How Bankroll Ni’s ‘I’m So ATL’ became a viral Atlanta anthem

But for 25-year-old Aniya Culpepper, aka Bankroll Ni, the Atlanta native behind the song, the recent success is “a long time coming” after a decade’s worth of hard work.

And, of course, an unyielding love for her hometown.

“(The song) was just simply to rep the city, you know,” the rapper told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution while meeting at Jermaine Dupri’s Southside Studios in Brookhaven this month. ”This my city. I love my city. Can’t nobody take me out my city."

Bankroll Ni, who was raised primarily on the east side of Atlanta, attended Booker T. Washington High School, where she was on the cheer team. She fondly remembers hanging with friends and writing raps in her notebook.

At 15, she decided to post videos of them online. But she didn’t start rapping professionally until 2020, with the release of her first song, “Big Mad.”

As a mom of two daughters (a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old), she often took breaks from her music, but she never gave up. She worked at McDonald’s, Foot Locker and a local day care while pursuing her dream.

Now, with her debut EP “Who Is Bankroll Ni?,” slated for a September release, she tries to record music (mainly at Midtown’s Astro Studios) as much as she can. Although she admits being a young mom and artist can be “very tiring,” she tries to work on new music every week.

Credit: (Courtesy of Bankroll Ni)

Credit: (Courtesy of Bankroll Ni)

Since the release of “I’m So ATL,” Bankroll Ni signed with Columbia Records, and, as of two months ago, Dupri signed on to be her manager after hearing the song.

He said he “sees that she can be bigger than what she probably believes she can be” and wants to help her navigate the industry.

Bankroll Ni is the first artist that Dupri is managing under his So So Def management arm. She’s featured on Dupri’s latest song, “Magic City Monday,” which also features BunnaB, J Money and Sean Paul).

“I thought it was creative,” Dupri told the AJC about hearing “I’m So ATL.” Being the person who made the biggest rap record about Atlanta (“Welcome to Atlanta”), to hear somebody else’s take on an Atlanta record, I just thought it was clever. … She can really rap."

The AJC talked to Bankroll Ni about making a viral song, balancing motherhood and a music career and preparing for her debut EP.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity

Q: What were you doing around the time you created “I’m So ATL?”

A: “I was working from home around that time. I hadn’t been to the studio in a while. Then, I was just seeing how Atlanta was trending on TikTok. When we had the snow day in Atlanta, we were trending on TikTok for people making fun videos about it. Then, the ”Hol Up" dance (inspired by Atlanta rapper J Money’s 2012 song of the same name) was trending, too. So I was just like, it would make sense to make a song saying “I’m So ATL,” too. But I didn’t, like, have no beat for anything. I just knew I wanted a song saying “I’m so ATL.”

Credit: (Courtesy of Bankroll Ni)

Credit: (Courtesy of Bankroll Ni)

Q: What was your reaction when the song went viral?

A: I didn’t know it was gonna go that crazy, but I knew it was gonna have some type of traction just because ain’t nobody really repping the city for real. And it’s something that’s gonna make you dance. It was already trending, so I knew it was gonna do something. I was hyped. I was like, about time.

Q: Growing up, did you always want to be a rapper?

A: I used to want to be a lawyer. I always knew that this time would come. I just didn’t know when it would come. I would always stop and go back to (rapping), stop and go back to it.

I was in school, and I was cheering, and I was working, so it started getting pushed back again. That’s why it was always on-and-off because one minute I do it then the next minute, life starts lifing.

Q: Yea, I can’t imagine doing all of that and raising children at a young age. How do you balance your career and motherhood?

A: I’ve got a good support system with my mom, my man (the children’s dad) and his parents. So if we need them, we know they’re there. I can’t thank God enough for having that.

Q: Your newest song, “Mrs. P,” features rapper Pluto. It’s nice to see how a lot of rising female rappers like yourself, Pluto, BunnaB and YKNiece are taking off right now. Are you close with any of them?

A: I don’t have, like, a specific relationship with everybody, but I was around Bunna at the “Magic City Money” shoot. She seems real sweet and bubbly. YK is cool, so hopefully we’ll have something in the works soon. I mess with everybody, and everybody has a good vibe to them.

Q: How did “Magic City Money” come about?

A: Jermaine Dupri reached out and said he wanted me on the song. I heard the song and thought it was fire, so I recorded my verse.

I was happy about the moment because I felt included. It’s Jermaine Dupri, so yea, of course I’ll do it.

Credit: credit Cindy Lucas-Stone

Credit: credit Cindy Lucas-Stone

Q: He’s also your manager now. How did you feel about bringing him on? Growing up in Atlanta, what are your earliest memories of Jermaine Dupri?

A: I didn’t have no problems with it because I feel he could help in a lot of places and bring more to the table, so I was cool with it. And growing up, I remember listening to Bow Wow (whose career Dupri helped shape). It’s crazy because I listened to a lot of songs not knowing that he played a part in them. I also watched (Dupri’s former competition series) “The Rap Game.”

Q: Beyoncé, Ciara and Lizzo are among stars who’ve participated in the viral “I’m So ATL” dance. What does that recognition mean to you?

A: I’m glad people like the song. I’m just happy that it happened because I’ve been doing it for a minute. There were people listening to me before “I’m So ATL,” so to see, like, people that I was listening to, people of bigger statuses, dancing to it, you’re just like, “OK, finally.”

Q: What can people expect from your new EP, “Who is Bankroll Ni?

A: It’s just gonna be real, raw and uncut. It’s gonna be me, Bankroll Ni, and different versions of me.

Q: Who is Bankroll Ni to you?

A: I would say she is like an alter ego of the regular self, Aniya. Bankroll Ni is real raw, uncut. Don’t care what she says. She just there to have a good time. We’re not with the drama, but if you want that, we’re gonna give it to you. Whereas, the regular me is just chill and laid-back. Like, I’d rather be at home.