Plan B biography
Benjamin Paul Ballance Drew (born 22 October 1983), primarily known as Plan B, is an English singer and actor from Forest Gate, London. Plan B released his critically-acclaimed début album Who Needs Actions When You Got Words in 2006. His first top ten single was as the featured artist on "End Credits" by Chase & Status.
Drew has also been successful as an actor with supporting roles in Adulthood and Harry Brown and he has also directed and starred in his own film The Defamation of Strickland Banks which will be released in 2010 along with his second studio album of the same name. This album was released in April 2010, and went straight into the UK album chart at #1.
Plan B first appeared with the track "Cap Back", produced by DJ Wonder (Roll Deep) featuring Elliott Brown and Josh Pettit, on the grime compilation album Run the Road (2005).
In early 2006, Plan B released a video-only download single for "Missing Links", which had to be re-recorded because he did not gain sample permission from Radiohead for the use of "Pyramid Song", The album gained positive reviews from most critics, including a five-star review from The Guardian's Alex Petridis. His track "Everyday" featured on the soundtrack to London to Brighton (2006).
In July 2006, "Mama (Loves a Crackhead)" was released as a single which became the first Plan B song to appear on the UK Singles Chart peaking at No. 41. In 2006, Paul Epworth and Plan B collaborated again on the track "More Is Enough" by Epic Man (Paul Epworth). After touring throughout 2006 and playing at festivals such as Reading and Leeds, a music video was filmed for "No More Eatin'" and Plan B released Live at The Pet Cemetery EP on 30 October 2006 (with a new version of "No More Eatin'" and two b-sides). On 11 December 2006 he released Remixes EP (which included the Hadouken! remix of "No More Eatin'").
During his January-February 2007 tour (which included support from Professor Green, Example, Killa Kela and Hadouken!), Plan B released his second mixtape Paint It Blacker containing bootleg recordings of songs by artists such as The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Radiohead, Coldplay, Leonard Cohen and José González. In 2007, Plan B re-released his song "No Good" with new remixes and a music video was filmed for the b-side "Bizness Woman" (featuring beatboxer Kila Kella). Also in 2007, Plan B featured on songs by other artists such as Professor Green, Killa Kela, Skrein, Shameless and The Mitchell Brothers.
With a supporting role in the film Adulthood in 2008, Plan B recorded three songs on the film's soundtrack album - "End in the Streets", "On It 08" with Adam Deacon and "I Need Love" featuring Jacob Anderson. Plan B also featured on the Chase & Status single "Pieces" which topped the UK Dance Chart in 2008 and reached No. 70 on the singles chart.
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