Plan B: Ill Manors.

Intelligent. Talents. Influential. Relevant. Driven. Aware. There are few people that manage to have all of these virtues in their weaponary, but one man that really epitomises all of these is Ben Drew, aka Plan B. I've written before about Plan B when he did a TED talk. Yes, a rapper from East London, with a number one album and Ivor Novello awards to boot, doing a TED talk, and a very good one at that. From all of the words I threw up at the beginning, the most important one is relevant. Genuinely relevant to the youth of today, that can't be bought and that can't be under-estimated.



There is a reason to all this Plan-B adoration, he has just made a film to coincide with his latest album, Ill Manors. The rapper has described the film as "the hip-hop musical version of Crash", adding: "But I don't want to call it a musical, because none of the actors start singing or dancing or anything. It's quite serious. It's just part of the films are narrated by music. If you can imagine my first record but with visuals… parts are just like a normal film, others are told by kind of music video storytelling." (NME)



The film like brutal and heavy-going, but you can see that there is a reason behind the violence, sex and drugs. Plan B endeavours to look at the motivations and reasons behing the actions, every action has a reaction. And that was very much the topic of his TED talk, not to condemn the youth for their actions, but to understand what led to them and how we can prevent that. I've got a feeling that this film and album could be a really important for Plan B and British youth culture. It's a protest, it's a experiment, it's a explanation and just as importantly, it looks like it's genuinely good. But most of all, it's relevant.

TED X Observer: Plan B

Now this may not be one of the most slick or smoothest TED talks I've watched, but it is by far one of the most relevant, compelling and important ones I've watched.



Plan B, aka Ben Drew, is a phenomenal talent, I've thought that since his debut album, Who Needs Actions When You've Got Words. That was an album that, like many hip-hop albums, I could not necessarily relate to, but it was one that I could understand and appreciate. The content of his songs, the aggression in his convinction and language he used, although all intelligent and true, was never going to make it mainstream. Plan B knew this. So he made an album that would, in the form of a concept album Strickland Banks. And it did. Not only did it reach number 1, he recieved an Ivor Novello award for it. Plan B's talents lie not only within acting but also movies, directing and acting in Harry Brown and Adulthood, both to much critical and commercial acclaim.


But perhaps the most important thing about Plan B is his need and desire to do something good, to help those that he believes he can. He has used his talent and hardwork to put himself on a platform that enables him to do just this. From this TED talk you really get the impression that, not only does he want to do good, but he understands how to make a difference, perhaps the most important thing. He talks on the power and importance of hip-hop, something I've mentioned before, the need to listen and look after youth, not encourage the press to chastise them and also the importance of hope. He is relevant and intelligent, somethings that most politicians will never be. Kids will listen to him, he is putting his real power to real use. And as he says, it's not just him that is doing it, we all can. Brilliant stuff.

The Playlist: Plan B / Hodgy Beats / J.Cole / Madeonn

Plan B - Ill Manors



Hodgy Beats - In A Dream



J. Cole - Grew Up Fast



Madeon - Icarus

Music Monday 18.

I'm back from New York (blog update to follow this one) and let's get things back to normal with a cheeky Music Monday. I know you've been missing it.

Canterbury - Calm Down



I saw Canterbury supporting Kids In Glass Houses (I think) a few years ago and instantly fell for their melodic pop-rocky sound. I love the way that the two lead singers' voices play off of each other and then together, they both have genuinely good voice, which is often rare for this genre of good music. They have just recently made it back into my iTunes recently played list in a big way and are now starting to get some radio play. It's always nice when a band you've listened to for a few years start making the strides that they deserve. Canterbury have got the quality and the sound that can give them main stream success, I just hope that they don't, dare I say it, sell-out in the way that KIGH or You Me At Six have done to some extent.

Plan B - The Recluse (Nero Remix)



Plan B has had huge success with this concept and deservedly so. Having been a fan of Plan B since his first album, I am interested to hear his new album, in which he has promised to go back to rapping over guitar, to hear the sound and the reception it gets. The Recluse is among my favourite tracks off of the album, and this Nero remix just gives the track much more power and energy.


And now what appears to be the weekly Kanye West section:

Kanye West - Devil In A New Dress



To me, this track is not as good as See Me Now, but it's up there. It's yet again proof that Kanye is heading back to his golden Dropout years sound, a sound that is such a pleasure to listen to and enjoy. Excited for the album is continuing to grow.

Kanye West - Monster (Ft, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver)



As huge as those first 4 names are in this line up, it's not a massive surprise to hear them working together. But then Bon Iver. BON IVER? I'm a huge fan of Bon Iver, but it's just crazy that he's supplied the beats for this song. I heard about them working together a while back, but for the track to be this aggressive and angry is a huge surprise. And it works, just. I think.