“Buss It” just proved to the world what Texas already knew: Erica Banks is a real rap spitter who knows an undeniable bop when she makes one. “I have a good ear for music,” says the MC. “I know what’s best for me.” She also knows what’s best for cars and clubs: a relentless flow made sticky by her Dallas drawl, glued to an explosive mix of big bass and eerie melody. You could say she’s been perfecting her style over three years of hotly tipped freestyles and mixtapes, but Banks came out swinging from the start. With “Buss It” hitting the Top 50 on Billboard Hot 100, she has the clout to underwrite her savage disses and tales of lust and luxury. That standout anthem from her booming self-titled 2020 mixtape took on a life of its own in 2021, soundtracking over 3.9 videos, and earning tacit cosigns from the likes of Monica, Rico Nasty, and Tracee Ellis Ross. Banks calls the whole thing “outrageous,” but she’s been working toward this moment since she fell in love with poetry as a child. Banks released her debut single “Talk My Shit” in 2018, and her momentum has been growing ever since. And now that Erica’s aligned with both 1501 Certified and Warner Records the turn-up is real. “I make turn-up music, so that’s what we’re going to do,” says Banks. “We’re going to continue to push it. What’s better than that?”