ill Manors
Ben Drew’s diverse creativity is inexhaustible. Awards, accolades, acclaim
and multi-platinum album sales might be enough for some musicians, for
Drew, it’s just the tip of his artistic ambitions. Following the 2 million
worldwide sales of his No.1 second album, The Defamation of Strickland
Banks, a BRIT, three Ivor Novello’s and sold out headline tours, Drew, AKA
Plan B, has just completed his self-penned directorial debut film and album, ill
Manors. Starring Riz Ahmed (Four Lions, Shifty), and introducing an
impressive cast of newcomers, ill Manors is a stark, often brutal and
provocative depiction of Forest Gate, east London, where Drew was born and
raised.
Combining overlapping stories and an interweaving rap narrative, ill Manors is
conceptual in both approach and execution. As with his music, Drew pushes
boundaries on every level - and makes it work to incredible effect.
Encompassing everything from gang initiation to prostitution, legal and illegal
adoption and drug dealing and drug addiction, thematically and visually it’s a
bold, shocking debut. As billions are spent on the Olympics, less than three
miles away social and financial deprivation is rife in E7 - and beyond - and
Drew refuses to shy from addressing current socio-political issues. In some
ways, there are echoes of his prophetic debut album, Who Needs Actions,
When You’ve Got Words, a record that proved to be far ahead of its time.
‘ill Manors,’ featuring production from Labrinth (Tinie Tempah), Chase &
Status (Rihanna) and Al Shux (Jay-Z) is as bold and brilliant as its namesake.
Bass-heavy, there’s references to the music Ben is listening to now (Azealia
Banks, Odd Future, Frank Ocean, Maverick Sabre) as well as the dubstep,
bass, hip-hop and D&B that have shaped him sonically over the years. ill
Manors – the album will be released on July 14th, following the film which was
released in the UK in June.
It will be yet another huge achievement in a career that has already seen
international acclaim, high-profile collaborations and worldwide tour dates.
The Paul Epworth (Adele) produced No.1 album Strickland… has so far sold
some 1.4 million copies in the UK, also giving Plan B his first two Top 10
singles and garnering one BRIT, three Ivor Novello’s, one MOBO, a Music
Producers Guild award, 2 Q awards and a South bank Sky Arts award.
Strickland Banks was the fifth biggest seller of 2010. After touring with Chase
& Status, with who he appeared on their hit, ‘End Credits’, Plan B announced
a headline UK tour, which was extended to over 100 dates and saw him
perform all over Europe, Australia and the US. He was also asked to support
Noel Gallagher at the Royal Albert Hall and duetted with Elton John as part of
Elton’s BBC Electric Proms performance. A festival favourite, Plan B has
played every major festival from Glastonbury to SXSW, Coachella, and
Australia’s Big Day Out.
In print, Plan B can be found everywhere from the NME to GQ and the
broadsheets. On screen, he has been on every major talk show from
Jonathan Ross to Jools Holland. His online statistics are also impressive, with
over 100million YouTube views, 170k Twitter followers and 4.5 million
Facebook Likes to date. Outside of music, Plan B the brand has begun to
build. Carefully chosen endorsements with Hewlet-Packard and Bulmers
have established his commercial appeal, while as an actor he has impressed
in Adulthood, Harry Brown and 4,3,2,1. Later this year, Drew will appear in a
starring role in the big screen remake of The Sweeney alongside Ray
Winstone. The two have become mutual fans. “He’s a genius that kid,” says
Winstone recently, while Ben is similarly enthusiastic. “Everything you want a
man to be, he is, and more. He proper looked after me, man. Not just because
he had to, but because he genuinely wanted to.”
But for Drew, it’s ill Manors that is the highlight to date. Despite the sales and
international success, it’s this film project and album that he considers his
biggest achievement thus far.
“It means more to me than selling all them records for Strickland…. Just the
sheer difficulties and hardships it’s taken. With the film, there were a lot of
doubters, and uncertainties and it was just really hard. It has almost killed me
in a way. I’ve lost my mind a few times, which is why it’s such an
achievement. I want it to be amazing. I wanna smash it.”
June 2012