The Leeds Gig Guide

Band Biography for plan b:

At least five artists have used the name Plan B:
1. A popular rapper, singer and musician from England
2. An artist from Stuttgart, Germany
3. A hardcore band from Croatia
4. A rock band from Hamburg, Germany
5. A reggaeton duo from Puerto Rico
6. A rap duo from Bulgaria

1.) Plan B (real name Ben Drew, b. 1983) is a rapper from Forest Gate, London. From the age of 11 he attended Anglo European School in Ingatestone Essex, before transfering to Tom Hood, an inner-city comprehensive. He has described his character, in these school days, as "a bit of a cunt". He is signed to 679 Recordings, home to UK rap act The Streets. His unique sound is characterised by his use of acoustic beats and lyrics involving drugs, rape, murder and underage sex. He was placed fourth in the BBC's "Sound of 2006" competition.

His second album was released in April 2010; The Defamation of Strickland Banks was released on 12 April 2010. The album is a departure from the sound heard on Plan B's debut album Who Needs Actions When You Got Words, with the rapper's sophomore effort showcasing much more of his singing ability. Lyrically the album's songs tell the fictitious tale of one Strickland Banks, a sharp-suited British soul singer who finds fame with bitter-sweet love songs like the album's opener "Love Goes Down", but then loses everything when he ends up in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

The album was a great success, reaching #1 in the UK album charts, and three singles from the album reached the top 20 of the UK singles charts, with 'Stay Too Long' reaching #9 and 'She Said' reaching #3.

2.) Plan B from Stuttgart of the Label "Chimperator" (http://www.chimperator.de)

3.) Plan B is a melodic hardcore/punk band from Zagreb, Croatia (http://myspace.com/planbzg)

4.) Plan B also was a German rock band, founded in Hamburg in 1984. International acknowledgement was given to them with the release of their fourth album "Intensified!" (1991) which was produced by Pat Collier. In Germany the predecessor "The Greenhouse Effect" (1989) was much more popular ("Beam me up Scotty, this planet sucks!").

5.) Plan B is a reggaeton duo based in Puerto Rico. Members include Chencho (real name Orlando Javier Valle Vega) and Maldy (Edwin Vázquez Vega). Their latest album, "House of Pleasure," was released in 2010.

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