On the Andy Griffith Show, good ol' Barney Fife use to leave Mayberry and drive down to Raleigh, North Carolina with one thing on his mind - to party. With the combination of hard-hitting beats, down-to-earth lyrics, and ever-flowing energy, one could easily imagine Barney rocking out in the crowd at a Tye Banks show! Tye Banks is hip hop artist and producer, born and raised in the not-so Mayberry neighborhoods of southeast Raleigh. And while many rappers nowadays like to brag about the grittiness of their upbringing, or how they became criminals in order to survive, it is both Tye's life and music that take a different approach: "Life is short. Embrace it, find the positive in it, and make it your own. And be sure to have some fun along the way." Coined as "sexy Southern Hip Hop - with substance" by one music journalist, Tye's perspective can be heard loud and clear throughout his newest release Living A Dream. From the infectious crowd pleaser "Scream Cackalack", the old-school family reunion-type jam "Good Time", and the sultry but fun "Move Ya Body", Tye Banks treats you to hip hop that will make you dance and smile. The positive energy doesn't stop flowing there: on "Stop Hiding", featuring R&B singer Sikora, Tye fights to break down the walls built around a young lady's heart, while tracks such as the head-strong first single "I'm Still Cool" and the uplifting "Live Your Dreams" give you a booster shot of self-confidence and motivation. Another difference between Tye Banks as an artist and many mainstream rappers? Anyone who comes to a live performance will know right away. It's the energy. Honest, pure, and always positive. Whether the crowd is 50 people, 5000 people, or even 15 people, everyone in it evolves during the show from starting as an observer to ending as an active participant. It's this energy, along with the smooth cadence of Tye's delivery, his catchy hooks, and diverse subject matter that have garnered him favorable comparisons to the likes of such artists as Will Smith, The Lost Boyz, LL Cool J, Nelly, AZ, and T.I. Just ask the crowd at a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game - they've been singing and dancing to the Tye Banks' song "Carolina Hurricanes" for 2 years. His philanthropic activities (Tye is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of one of his singles to the Autism Society of North Carolina), entrepreneurial endeavors as a founding member of Tytanium Music and WhoRyde Media, as well as his current foray into film, television, and commercials serves to further underscore the validity of those comparisons. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.