Plan B (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Plan B
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Plan B in 2012, during filming for iLL Manors
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew |
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| Born | 22 October 1983 London, England |
| Origin | Forest Gate, East London, England |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
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Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew (born on October 22, 1983), known as Plan B, is a talented English artist. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and filmmaker. He first became known as a rapper, releasing his first album, Who Needs Actions When You Got Words, in 2006.
His second album, The Defamation of Strickland Banks (2010), was a mix of soul and R&B music. It quickly became number one on the UK Albums Chart. Plan B has also worked with other artists, like Chase & Status. Their song "End Credits" was a top ten hit in 2009.
Drew has also had a successful career in movies. He acted in films like Adulthood (2008) and Harry Brown (2009). In 2012, he wrote and directed his own film, Ill Manors. He also created the music for the film, releasing a soundtrack album. This album also reached number one, making it his second chart-topping album.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Drew was born on October 22, 1983, and grew up in London. His mother worked for the local government. His father, Paul Ballance, played in a punk rock band in the 1970s. Drew's father left the family when he was very young.
Growing up, Drew sometimes felt like an outsider. He attended different schools, including Anglo European School and Tom Hood School. He was later sent to a special unit for students who couldn't attend regular schools. He left school with three GCSEs.
At 14, he taught himself to play the guitar. He started by playing songs by bands like Blur and Oasis with friends. Later, he began writing his own R&B love songs. When he was 18, he started focusing on rap and hip hop music. He wrote a song called "Kidz," which was inspired by a tragic event.
Drew explained his stage name, Plan B, in an interview in 2007. He said he used to make "sweet-boy" R&B music, but it didn't feel right. When he started rapping, he felt more comfortable and true to himself.
Music Career Highlights
Early Career and First Album
Plan B first appeared on a grime music album called Run the Road in 2005. His first single, "Kidz"/"Dead and Buried," was released that same year. He soon signed a record deal with 679 Recordings. He released his second single, "Sick 2 Def"/"No Good," and filmed his first music video for "No Good."
In 2006, Plan B released a download-only single called "Missing Links." He also released his first mixtape, It's Time 4 Plan B. On June 23, 2006, he made his first TV appearance on Later... with Jools Holland. He performed an acoustic version of a song.
His first album, Who Needs Actions When You Got Words, was released on June 26, 2006. It reached number thirty on the UK Albums Chart. Critics gave the album good reviews. In July 2006, a song from the album became his first to appear on the UK Singles Chart.
After touring in 2006 and playing at festivals like Reading and Leeds, he released an EP called Live at The Pet Cemetery EP. In 2007, Plan B released his second mixtape, Paint It Blacker. This mixtape included his versions of songs by artists like the Rolling Stones and Nirvana. He also worked with other artists like Professor Green and Killa Kela.
In 2008, Plan B had a role in the film Adulthood. He recorded three songs for the film's soundtrack. He also featured on the Chase & Status song "Pieces". This song topped the UK Dance Chart in 2008. In 2009, he recorded "Shifty" with Riz MC and Sway for the film Shifty. He also acted in Harry Brown and had his first Top ten hit with "End Credits" with Chase & Status.
The Strickland Banks Era and Ill Manors
Plan B's second album, The Defamation of Strickland Banks, came out on April 12, 2010. The first single from the album, "Stay Too Long", reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart. He performed with Elton John in October 2010.
In February 2011, Drew won Best British Male at the Brit Awards. He later announced he was working on a new hip-hop album. However, he put that album on hold to focus on his film Ill Manors.
In March 2012, he released the song and video for "Ill Manors". This song was about the major events that happened in London in 2011. The Guardian newspaper called it "the first great mainstream protest song in years." The soundtrack album and film were released in June 2012. He released three more singles from the album. In July 2012, Drew apologized for wearing a t-shirt with an inappropriate image on a magazine cover.
Drew produced the song "Pray for Love" by Kwabs, which was released in May 2014.
Recent Music: Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose
On May 18, 2017, Drew released his first new single in five years, called "In the Name of Man." He also announced he was recording a new album. The album, Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose, was released on April 13, 2018.
In an interview, he explained that this album was less focused on hip-hop. He felt it was more honest to sing about his life now. Drew said he took time away from music to focus on being a father. He also wanted to reconnect with friends and family. He felt he had lost touch with them after the success of Ill Manors.
Film Career
Acting Roles
Drew first appeared in a short film in 2005. His first big movie role was as Dabs in Noel Clarke's Adulthood (2008). His song "Kidz" was in the soundtrack for the first film, Kidulthood, which led to him being cast in the sequel.
In 2009, Drew had another role as Noel Winters in the film Harry Brown, starring Michael Caine. In 2010, Drew appeared in Noel Clarke's film 4.3.2.1.. His most recent acting role was in The Sweeney (2012). He played DS George Carter alongside Ray Winstone. The film was released on September 12, 2012, and quickly became number one at the box office.
Directing Films
Drew showed interest in filmmaking early in his music career. He mentioned wanting to write a script and focus on directing.
In 2008, Drew directed his first short film called Michelle. He also directed the music video for "Pieces", his song with Chase & Status.
Drew started making his first full-length movie, Ill Manors, in September 2010. He described it as a hip-hop film with six short stories that connect. Each story would have a different hip-hop song. The film came out first, and then the soundtrack. The soundtrack was designed to tell the story of the film through music.
Other Projects
Advertising Campaigns
In June 2011, Hewlett-Packard featured Plan B in their advertisements for their Beats Audio laptops. They used a short film in UK cinemas showing Plan B and his band in a studio.
In July 2011, Bulmer's Cider also signed Plan B to promote their product. They released an advert that showed Plan B performing live.
Discography
- Who Needs Actions When You Got Words (2006)
- The Defamation of Strickland Banks (2010)
- Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose (2018)
Tours
- Who Needs Actions When You Got Words Tour (2006–2007)
- The Defamation of Strickland Banks Tour (2010–2011)
- Ill Manors Tour (Grindhouse Tour) (2012–2013)
- Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose Tour (2018)
Images for kids
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Plan B in 2012, during filming for Ill Manors
See also
In Spanish: Plan B (músico) para niños
