The Plugs I Met 2
The Plugs I Met 2 is a collaborative extended play by American rapper Benny the Butcher and producer Harry Fraud. It was released on March 19, 2021 through Black Soprano Family/SRFSCHL as a sequel to Benny's 2019 EP The Plugs I Met. Produced entirely by Fraud, it features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Chinx, Fat Joe, French Montana, Jim Jones, Rick Hyde and Teyonahhh. The album debuted at number 33 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.
The Plugs I Met II | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | March 19, 2021 | |||
Length | 28:33 | |||
Label |
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Producer | Harry Fraud | |||
Benny the Butcher chronology | ||||
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Harry Fraud chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Plugs I Met II | ||||
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Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 79/100[1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Beats Per Minute | 78%[3] |
Clash | 8/10[4] |
Exclaim! | 8/10[5] |
HipHopDX | 4.2/5[6] |
NME | [7] |
Pitchfork | 7.8/10[8] |
RapReviews | 8.5/10[9] |
Rolling Stone | [10] |
The Plugs I Met 2 was met with generally favorable reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 79, based on nine reviews.[1]
Sy Shackleford of RapReviews.com praised the work, writing: "The raps are solid and the production under Fraud is not polished, but more refined this time around. All in all, The Plugs I Met 2 is another feather in Benny's cap".[9] Riley Wallace of HipHopDX wrote: "Nitpicking on the extra grams aside, with Plugs I Met 2, Benny not only adds a well-rounded arc to his discography but also solidifies his status as an elder statesman/role model for a new generation who could genuinely use the perspective. While he's just as guilty of glorifying his former lifestyle as any rapper, his music exemplifies the difference authenticity makes".[6] Robin Murray of Clash stated: "it's less of a Burden of Proof expansion pack and more of a statement in its own right, one that underlines Benny The Butcher's ascension as one of the most vital voices in rap today".[4] Luke Fox of Exclaim! wrote: "the shadows of the trap loom large on Benny's dense and detailed The Plugs I Met 2 EP, the sequel to 2019's impeccable original with producer DJ Shay. This time, New York underground producer Harry Fraud's soundscape elevates both the melancholy and menace to cinematic heights".[5] Mimi Kenny of Beats Per Minute wrote: "Benny and the rest of Griselda are a force so reliable and prolific that they should be boring by now. But The Plugs I Met 2 suggests that we're just getting to know them".[3] Pete Tosiello of Pitchfork resumed that the album "maintains a smirking joie de vivre—just so long as you're on the right side of it".[8] Mankaprr Conteh of Rolling Stone wrote that the rapper is "a convincing rap sage; a captivating spitter offering his nefarious experiences with an abundance of awareness of their nuances and influence".[10] Kyann-Sian Williams of NME wrote: "the rapper's attention to detail is undeniable – but serving up a pile of rhymes, rather than full-bodied songs with snappy hooks, can be boring no matter how skillful you are. Even the star-name features can't really lift this skippable sequel and its samey songs, which is a shame, given Benny the Butcher's proven penmanship".[7]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "When Tony Met Sosa" | 2:21 | |
2. | "Overall" (featuring Chinx and Teyonahhh) |
| 3:26 |
3. | "Plug Talk" (featuring 2 Chainz) |
| 3:16 |
4. | "Live By It" |
| 2:52 |
5. | "Talkin' Back" (featuring Fat Joe) |
| 2:43 |
6. | "No Instructions" |
| 3:39 |
7. | "Longevity" (featuring French Montana and Jim Jones) |
| 4:01 |
8. | "Survivor's Remorse" (featuring Rick Hyde) |
| 3:42 |
9. | "Thanksgiving" |
| 2:31 |
Total length: | 28:33 |
Personnel
- Jeremie "Benny the Butcher" Pennick – main artist, vocals
- Rory "Harry Fraud" Quigley – main artist, producer
- Lionel "Chinx" Pickens – featured artist, vocals (track 2)
- Teyonahhh – backing vocals (track 2)
- Tauheed "2 Chainz" Epps – featured artist, vocals (track 3)
- Joseph "Fat Joe" Cartagena – featured artist, vocals (track 5)
- Karim "French Montana" Kharbouch – featured artist, vocals (track 7)
- Jim Jones – featured artist, vocals (track 7)
- Rick Hyde – featured artist, vocals (track 8)
- John Sparkz – mixing, mastering
Charts
Chart (2021) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[11] | 21 |
US Billboard 200[12] | 33 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] | 16 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[14] | 5 |
References
- "Critic Reviews for The Plugs I Met 2". Metacritic. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- Yeung, Neil Z. (March 19, 2021). "The Plugs I Met 2 - Benny The Butcher & Harry Fraud | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- Kenny, Brody (March 26, 2021). "Album Review: Benny The Butcher & Harry Fraud – The Plugs I Met 2 | Beats Per Minute". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
- Murray, Robin (March 19, 2021). "Benny The Butcher - The Plugs I Met 2". Clash. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
- Fox, Luke (March 24, 2021). "Benny the Butcher Brings a Fresh Voice to Familiar Themes on Harry Fraud Collab 'The Plugs I Met 2'". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
- Wallace, Riley (March 19, 2021). "Review: Benny The Butcher & Harry Fraud-Produced 'Plugs I Met 2' Mixes Vivid Lyricism With Hypnotic Samples". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
- Williams, Kyann-Sian (March 22, 2021). "Benny The Butcher – 'The Plugs I Met 2' review: a skippable sequel". NME. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
- Tosiello, Pete (March 19, 2021). "Benny the Butcher / Harry Fraud: The Plugs I Met 2". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
- Shackleford, Sy (March 30, 2021). "Benny the Butcher :: The Plugs I Met 2 – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- Conteh, Mankaprr (March 24, 2021). "Benny the Butcher Delivers Careful Street Lore on 'The Plugs I Met 2'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
- "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- "Benny the Butcher Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
- "Benny the Butcher Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
- "Benny the Butcher Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
External links
- Benny The Butcher & Harry Fraud – The Plugs I Met 2 at Discogs (list of releases)