After years of making music as Fyakin, Nicholas Levy is embracing a new identity as Nyle Banks, and he says the transformation reflects far more than a change of name. Born from the creation of Nyle Banks Music Group and shaped by years of personal experiences, musical growth and lessons learned as an artiste and producer, the new moniker has become synonymous with the next chapter of his career. Now, Banks is putting that evolution on full display with B4G: Born 4 Greatness, a five-track EP arriving on August 21 and led by “Progress and Greatness” featuring Guxxie Music. The project delivers a message of love, progression and vigilance, with Banks aiming to connect with listeners across generations and borders.
The decision to retire the Fyakin name was partly driven by a practical challenge. According to Banks, the unique spelling often made it difficult for listeners to find his music, while producers sometimes released his songs with the name spelled incorrectly. His transition to Nyle Banks, however, developed organically. After establishing Nyle Banks Music Group, friends began referring to him by the name, and what started as a label identity gradually became his new artistic identity. “It just happened naturally,” Banks explained, marking a significant shift for an artiste whose career stretches back to his childhood.
Banks began writing songs at nine, influenced heavily by his brother, songwriter and recording artiste Neu Mowatt. By 14, he had released his first single, “Many Nights”, before joining the Fifth Element Records camp at 16 and working alongside artistes including Richie Spice, Anthony Cruz and Etana. His breakthrough came with “My Lady”, followed by releases such as “Dem Nuh Real”, “Journey”, “Sweet Music”, “Steamin”, “Right Those Wrongs” and “I & I Story”. His career later expanded beyond performing into production, graphic design and music entrepreneurship, with production credits and collaborations involving Lutan Fyah, Kmetik Nyne, Pressure Busspipe, Kabaka Pyramid and Sizzla Kalonji, among others.
That broader experience has also shaped the sound of B4G. Banks says learning audio engineering and instruments has sharpened his understanding of sound, cadence and quality, while working with like-minded producers such as Guxxie Music has helped him refine the finished product. The EP features “Progress and Greatness”, “Flow Like This”, “Wiser Now”, “When Again” and “One Too Many”, with Banks describing the songs as reflections of personal experiences. “With experience teaches wisdom,” he said, adding that the journey has made him a perfectionist when it comes to the music he releases.
For Banks, Born 4 Greatness is ultimately about forward movement. He hopes listeners take away its message of love, progress and vigilance, while finding something relatable regardless of age. With his Fyakin chapter behind him and Nyle Banks now firmly established as both an artistic and entrepreneurial identity, the August 21 release represents more than a new EP. It is the opening statement of a new era, one Banks hopes will take his music across borders and into an even wider global audience.
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