MEET AP THE PLAN
Will and Benji of AP the Plan. Photograph by Marlene Lenthang for Loyal Nana
At first glance the music duo AP The Plan may seem like the coolest 20-year-olds you’ve ever seen with effervescent energy, impressive fits, and a song always on the tip of their tongues.
But when you hear their tracks, you realize there’s so much more depth and musical prowess to Will and Benji, best friends from Philadelphia, PA, currently making their way through Los Angeles.
With a genre-bending discography, including Patterns -- their second EP released in February, this dynamic duo has pioneered their own unique sound where no two songs sound quite alike. There’s Atlanta, which sounds like you’re full-throttle entering another galaxy, then the more subdued and lighthearted single Amyleigh which features Young Thug-esque staccato raps.
Will and Benji started out in grade school making covers of their favorite songs and filming music videos on the iPhone. (We stan.) They’ve been working at their craft for years and the result is honeyed vocals, crisp percussions, addictive beats, and the special harmony that comes with working together for so long.
From their group name, which is based on “Apocalyptic Prophecies,” a conspiracy theory they found in the fifth grade, to their impeccable fashion and wide-ranging music styles, these guys are anything but the expected. Some of their musical inspirations are Joey badass, Childish Gambino, Toro y Moi, King Krule and Pharrell.
We sat down to talk with the guys about Patterns, their four track EP with sounds ranging galactic to aquatic.
BENJI: “We actually made all the songs in like a week, but it took polishing it and making sure the final product is what it is now. That took a few weeks.”
WILL: “It took Lil B to DM me on Twitter. He just randomly DM’ed me on Twitter like ‘Let’s work.’’(speaking on their track ‘I C U Around’ with Lil B.)
The guys told Loyal Nana their music making process is often heat-of-the-moment jamming with their friends -- “just basically freestyle it all,” Benji said.
They also told us to keep an eye out for their upcoming single IG Thots.
“The way that I went on [IG Thots], our homie made the beat. I didn’t know what I was going to say, he just pressed record and he was on Instagram, and I was like what app you on? He was like I’m on Instagram and I was like aight, bet, ‘Instagram bitches be so bad…’ That’s how our songs be coming alive.”
Photograph by Marlene Lenthang for Loyal Nana
When they’re not messing around and making music you can catch them bedazzling their own AP The Plan merch, ready to make their dent in the music world.
“We’re definitely working on our next two projects right now. We’ve got a lot of cool stuff. Videos, I want to make more clothes, more everything, more life,” Will said.
AP the Plan will be in Brooklyn at Cafe Erzulie at 8pm on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, and you can purchase tickets here.