Rapper and singer Plan B has balanced a genre-defying career, barrelling back and forth between hot-headed grime and Motown-inspired soul. • The London native taught himself guitar at 14 and fell in love with classic soul music. He later pivoted to hip-hop around the turn of the millennium. • He made his debut on the track “Cap Back” from the 2005 Run the Road compilation, which introduced international audiences to the UK’s exploding grime scene. The comp also features The Streets, Dizzee Rascal and Wiley. • Plan B surprised his fanbase by showing off his singing talents on his 2010 sophomore LP, The Defamation of Strickland Banks, a concept album about a down-and-out soul singer. The album was a massive success, topping the UK chart while earning critical acclaim. • Under his real name, Ben Drew, he wrote and directed the 2012 crime film Ill Manors, inspired by the 2011 London Riots. The third Plan B album (also titled Ill Manors) serves as the soundtrack for the film.