Plan B Opts for Plan B

The recently released video to "Prayin'" has gotten us so excited that we almost flew across the Atlantic to get our hands on a copy of Plan B's newest album, The Defamation of Strickland Banks.



Luckily, we remembered that the Internets allow us to buy things from other countries even when they're not available here. Often compared to a range of artists from Justin Timberlake to Kurt Cobain (apparently because he has screamed "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at a concert ... can anyone confirm?), Ben Drew, aka Plan B, wrote and directed the upcoming film which "Prayin'" is a part.

B's come a long way from crooning generic popsongs when he was a teenager. After going grimey with Who Needs Actions When You Got Words, which included our favorite Hall and Oates sampling to date, Plan B has created a soulful concept album. Defamation is the sweet spot where the artist combines a compelling narrative (about a singer who is wrongly accused of a crime and gets tossed into the clink) with his skills for rhyme and his newly revealed ability to sing. "Welcome to Hell" is a sick and twisted, gorgeous number (the FP staff has been called such things) about the first steps into prison. In it, Drew's style is reminiscent of Smokey Robinson, whereas "Stay Too Long" is pop anthem-meets-rap break.

It's very, very exciting. Because we've all learned to fear the crossover album.

Plan B - Welcome To Hell


Plan B - Stay Too Long


Plan B - She Said (16-Bit Remix)

Plan B Opts for Plan B