Jabari, rising R&B star and the BET and NAACP Award-nominated star of the hit Peacock show Bel-Air, has unleashed his formal R&B introduction, the new EP ULTRA, available now via Epic Records. Following a pair of teases that set his buzz ablaze, “Something Else” and “Weekend Drive,” Banks delivers a new, 8-track EP that covers the full scope of his evolving artistry, which includes the downbeat R&B that powered his first two records, and a steamier more sultry side fully establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s preeminent multi-faceted talented artists.
Banks’s on-screen background plays into his artistry seamlessly, as ULTRA plays like a short film written by a hopeless romantic navigating a plethora of feelings at once. Banks meets you in the “Lobby” of this narrative, and takes you on an exhilarating ride, where he details everything from the “Makeup Sex” he has in mind to the temptation of getting a lover’s name tattooed on “In My Head.” All throughout ULTRA, Banks’s vocal prowess and charisma bleeds through his songwriting, as does the maturity of his content, which matches his coming-of-age as not only an artist, but a man.
The arrival of ULTRA comes at a riveting time of Banks’s career. The PG County, Maryland native has taken Hollywood by storm in the last few years earning award nominations from the BET Awards and the NAACP Awards for his role as the “Will Smith” character in Peacock’s successful one-hour drama series Bel-Air.
The show’s fourth and final triumphant season will premiere on Monday, November 24th. As he teased the show’s upcoming final season, Banks dropped a breadcrumb. “I can’t wait for y’all to see what we’ve been doing the last few months,” he told his emotional audience on Instagram. “See you sooner than you think.”
That time has arrived, and Banks is ready to build on his strong entrance. With “Something Else” and “Weekend Drive,” the singer-songwriter generated over 2 million global streams and over a half-million video views, a testament to the intrigue that he’s been able to carry over from the screen to the studio.
“To me, ULTRA feels like unlocking a time capsule of the last four years,” Banks said. “It carries the highs and lows, the lessons, and the love that shaped me, and it’s my way of showing the world that music has always been at the center of my story. More than anything, I hope it speaks to anyone navigating their own journey of dreams and growth.”
The ULTRA EP is here in all its R&B glory. Stream it here.
