Ill Manors: Track/Soundtrack

Ill Manors: Track/Soundtrack 

Ill Manors is a hip-hop protest song written by English rapper ‘Plan B’ and was first played on BBC Radio 1 on 27 February 2012. It was written as a reaction to the 2011 London riots. It is the lead single from the Ill Manors soundtrack and was written to also get Plan B’s perception of “society’s failure to nurture its disadvantage youth” across. Ill Manors received mostly positive reviews from the music critics and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart. In October 2012, the song won the Q Award for Best Track. The soundtrack, is a thematically sound album which represents the life of the U.K.'s lower-class youth. The first line is inviting which states: "Let's all go on an urban safari/ We might see some illegal migrants" as cellos and dirty beats lay underneath, because this is not only a full-bodied, string-instrument soundtrack, but a grimy soundtrack too. Plan B has been described by critics as adapting an “Eminem style” through his shocking punchlines which could be an attack on politicians. In further detail, Plan B’s metaphors are targeted towards Nick Clegg and David Cameron, he also makes reference to the ‘hug-a-hoodie’ campaign. The song itself presents how the working class in society (the D/E demographic) have no opportunities, especially when Plan B describe community centres being shut down. The beat itself is upbeat and electrifying which magnifies the anger and frustration the working class overall have towards not being heard in society. The Guardian describes: “Frankly, the listener knows how he feels: still, it's hard not to be hugely impressed that he went there.” This shows how Plan B was clever in getting his point across for justifying why the London riots went on. Ultimately, some may argue that this song is significant is reinforcing the stereotypes the upper classes have towards “estate” kids. As it’s a protest song it’s bound to highlight the weaknesses of the youth, showing how damaged and corrupt they are and their only way out is by restoring to violence and staying out on the streets. From Plan B’s perspective he’s trying to clarify why the youth act out and he was successful by demonstrating this through his lyrics and his opinions from a political view.