Everyone knows the importance of having a strong support system behind them. For a lot of us, those first instances of reassurance that we were doing something right came from the encouraging words or actions of parents. For Joel, better known now as Banco Bizmol, it was his mommy.
The Proof Is In The Lyrics
We sat with Banco last year following the release of his album, Last Man Standing, to talk through his inspirations and aspirations. Something that he came back to often was the love and support of his mother.
“She (Banco’s mother) is always supportive of my music,” he said, “She does always tell me “keep going, I see the reaction people have when they see me and they be like “You is Banco Mommy!” he told us proudly.
He went on to share that his mother recognises the impact that he and his music have on the community and on people. “She does just be telling me stay at it and do what you gah do ‘cause she want to see me big,” he told us then laughed, “I gah buy mommy that big house!”
Banco’s love and admiration for his mother is very apparent on Never Fold which featured reggae artist Pressure. And this persistent ambition for repaying her with a big house comes back up again too! He raps:
”“… so I can big up my moms, she had my back from so long,
I tryn get her them bags but not the gucci nor the fendi or the Louis Vuitton,
I talking money for a house to shelter us from the storm
so we could take a family pic and hang that **it on the wall.”
Banco constantly credits his mother for instilling a sense of confidence and relentlessness within him. “One thing she does always tell me, she know I could do it and once my mother tell me she know I could do it, nobody can’t tell me different,” he said. Then joked, “Like if my mother say I handsome, nobody can’t tell me meen handsome!”
A Source of Affirmation
For sure, our mothers are often our first sounding boards, constantly telling us of the brilliance within us we aren’t often able to see for ourselves. There to remind us of who we are and whose we are. To steer us on the right path or to allow us to learn for ourselves because, of course as we are constantly reminded by them, who don’t hear does feel!
Our moms are our first protectors, cheerleaders and teachers. Banco knows this all too well. He told us: “One thing my mother used to always tell me is “Do you! You can’t worry about people and you can’t let nobody make you come short of your blessings.”
And of course, Banco reminded us of the never ending and unconditional support his mother has given him over the years, “One thing I rate her for she always believe in me. She try with me.. she never give up on me…she never turn her back on me…she always been there for me.”
And honestly, we rate her for that too! Motherhood is no easy thing, raising children is difficult. And so we wish to extend a Happy Mother’s Day not only to Banco’s mommy, but to all the mothers that never gave up, to the grandmothers, aunts, sisters, godmothers, and friends who stepped in to raise children, to every single woman in a motherly role! We hope your day is marvelous and filled with love.
And we definitely wish that some one of those children buy you that big house!
