David Banner is the South's soul man. Holding it down on the mic and behind the boards, the Mississippi-raised artist spits redemptive tales in his gravelly voice while conjuring up beats that veer from the bluesy and emotional to the uncompromisingly hardcore. After taking his first steps as part of the underrated group Crooked Lettaz, his solo debut, Mississippi: The Album, dropped in 2003 and was spearheaded by the club hit "Like A Pimp" with Lil' Flip, and the tender, acoustic guitar-helmed "Cadillacs on 22's." Since then he's dropped regular LPs that tap into a similar duality.