Asbury Park hip-hop star Lexx Banko talks Boston Way inspiration, upcoming marriage

Lexx Banko is one of the highest profile stars of the Jersey underground hip-hop scene.

Thank the former Boston Way housing project in Asbury Park for that. Banko, aka Alexis Banks, gives a lot of credit to growing up in B-Way for her musical success.

“We call it the B-Way,” Banko said. “The kids, the adults. There’s a saying it takes a village to raise a kid. I experienced a lot of things with my mom being at work so I had to go out there and figure a couple of things on my own."

The old Boston Way has been demolished, and a new Boston Way Village for mixed income units stands in its place.

"It wasn’t all pretty and before I got to the B-Way I was on the other side of the tracks (in Asbury Park), and we had best friends over there but when I got to the projects I had to become somebody else,” Banko said.

Banko's dad passed when she was 13. Banko's early years are depicted in the moving track “Heavenly,” from her recent “Battle of the Features” LP.

“There’s times I should have definitely did some jail time, but my father was, 'No, that’s not for you,' ” Banko said. “Anytime I get a little cloudy up there in the head, that's a way of me thinking positive.”

Banko initially made her name in the region's battle rap scene, and has been releasing more recorded works in recent years. Look for her in the Asbury Underground, which returns to downtown Asbury Park as part of the North to Shore festival on June 15.

Banko drops verbal bombs with surgical precision and street-honed smarts on “Battle of the Features,” produced by Tragedy Monroe.

She's not adverse to showing off her very sharp sense of humor.

“I still pull up on (gals) like a onesie with a zipper,” rhymes Banko on “BOTF,” an acronym for “Battle of the Features.”

Speakimg of gals, Banko recently announced that she's marring her longtime girlfriend, the future Kesi Banks. They're getting married in Florida in the next few weeks.

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Banko is happy if she can provide inspiration to those whose hearts are in similar flights.

“I know I've inspired a lot of people since the day I announced that I was engaged to my fiancée,” Banko said. “I’m happy for people who are in a relationship, who have love. I just hope they know what they're getting into — me too! I’ve been with my fiancée going on for eight years, and you really can't play with love like that when you're committing yourself to someone. It’s not a game.”

Kesi has been supportive of Banko's career in the rap game.

“She's the love of my life,” Banko said.

Visit instagram.com/lexx_banko for more information on Lexx Banko.

Have harp, will travel

Chances are very good you've heard Erin Hill and her harp. The Kentucky native has played with Kanye West, Cyndi Lauper, Moby, a-ha, Josh Groban, Jewel and more.

He highest profile gig so far was her appearance on “Chappelle’s Show” in the “Pretty White Girl Sings Dave’s Thoughts” sketch. Harps and comedy go together well. Just ask Harpo Marx about that.

Catch Hill as she brings her “Total Eclipse of the Harp” show back to Randy Now's Man Cave in Hightstown on Saturday, May 11. Mike Nolan will be playing pedal steel guitar, and they're taking requests.

Go : Erin Hill's 'Total Eclipse of the Harp,” 7 p.m. Saturday, May 11, Randy Now's Man Cave, 119 W. Ward St., Hightstown. $25; instagram.com/randynownj.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Asbury Park hip-hop star Lexx Banko talks Boston Way inspiration, upcoming marriage