by Benny the Butcher & Harry Fraud
Released March 19, 2021 via Black Soprano Family / SRFSCHL
Reviewed March 29, 2021
Top tracks (based on community voting)
When Tony Met Sosa (55%), Plug Talk (50%), Thanksgiving (36%)
An entire slate of Harry Fraud’s wavy production setting the scenery for Benny the Butcher’s cutthroat rhyme schemes is a match made in gangsta’s paradise. A bit of a reputation precedes the sequel to 2019’s The Plugs I Met, and it feels that a concerted effort was made to navigate the series in a slightly different direction. What remains the same is Benny’s patented grit, now working against Harry’s wavy and vintage sampling material, making for a nice, continuous bit of contrast. While the final product is solid and the move towards exclusive production adds appreciated continuity, the EP’s features are what truly separate the sequel from the original. The roster of 2 Chainz, Fat Joe, French Montana, and Jim Jones lacks in comparison to Black Thought, Pusha T, Conway, and Jadakiss. The Plugs I Met 2 is a worthy follow-up but lacks some of the umph that made the first Plugs exceptional. – DeVan (7.5/10)
Although the Harry Fraud ladened instrumentals on The Plugs I Met 2 is a definite shift from the sound present on the first installment in the series, Benny the Butcher proves he is primed to rap on any beat thrown his way. The gruff Griselda veteran is as potent as ever here, and while Harry Fraud provides a scenery that resembles sunny Miami-Dade county more than it does the harsh Buffalo streets, Benny is more than capable at providing the hustlers’ spirit just the same. In addition to a new musical palate, The Plugs I Met 2 also diverges from the first in terms of guests, which just might be its biggest flaw. While 2 Chainz and Chinx allow the tracklist to not take itself too seriously and generally fit the tone of the project, the Black Thought shaped hole in the features list is hard to ignore. But that’s not really this album’s fault; chalk it up to the first being better than the sequel, an understandable and all too frequent phenomenon in musical media. – Pax (7.5/10)
The Plugs I Met 2 is more of the same from Benny, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing with how consistently great he is. Harry Fraud’s production is the main change in aesthetic, bringing a more relaxed approach compared to the usual tooth and nail type beats Griselda seems to flock to. Benny continues to show his hunger on the mic with great rhymes and flows, but again doesn’t do much to make a change in style that could use a little spicing up at this point with the enormous amount of music under his belt. While it’s a solid album, it doesn’t do enough to stick out when compared to its sister album. – Jared (7/10)
Enth: 8.5/10 | Alan: 8.3/10 | Cam: 8/10 | DeVán: 7.5/10
Dominick: 7.5/10 | Pax: 7.5/10 | Daniel: 6.5/10 | Hadley: 6.5/10
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