Rapping as a profession was never really something Plies ever considered doing. In fact, at first he even refused to attempt it. Thankfully, for his legions of fans, especially the specific hundreds of thousands of current supporters, the man born Algernod Lanier Washington eventually reconsidered that initial decision.

The Fort Myers, Florida, native's first two albums 2007's The Real Testament and this past summer's Definition of Real, have already garnered sales of over 500,000 units, giving Plies two well-deserved Gold plaques. Da REAList, his eagerly awaited third effort, is already on the way, just merely a little more than six months after the arrival of his chart-topping sophomore disc.

Urban Network recently "hit up" at Plies while he was actually out doing some fishing, and just getting some good 'ol, much needed, R&R [Rest and Relaxation]...

Congratulations are definitely in order — Definition of Real, like your debut, just went Gold, too.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Although your new effort has been title Da REAList, which is pretty self-explanatory, still tell me why you thought up that name for your next release...

Kind of a term that was given to me by my core fan-base, the ones that have followed me from...Um, you know, eight years ago from my first mix-tape days, up until now. I was kinda the underdog in this situation in terms of on the industry standpoint, and they kinda gave me that term a couple years ago. And, I always felt when the time was right, I can incorporate it as an album title and I felt this was the perfect time to do so.

And, why is it following so close on the heels of Definition of Real, when the label is still actively working another single, "#1 Fan," with Keyshia Cole and J. Holiday, from that project?

I don't know if the label would be happy to hear me say this, but it's not really a numbers thing with me. This time around, I think it's just all about me continuing to give quality music to my immediate fan-base, and I felt Christmas was a week away from my actual release and, I wanted to make sure I had an opportunity to give them something especially for the holidays. I feel like it's my best body of work thus far, and it was just about continuing to stay relevant, but I worked so hard to get to where I'm currently at now that I didn't believe it was a good idea to take off for a year, year and a half, and then have to come back and recreate my whole situation, especially in an industry that's real flakey right now.

If you wanted to, though, couldn't you have just worked a few more singles from Definition of Real?

It's kinda funny anytime you're trying to move forward with records, especially at radio sometimes, and this is just an honest answer...um...Labels are funny about how deep they go into an album. I think if you're not at 800, 850 (thousand) or better, in terms of being 150 units away from going Platinum, I don't think you're gonna get a third single for the most part. So, I kinda looked at my situation from a realistic standpoint, and I just understood that I could've continued to probably grind out that album and get it close to probably about 800,000 copies. But to have an opportunity to have sold a million records over the course of a twelve month span — I think it's about the final number. I think anytime you hear people say this particular artist done sold twenty million records in their career, they never break that up. They just give you a total amount of records sold. So, for me, that's how I pose this situation right here. To have an opportunity from God's will to be able to have sold two million records in an eighteen month frame, if this other situation works out great for me, that's a huge accomplishment. And, if it doesn't, it's still a huge accomplishment 'cause I still had an opportunity to sell over a million records in a twelve month window. So, that's great.

You've already called this your "Best Work to Date" — Why do you feel that it is?

I still talk about issues that were important to me...and for every album I kinda want to go (in) a little different direction. I understood how important it is to be able to stand up on a production level (and) to hear an artist that gets seven to nine records played in the club. That's where a lot of people on the street level consider it or call it a "classic" album. I had a lot of emotional records that aren't club tempo-ish, and, I never disagreed with that formula or that philosophy, but this particular album here I think I found a way to still talk about important issues, and still get the production level to where it could still hold its own in the club environment. So, I'm real excited to see how it works out for us.

You also worked with a couple of new names, most notably Mannie Fresh on "Pants Hang Low" — How did this collaboration come about?

Actually, I was a fan of Mannie's for a long time — The whole Cash Money era. When he was in Atlanta, we exchanged numbers, man, and he was definitely familiar with (my) situation as much as I was familiar with his. I went out to Houston for the Ozone Awards weekend. I had a performance out there and I ended up going by the studio. Mannie ended up coming up with a record, to me, that was probably the biggest record in The South right now on a street level. So, to have an opportunity to have that record out as the lead off record from the third album, is something that I'm really (excited) about. It's a real, real, great quality record. (There's been a) great response to the record.

Do you have any favorite cut(s) on Da REAList?

Uh...Got a record called "Gotta Be" on my album. I wrote the record riding around one night. It was just a situation that it was me talking about, "I know it gotta be somebody around the country right now that's either just getting off of probation, someone that just either walking out of prison right now." And, that was a real emotional kind of a record for me. So, I think that's probably one of the more favorite records on my album. My emotional records, to me, are normally my most, I guess, satisfying records. I got another record on my album called "Family Straight," and it's just basically talking about me talking to God and asking him before he calls my number just allow me the time and opportunity to get my family in order before I die. So, those kind of records, man, are always gonna be my favorite sounding records.

Pretty deep sounding stuff! So, when did your love for Hip-Hop really begin? It was kind of by accident wasn't it?

I don't know if it's a love for it, but, at the same time, it's definitely a respect level for it. For me, man, my brother was incarcerated, and I kinda ended up starting to (mess around) with music through his vision. It was a vision of his during his incarceration time, and I was asked as a business partner and continued to kinda start dibbling, dabbling in the situation a little bit. After probably a year, I found it to be kind of interesting because I never knew music was so powerful, and it also allowed me to see that there was people in my area, where I was from, that was actually interested in what I was talking about. So, that's kinda how it started for me — Probably about eight years ago.

Did you have any particular rapper(s) that you were paying attention to while honing on your craft?

For the most (part), I kind of lived and died by that Cash Money music. They were making music that was relatable to me at the time.

Then it must've been pretty surreal for you to finally get to work with Mannie Fresh! So, what do you label your sound as?

Honest! I call it "reality" music. I think the things that I'm talking about are things you're actually faced with, whether you from suburban America or you from the inner city. So, I think that's the edge that I bring to it right now.

Plies is a pretty original moniker — How'd you come up with it?

It is a term that was actually being used around the city that I'm from: Fort Myers in Florida. It was what we were calling people that were getting their share of "street" money, so actually it was a name that I didn't create. I guess [I] won the name by forfeit. So, I always thought that if I was gonna do music from a serious aspect, I always wanted to have a name that embodied where I was from. That name kinda embodied where I was from.

How long do you plan on continuing to make music? Do you actually foresee retirement?

I don't know! This industry's funny, it changes a lot. So, in terms of how long I'm gonna actually be around, I have no idea. I'm just trying to make the best of my current situation, and continue to make quality music. And, when that's not accepted anymore, I don't feel I'm scared to find something else that I can become successful at.

With that being said, aside from the music do you have any other future aspirations?

I mean, I have a lot of things that I really want to try to be more focused (on). But, I think my number one priority right now, man, is of trying to become the best father that I can possibly be. So, I think that's my main goal right now, and I'll figure out everything else as I go.

Tell me about this brand new Bust-It Baby calendar...

Actually, it was calendar that was an idea that my brother, Big Gates, put together. I was not directly involved in that situation, but from what I've seen of the photos and the models that took part in that situation, I think it's gonna be a great look for the company. I think he definitely brought in some quality women to be a part of that situation. I think in the overall scheme of things, it's gonna be a great look from a company standpoint.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of entertainment?

Probably what I'm doing now, fishing! I like to do things that kinda help me gain peace with myself. So, that's one of my better hobbies.

What has been your favorite career moment so far?

Probably getting the news from the last album that we sold 214, 215 thousand records first week. That was probably my biggest highlight just because it was historical in terms of being...(We made) history that (we) sold that many records the first week.

What's next for you then, Plies?

Yeah, we already shot (the) video (to "Pants Hang Low") a couple of weeks ago. I think we'll put it out within the next week. I got a "Put It On Ya" record right now that's doing great at radio featuring Chris J, the first artist off of Big Gates Records. Just shot that video as well. So, that video should be out, too. I got a (BET) Access Granted on that record, so I think that record should probably be hitting (soon). So, that's what we're working on right now.

Do you have anything additional that you'd like to offer?

Nah, man, December 16th Da REAList will be in stores — Be a part of history!