Plan B made his name by shocking people. The rapper, also known as 26-year-old Ben Drew from Forest Gate, released a debut album in 2006 that was so full of F-words, C-words and repellently violent and sexual imagery that it made Eminem sound like Val Doonican.

Three years on, Drew has lined up a few more pleasant surprises. Firstly, he can act.

He made his screen debut in Adulthood last year and plays a heartless hoodie in the gritty London drama Harry Brown, released this week.

A grim tale of Michael Caine's pensioner taking up arms against a gang of local teenagers, it has been described as “a film every Londoner should see”.

Secondly, as proven by Harry Brown's theme tune, End Credits, a moody collaboration with drum 'n' bass duo Chase & Status that became Drew's first hit single this week, he can sing, too.

“People didn't know I was a singer before I started rapping,” he tells me as he tries on his suit for Harry Brown's Leicester Square premiere.

There's plenty more where that came from. A preview of tracks from the second Plan B album,

The Defamation of Strickland Banks, which is currently being prepared for a spring release, demonstrates an about-turn as complete as any in music.

There are rock guitars, strings, gospel backing vocals and Drew's soulful falsetto singing voice.

He describes one number, Love Goes Down, as “a classic Motown love song”, and though the heavy funk of Stay Too Long maintains something of an edge, the smooth ballad Hard Times aims for Marvin Gaye territory and strays dangerously close to Lenny Kravitz.

It's as radio-friendly as its predecessor was horrifying — a transformation that Drew justifies by saying that in both instances he was “playing a role”.

His early song, Kidz, imagined the murder of Damilola Taylor from the crowing perspective of his killers.

On Sick 2 Def, a track featuring just acoustic guitar and furious rapping that remains probably the most harrowing listen I've ever come across, he explains: “I talk morbid just to make you feel awkward/Death's a part of life, yo, you just can't ignore it.”

On the new album he is acting, too, playing Strickland Banks, a soul singer wrongly convicted of a crime Drew won't specify just yet.

He has worked hard on the concept and is planning to write, direct and star in a short film to accompany the music, though he's non-committal about whether this will actually get finished. “The record is the most important thing,” he says.

But there's more. It transpires that Drew has covered his Strickland Banks story in hip-hop form as well, on a second rap album that has been shelved for the time being in favour of the new soul direction.

“That's the one that delves into the darkness and complexity of what's happening to him, with lyrics that will shock you.”

Suspicions of a sell-out are understandable, especially when he starts talking about “demographics”.

Drew will admit that he was “pretty bitter” about the fate of his first album.

Who Needs Actions When You Got Words was greeted with a gush of five-star reviews but ended up getting almost no radio play and spending just one week at number 30. “It was relentless, explicit, edgy, so it's probably not
surprising,” he admits. “All the ­violence was in context but a lot of people still misunderstood it.”

Time for plan B then? “I haven't done the soul stuff just to have a hit. I did it because I love the sound. Smokey Robinson's Tracks of My Tears was the song that taught me how to write. But I have realised that it's accessible, too.”

Drew is dismissive of hip-hop purists and admires rappers such as Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder who have recently crossed over to pop fans. It shouldn't be too surprising that he can master other genres. His early bootleg, Paint It Blacker, sampled Leonard Cohen, Nirvana and Radiohead.

What's clear, though, is that his bright new sheep's clothing won't stay on for long. A recent move to Dalston from Kensal Rise is what's currently exciting him. “I've felt much more inspired. There are a lot more crackheads.”

New on the net

• The Metacritic website, which collates reviews into one all-encompassing mark out of 10, should be in any discerning music fan's bookmarks. Now a new British version at www.anydecentmusic.com focuses on our broadsheets and music press to conclude that the best recent albums are by Fuck Buttons, McAlmont and Nyman and The Hidden Cameras.
 
• In the run-up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, a Latin-tinged cover of Hotel California is making a bid to become the event's musical anthem. Performed by The Killers with Rhythms Del Mundo, it's available in the iTunes store, with proceeds going to Artists Project Earth.

• Fyfe Dangerfield, frontman of Guillemots, is releasing a solo album, Fly Yellow Moon, in January. A free download of the track When You Walk in the Room is available at www.fyfedangerfield.com.
 
• Carbon/Silicon, project of Mick Jones of The Clash and Generation X's Tony James, will give away their fourth album, The Carbon Bubble, for free at www.carbonsiliconinc.com tomorrow.

Gigs of the week

Beyonce
Expect multiple hits, a spectacular show and some stupendous outfits.
Sat 14, Mon 16 Nov, O2 Arena, SE10 (0871 984 0002). www.the02.co.uk.
 
Kasabian
The Leicester quartet look to take over the ladrock crown from Oasis.
14 Nov, Wembley Arena (0870 060 0870). www.whatsonwembley.com.
 
Mencap Little Noise Sessions
Nine nights of acoustics featuring Editors (Mon 16), Alexandra Burke (Tue 17), Mika (Wed 18), Richard Hawley (Thur 19).
Mon 16-Tue 24 Nov, Union Chapel, N1 (0870 264 3333) www.littlenoisesessions.org.uk.
 
Seasick Steve
Steve Wold's stomping, hollering blues.
Tue 17 Nov, Brixton Academy (0844 477 2000). www.o2academybrixton.co.uk.