U.K.'s Plan B kicks off U.S. tour with Bruno Mars

Plan B is an award-winning British soul star and rapper who's a huge success overseas -- the top-selling artist for 2010 in the United Kingdom.

Now, he's making a splash in the U.S. with his first us tour alongside Grammy award-winning artist Bruno Mars and the release of his new album, "The Defamation of Strickland Banks."

Plan B is on his first North American tour, alongside Grammy Award-winning artist Bruno Mars.

He stopped by "The Early Show on Saturday Morning" to perform two songs off of his new CD, "She Said" and "Love Goes Down" in our "Second Cup Cafe."

Plan B, whose real name is Ben Drew, grew up in Forest Gate, London, where he was greatly influenced by his love of classic Motown and his appreciation for rap. Proud of his British roots, Drew put his signature spin on his craft of rapping and singing in his own accent, which was embraced on both sides of the pond.

While he started out as a rapper who then got in touch with his soulful side, Plan B ultimately characterizes himself as a director, choosing to portray his films through music.

So, what's the meaning behind "The Defamation of Strickland Banks"? And who is this Banks fellow?

It turns out that Beyonce, a.k.a. "Sasha Fierce" isn't the only artist exploring an alter ego -- Plan B's album follows his alter ego, Strickland, "a sharp-suited British soul singer who rises to fame through his carefully crafted, bitter sweet love songs," according to his official bio

The rapper who channels his inner pop-soul reels in his listeners with his solid story-telling. According to SPIN magazine, "The melodramatic tunes masterfully push up against the antihero's downward narrative spiral, making 'Defamation' the rare contemporary album that insists on being heard in full, in sequence, until the story ends."

Plan B is learning the ropes from Mars and Janelle Monáe on the "Hooligans In Wondaland Tour." Later this month, he will team up with fellow Brit Adele for a string of U.S. dates including a performance on May 21 at the Palace Theatre in New York City.

Plan B has received several nominations from the BT Digital Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, the MOBO Awards, and the most prestigious, the 2011 Brit Awards, which honored him with the "Best British Male Solo Artist."