Lavell William Crump better known by his staged name David Banner was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. He graduated from Provine High School in Jackson in 1992 and then attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, his mother's Alma mater at Southern University, Crump served as president of the Student Government Association and received a Bachelor's Degree in business. He later attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore to pursue a Master's Degree in education but later left the program to pursue his music career full-time. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz, before going solo in 2000 with the release titled Them Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1. In 2003, Banner signed to Universal Records releasing four albums: Mississippi: The Album (2003), MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water (2003), Certified (2005), and The Greatest Story Ever Told (2008).
David Banner has recurring role as a preacher in Bounce TV network drama series Saints & Sinners (2016).
