOVIES | VICE | United States". VICE. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ "Meet Me On Facebook - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes. 10 August 2010.
- ^ "Christmas Story - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes. 30 November 2010.
- ^ "Livin My Life (feat. Ezu) - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes. 12 December 2011.
- ^ "Hi Haterz (feat. Ezu) - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes. 12 December 2011.
- ^ "I Know U Like (feat. Click Fablice) - Single by Bangs on Apple Music". iTunes. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ "It Was My Mistake - Single by Ur Boy Bangz on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ "Christmas Story Part II - Single by Ur Boy Bangz on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ "Recording "Ayo" by B-Nasty feat. Bangs, Breezy and EZU - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
External links
edit- "It's not easy doing what I do: Bangs" – Interview with Channel 9's Henri Paget