The Plugs I Met is the fourth EP by American rapper Benny the Butcher. It was released on June 21, 2019 through Black Soprano Family. Produced by The Alchemist, Beat Butcha, Daringer, and DJ Shay, the EP features guest appearances from Black Thought, 38 Spesh, Jadakiss, RJ Payne, Conway the Machine, Pusha T and India.[1][2] The EP peaked at number 22 on the Independent Albums chart.
| The Plugs I Met | ||||
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| Released | June 21, 2019 | |||
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| Length | 24:28 | |||
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| Benny the Butcher chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Plugs I Met | ||||
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A sequel EP, The Plugs I Met 2, was released in 2021.
Background
editThe EP was announced along with the release of its lead single, "18 Wheeler", featuring Pusha T, on June 13, 2021.[3]
The cover art is an edited still taken from the 1983 film Scarface, with censor bars covering the actors' eyes.[1]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| HipHopDX | 4.5/5[4] |
| The Needle Drop | 6/10[5] |
| RapReviews | 8.5/10[1] |
| Underground Hip Hop Blog | 9/10[6] |
The Plugs I Met was met with highly positive reviews from music critics. Grant Jones of RapReviews praised the EP, calling it "a jolt in the arm to anybody that gave up on mafioso rap."[1] Riley Wallace of HipHopDX wrote: "a concise (at seven-songs), yet meticulously crafted work of art that not only manages to further illustrate what a problem he is with the bars but—for longtime fans—delivers a guest list you’d expect for an artist affiliated with Shady."[4] Andrew Sacher of BrooklynVegan included the EP in his "30 Best Rap and R&B Albums of 2019" list, stating that "Benny's formula never really changes—vicious, dead-eyed raps delivered over eerie, lurching beats (provided on Plugs by Alchemist, in-house Griselda producer Daringer, and DJ Shay)—but his quality level is remarkably consistent and Plugs may be the most convincing case for Benny's vitality yet."[7]
Year-end lists
edit| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambrosia For Heads | Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums of 2019 | — | |
| BrooklynVegan | 30 Best Rap and R&B Albums of 2019 | 15
|
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| Complex | The Best Albums of 2019 | 16
|
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| HipHopDX | The Best Rap & Hip Hop Albums of 2019 | 14
|
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| Throw Up Magazine | Top 25: Best Hip Hop Albums of 2019 | 3
|
|
| XXL | 50 of the Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2019 | — |
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro Skit" | 0:26 | |
| 2. | "Crowns for Kings" (featuring Black Thought) | DJ Shay | 4:28 |
| 3. | "Sunday School" (featuring 38 Spesh and Jadakiss) | Daringer | 5:54 |
| 4. | "Dirty Harry" (featuring RJ Payne and Conway the Machine) |
| 3:47 |
| 5. | "Took the Money to the Plug's House" | The Alchemist | 3:20 |
| 6. | "18 Wheeler" (featuring Pusha T) | DJ Shay | 2:41 |
| 7. | "5 to 50" (featuring India) | The Alchemist | 3:52 |
| Total length: | 24:28 | ||
Charts
edit| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[13] | 7 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[14] | 22 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[15] | 100 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Jones, Grant (June 25, 2019). "Benny the Butcher :: The Plugs I Met". www.rapreviews.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
- ^ Caraan, Sophie (June 21, 2019). "Benny The Butcher Taps Pusha T, Black Thought & More for 'The Plugs I Met'". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Montes, Patrick (June 13, 2019). "Benny the Butcher Announces 'The Plugs I Met' EP, Drops "18 Wheeler" with Pusha T". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Wallace, Riley (June 21, 2019). "Review: Benny The Butcher's "Plugs I Met" Is The "Tana Talk 3" Follow-Up Fans Deserve". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on June 22, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
- ^ "Benny the Butcher - The Plugs I Met". The Needle Drop. July 27, 2019. Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Legends Will Never Die (June 21, 2019). "Benny the Butcher – "The Plugs I Met" (EP Review)". Underground Hip Hop Blog. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Sacher, Andrew (December 18, 2019). "30 Best Rap and R&B Albums of 2019". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Ambrosia For Heads' Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums Of 2019 List". Ambrosia For Heads. December 18, 2019. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Skelton, Eric; Mckinney, Jessica; Setaro, Shawn; Frazier, Tharpe; Ortiz, Edwin; Diaz, Angel; Khal; Wisenthal, Lucas; High, Kemet; Rindner, Grant; Callas, Brad; Schube, Will (December 3, 2019). "50 of the Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2019". Complex. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "The Best Rap & Hip Hop Albums Of 2019". HipHopDX. December 19, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Top 25: Best Hip Hop Albums of 2019". Throw Up Magazine. December 27, 2019. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
- ^ XXL Staff (December 31, 2019). "50 of the Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2019". XXL. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Benny the Butcher Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Benny the Butcher Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Benny the Butcher Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
External links
edit- Benny the Butcher – The Plugs I Met at Discogs (list of releases)