Genres: Rap/Hip HopPlies is a successful rapper, record label owner, college drop out and a chart topping solo rap artist. His songwriting is very much like the Gangsta life which he leads filled with shooting incidents and near sexually themed songwriting. He has released three albums of which two have sold in excess of 500,000 copies each.
Plies – The Real Deal!
Plies around the World
Plies is a successful rapper, record label owner, college drop out and a chart topping solo rap artist. His songwriting is very much like the Gangsta life which he leads filled with shooting incidents and near sexually themed songwriting. He has released three albums of which two have sold in excess of 500,000 copies each. He has also been nominated for many BET and Ozone awards.
Early Life
He was born Lanier Washington in Fort Myers, Florida and was quite popular in his school; in fact he crowned the home coming king. After graduating from high school he started college life at the University of Miami for a year. But then he dropped out, opting to start a record label with his brother called “Big Gates Recording”. After recording a song they traveled to Miami to promote the song and ended up signing Slip-n-Slide Records in 2004.
The Solo Album Success
He started being an MC for various night clubs in Florida which lead to an infamous shooting incident in Gainesville. The record label wanted Plies to release his first album; “The Real Testament” was released in Aug 2007, the album featured the song “Shawty” which went to the top of the hot rap singles chart and cracked the Top 10 US mainstream singles chart. The success was a huge surprise not only for the artist but their record label as well. A second single “Hypnotized” which featured RnB and Hip Hop superstar Akon parked just outside the US hot 100 singles charts. The album would go on to sell 500,000 copies making it certified Gold.
The Real Albums
Buoyed by the success of the fist album, Plies started recording the follow-up. The album cover would feature the artist in a ski mask commonly used by robbers. The second album debut at No.2 on the US Billboard Album charts. The album featured Ne-Yo, Jamie Foxx and Keyshia Cole. The album spawned the hit single “Bust it Baby Pr.2” which was a collaboration with Ne-Yo. It reached No.7 on the mainstream US Hot 100 charts. The second albums was also his second Gold disc.
Plies released his third album less than 7 months after the release of his second. The album “Da REAList” hit the store in Dec 2008. It would be his first No.1 album on the US rap charts. The reviews were mixed and though the album was not a huge commercial hit, it still managed to sell 400,000 copies.
The rapper has continued to feature on many southern rappers and will be releasing his fourth album around May 2010 titled “Goon Affiliated”. The album title marks the end of the use of the word “Real”
Did You Know: Plies first three album titles features the word “Real”
Did You Know: Plies was charged with illegal possession of weapons in 2006 after a shooting incident in Florida
Did You Know: Pliers featured on the first single of RnB star Ushers sixth studio album called Raymond vs. Raymond