ALFRED BANKS (with CUU Josama)

BAM TALENT is proud to present GRAMMY Nominated Social Media Influencer & Hip Hop artist, ALFRED BANKSalong with 2024 ARTPrize Winner CUU JOSAMA as a part of our 2025 #BLKMUSICMATTERS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Multi award-winning, Grammy-Nominated New Orleans rapper/singer Alfred Banks has garnered acclaim from some of hip-hop’s most esteemed publications. In addition to being named one of Complex’s 10 upcoming New Orleans MCs, Banks has been featured prominently on The Fader, HipHopDx, Okayplayer as well as DJBooth’s list of Top Indie rappers from Louisiana. Most recently, he completed three legs of a North American tour with the Grammy-nominated Tank & the Bangas. His collab with the Brass band The Soul Rebels,“Greatness,” was the televised NCAA tournament anthem in 2019. Burning Sands, the 2017 Netflix film, featured Banks’ “UnderDogCentral” on its soundtrack & the Disney+ Show, “The Crossover”, Included Alfred’s song, “HomeComing”.In 2016, Banks made headway in Europe, performing at the Reeperbahn Festival in Germany and starring in a Volkswagen ad campaign featuring his song “HomeComing.” In 2018, Banks was named “Best Hip-Hop Artist” at the Best of the Beat Awards, presented by New Orleans’ premier music publication, OffBeat. He followed that up with the 2019 Big Easy Award for Best Rapper, presented by Gambit. In 2023, Alfred achieved Viral success with SaxKixAve. Co-founded alongside former Tank and the Bangas’ saxophonist Albert Allenback, Saxkixave accumulated millions of views across Tiktok & Instagram with their videos highlighted by Alfred’s Witty & Deadpan delivery.
Banks’ notable live appearances include SXSW, A3C, JazzFest,Voodoo Festival, and BUKU Music + Art Project. He has supported tours from international bounce icon Big Freedia as well as NerdCore Artist MegaRan, former XXL freshman Mickey Factz, Rap Legend Devin the Dude and has done several headlining tours of his own.
In 2017, Banks released The Beautiful, an album which debuted at#12 on iTunes’ “Rap/HipHop” Charts, #3 on Bandcamp’s “Rap” Charts & #79 on Billboard’s “HeatSeeker” Charts.A frequent speaker on issues relating to mental health, Banks has appeared at Loyola University New Orleans, Tulane University, Walter L Cohen High School and elsewhere. His Recent Album, “One Guy Standing By Himself”, garnered a successful release as it Debuted #3 On iTunes “Rap/HipHop” Charts, Alfred’s Highest Debut to date.

Who Is Cuu JoSama?
Cuu JoSama is one of the next breakout artists in the music industry! An Artprize Award Winning Songwriter and Recording Artist who is Fiercely independent and articulate! Cuu JoSama continuously finds a way to please both the “backpackers” and much wider audiences. Through his savvy delivery, expansive pocket of range, and unpredictability, Cuu JoSama rigorously draws listeners for an experience that is even more enriching afree every listen.

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Cuu JoSama over the years has established and started himself in his local Community’s Hip Hop/ Poetry Scene through the Curation of his own Events, such as “The HaiCuu Experience” in which He Host’s a once in a lifetime Poetry Experience throughout the City and as well as a local artists’ “Verzuz Tournament” where Artist Battle head to head in a “song off” where the audience determines the winner in each round!

Hailed as A “Voice”, “Leader” and “Pillar” of his community, Cuu JoSama’s bleeds authenticity, truth, and realness in every essence of his expression which oozes onto audiences and listeners giving them a sense of security, confidence and better sense of self and identity!
Cuu JoSama’s Aspiration this season is to win a Grammy; collecting a trio of statues for “Best New Artist,” “Best Rap Performance” and “Best Rap Album” for his upcoming work “The Book Of Joseph!”