Fort Myers Legend Plies Drops "3rd Time": What to Know

Plies is a rapper from Fort Myers, Florida, best known for the 2007 hit "Shawty" with T-Pain. "3rd Time" was a music video that showed him, at age 47, still living life and having fun.

Before the music, there was football, and the story is one of rap's more unusual origin paths.

Who is Plies?

Plies, born Algernod Lanier Washington on July 1, 1976, grew up in the East Dunbar neighborhood of Fort Myers. He signed with Slip-n-Slide Records in 2004, then worked through a joint venture with Atlantic Records beginning in 2006.

His debut album, The Real Testament, arrived in 2007 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

What was his football background?

Plies was a wide receiver at Fort Myers Senior High and later at Miami University in Ohio, from 1995 to 1997, where he played under the name Nod Washington. He then transferred to the University of Central Florida before turning to music.

That athletic background is a favorite piece of trivia among fans.

What are his biggest hits?

"Shawty" with T-Pain reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2007, and "Hypnotized" with Akon reached the top 15 the same year. "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" with Ne-Yo went top 10 in 2008.

His second album, Definition of Real, also reached No. 2 in 2008, and Da REAList debuted at No. 14 that year. Goon Affiliated debuted at No. 5 in 2010 and was his last major-label release.

More recently, he released "Mrs. 47" in September 2024, a single supporting Kamala Harris's presidential campaign, followed by "We Gone Be Ok" in November 2024. "3rd Time" fits his long-running, high-energy brand.

Quick answers

Where is Plies from? Fort Myers, Florida.

What is Plies' biggest hit? "Shawty" featuring T-Pain, a top-10 hit in 2007.

Did Plies play college football? Yes, as a wide receiver at Miami University in Ohio.