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Beautiful Soul

by Funky DL

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1.
Chorus (PF Elle) I love you from a distance, cause’ the last time there were feelings, it was just me, you went missing, so now I be, I be loving different, touching different, something’s different, oh, oh, if you can’t seem to get it right, I think I’m better off without you by my side. Verse One (Funky DL) Yo’, was like a motion picture, it was supposed to hit ya’ dead in the heart like a poison, or a Bible scripture, like a message in the music, I'm just vibin' with' ya', times have changed since the days I had a problem with ya', I'm reminiscing bout' the days I had in common with ya', I had a plan to make this music and be rhyming with ya', I guess I couldn't synchronize divine timing with ya', something can look like it got flava' when it's sly vanilla and I ain't saying these words to sounds cruel, I'm just saying these words have found you in the same place, maybe showing no progression is a safe space, with a smiling mask that's hung over a straight face, too much time has passed, now you a strange face, talking bout' momentum, but you moving at the same pace, and this is how you rock now? Fast-talking everywhere, but slow the fuck down, you ain't even got the ball, so how you screaming touchdown? Is it just because you live a little further Uptown? Well the lights may be on, but the server shut down, yeah the lights may be on, but never learned a lot, how can I put it to ya' polite and cause no offence? Without preserving no feelings and holding it against me, I don’t know about you, but I’m doing this intensely and now I understand what’s meant for you ain’t meant for me and when the universe decided what was meant to be, on the same page for you and me was not an entity, we both got a different type of energy, you step slow, but with my two legs I’m like a centipede, 100. Chorus (PF Elle) Verse Two (Funky DL) It was hard to leave you right where you stood, but while I’m putting out the fires, you be lighting more wood, you ain’t trying to see the danger like it might be all good and I really tried to tell ya’, well recite what I could, but my words ain’t have no effect, that’s okay, you don’t owe me nothing, but you showed a lack of respect, couldn’t believe you stood the hairs up on the back of my neck and I was horrified to know that I’m gon’ have to accept and disconnect, suppress any feeling to reach back, cos’ I don’t wanna ever have to go repeat that, let me say it once more, repeat that, no I don’t wanna ever have to go repeat that, yeah the door closed forever, ain’t no way to sneak back, and as far as I’m concerned the lights are off, complete black... And now you watching me from a distance, oh now you wanna pay attention, now you wanna listen, now you wanna show persistence and get rid of the resistance, but now the dialogue is gone, not even my assistant got the time to deal someone who is very inconsistent, too little, too late means insufficient and you can never stand where I stand and that’s official, you went to live your best life, so what’s the issue? Yo’ you thinking that I miss you? Maybe a little bit, but not enough to take a tissue to dry any tears, cos’ after many years of being held back, I know I had more than my fare share, so I don’t have to wonder what it’s like to taste the fruits of my labour, that’s 100. Chorus (PF Elle) Outro (PF Elle) I loved you with every piece of me, never imagined, never thought it could happen to us, what happened to love? What happened to love?
2.
Intro (Xantoné Blacq) (Multiple simultaneous adlibs) Chorus x2 (Xantoné Blacq) Hey, hey, everybody, you know we got to keep on rising, (keep on rising, keep on rising, keep on rising), I said climb up (climb up), step up (step up), keep on going (keep on going), keep on going (keep on going), everybody, you know we got to keep on rising, (keep on rising, keep on rising, keep on rising), I said climb up (climb up), step up (step up), keep on going (keep on going), keep on growing (keep on going) oh! Verse One (Funky DL) What’s going on people? Let’s take it back to the Genesis, November 20th, when I was on the precipice, I’m born 24 hours later, exposed to elements, I’m cold and hungry and tired, you can call me a pessimist, let’s run a couple health checks and then review the evidence, now you can take your bundle of joy, get off the premises, I’m growing up in troubling times ranging from terrorists to Politicians ruining lives, but talk benevolence, I guess it’s just a clash of Titans without the Pegasus, by age five I gotta’ go school so I can benefit from what they say will provide you with academic excellence, boost my intelligence with lessons of irrelevance, taught me how to read and write and form a couple sentences, taught me to communicate and where to place the emphasis, made a couple friends, a couple kids were like my nemesis, boys gotta’ be boys, so there was lots of recklessness, fist fights, fending off bullies, my blows were generous, I disliked sharing my goodies and that’s my prejudice, I’d tell you everything on my mind like you my therapist, and anything significant, my brain would say remember this, so as the years go, it ain’t too hard to reminisce and I was born the year of the snake, so call me venomous, that’s what I need to get by from all the cleverness, the sly want a piece of the pie from all our special gifts. Chorus (Xantoné Blacq) Hey everybody, you know we got to keep on rising, ooh, (keep on rising, keep on rising, keep on rising), I said climb up (climb up), rise up (rise up), keep on going (keep on going), keep on going (keep on going), hey everybody, you know we got to keep on rising, yeah, (keep on rising, keep on rising, keep on rising), I said climb up (climb up), step up (step up), keep on going (keep on going), keep on going (keep on going). Verse Two (Funky DL) So from now on people, let’s take it forward like we front facing, legacies and fundraising, not just blunt chasing, hard training, not complaining, while you sunbathing, most of the population can’t even rely on savings, they say the route of suffering is craving, consumerism is enslaving the minds, there’s no escaping, everybody wanna’ enter entertainment for paper chasing, rather be famous and be aimless over being nameless, meanwhile the powers that be maintain surveillance, from your profile status to your interfering fucking neighbors, cos’ if your prosperous, somebody wanna turn the tables, and even those that’s close to you commit betrayal, I’m just saying to be careful, simultaneous to be courageous, do me a favour, this is more than just some words on paper, we gotta move like it’s second nature, to be a generation moving from minor until we touch major, huh, and write the rules like we legislators, cos’ life is like playing a game of chess with the Creator, where the Devil only stands on your side of the table, making suggestions on your next move like he a player in your life, that’s how the tables get turned, cos’ you can be on top of everything then crash and then burn, like when you meet someone you like, at first you thinking just wow, but get to know em’, now they calling and you thinking what now? Chorus (Xantoné Blacq) Oh everybody, you know we got to keep on rising, huh, (keep on rising, keep on rising, keep on rising), I said stand up (stand up), rise up (rise up), keep on going (keep on going), keep on going (keep on going), everybody, you know we got to keep on rising, yeah, (keep on rising, keep on rising, keep on rising), stand up (stand up), hold on (hold on), keep on going (keep on going), keep on going, keep on going (keep on going). Outro (Xantoné Blacq) (With multiple simultaneous adlibs) Hey, we’ve gotta’, we gotta’ find a way, we gotta’, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh…, everybody, everybody, everybody, body, body, come one, stand up, (together you and I…find a way), keep strong.
3.
Intro x2 (vsteeze) I rather (rather), I rather (rather), I rather (rather), I rather (rather). Verse One (Funky DL) And I write rhymes, yeah I got lyrics that be spanning my lifetime, so prolific, maybe I’m out of my right mind, but everywhere I go I’m letting my light shine, I got them staying in they lane like a white line, cos’ I constantly got music in the pipeline, I’m not the type to ever sit on the side-line, so forgive me if I don’t follow the guidelines, they say when you born with the plight of a black man, you gotta work ten times harder than that man to get you a cigar and a bottle of Jack Dan, sophisticated car and the money to stack land, bring it back man, I just write rhymes, it took me all around the world and right back again, providing inspiration from the words I’m imagining, making a presentation from the words I’m unravelling, although when you an independent artist it’s challenging, but with every adversity yo’ I’m still here and when I see grey skies, I know that they will clear, that’s why I make basslines that people can feel, yeah, at the right time, yo’ I write rhymes, and yo’ likewise, I recite lines, and keep on listening to samples I might find, from early morning all way into night-time, yo’ I write rhymes, I just write rhymes. Chorus x2 (vsteeze) I be raising vibrations all through the raps, I rather (rather), I rather (rather), I rather write poems, something classic. Verse Two (Funky DL) I still write rhymes, we talking thirty something years of my poetry, I gotta speak my truth, but with a hint of diplomacy and never speak reckless just so the people will notice me, this lyrical potency when I’m speaking so openly, when I write rhymes the page flows and keep the beat under wraps like it’s plainclothes, so the words shine bright like they halos and be a symbol of faith like it’s a rainbow, it’s from the soul, so any situation in my life can unfold, write it down, document it, so the truth can be told, a message in the music, leave the youth predisposed to lessons they can use in every fork in the road, cos’ God only knows that my penmanship is for my friends and my foes, cos’ these sentences will just extend into flows, making entrances, now as blend with the Rhodes I write rhymes, I can be feeling not so good, but I write rhymes, ain’t in the flyest neighbourhood, but I write rhymes and even when I feel disheartened, I write rhymes, if every friend of mine departed, I write rhymes and if I’m feeling broken-hearted, I write rhymes, I took it back to how I started, I write rhymes, from early morning all way into night-time, yo’ I write rhymes, I just write rhymes. Chorus (vsteeze) Outro (vsteeze) I rather (rather), I rather (rather), I rather (rather), I rather (rather). I rather (rather), I rather (rather), I rather (rather), I rather (rather). I rather write poems, something classic.
4.
Chorus (CICERO) I wanna show my gratitude, no really I, cos’ when I put my all into everything I am and everything I do, it’s a reminder that I’m good and hoping the same awaits for you, we, we gotta’ show our gratitude, cos’ maybe we can see our world improve, cos’ everything we are and everything we do, it’s a reminder we will be just fine if we keep pushing through. Verse One (Funky DL) I put this on everything I am, everything that went wrong, every single sham, every time somebody run up on me with a scam, try and dupe me so that they can profit everything I planned when I didn’t understand, but they don’t really know about the gratitude I have, just to build up my resilience from everything that’s bad and on the other hand, there was everything that's good, there was everything that happened when I thought it never could, when I thought it never would and my vision was blurred, I close my eyes and say a prayer with some humbling words and whatever the outcome, I’ve learned to accept it, I’m grateful for everything upon my reflection, the years of protection and positive direction, every single blessing, every single learnt lesson, every single question, every single misconception and these studio sessions, yo’ I’m thankful for everything. Chorus (CICERO) I wanna show my gratitude, no really I, cos’ when I put my all into everything I am and everything I do, it’s a reminder that I’m good and hoping the same awaits for you, I’m saying that we, we gotta’ show our gratitude, cos’ maybe we can see our world improve, cos’ everything we are and everything we do, it’s a reminder we will be just fine if we keep pushing through. Verse Two (Funky DL) (Let’s go), I put this on everything I know, every person that I met, everywhere I go, every time I think about the reason that I chose to follow my dream since I was twelve years old, it could’ve been different, it could have been something more’, it could’ve been worse, it could have been straight no, it could’ve been yo’, your time’s up let’s go, it could’ve been that I would never make it to a pro, it could’ve been slow, it could be I would never grow, stay in the same place, it could be I would never know, it could’ve abundant like a fountain overflow, it could’ve been a different turn somewhere in the road, it could’ve been cold, it could have been no flow, it could’ve been a platinum record or maybe gold, I could’ve been somebody with a story untold, whatever the case may be, I say so, I’m so grateful. Chorus (CICERO) I’m saying that we, we gotta’ show our gratitude, cos’ maybe we can see our world improve, cos’ everything we are and everything we do, it’s a reminder we will be just fine if we keep pushing through. Outro (CICERO) (Various scats)
5.
Verse One (Funky DL) They say I’m born alone; I’ll die alone, I put my interest in principals like entire loans, nobody stopped to tell me life can be so complicated and negativity from others is intoxicating, you gotta’ figure out your own coping mechanisms, cos’ automatically this world don’t give you recognition, being misfortunate, sometimes is plagued with repetition and can remove you from positions like a deposition, like “fuck outta’ here!”, yeah every day’s a mission, if you ain’t careful you’ll be focusing on inhibitions, instead of going to a higher ground like Innervisions, you may be somewhere at the bottom feeling insufficient, this ain’t your destiny, that’s why I didn’t wait for no one to invest in me and every single move I made was a necessity to take my time to try to execute successfully, especially if it was something with complexity, yo’, from the beginning we are front-runners, but the world will judge your book just from a front cover, they don’t know your story, they don’t know your true worth, but we gotta’ show them everything, the truth hurts, so we here to present every single element, and it don’t matter if they try deny the evidence, cos’ I ain't culpable for what they can’t see, but everything that I present is everything that is me, yo’. Chorus (Lei-an) Who am I in your eyes? Tell me what you see when you look at me, who am I? Tell me what you see, cos’ in my eyes I’m just me. Verse Two (Funky DL) They say you win some, you lose some, no equilibrium despite your contribution, nevertheless they cannot stop my evolution to have a problem and always find the solution, never succumb to all the wicked persecution, I’m on a frequency that’s under no illusions, beholding everything my Father gave his two sons, so I don’t give a fuck when they draw they conclusions, so ain’t nobody that can make me feel a bit nervous, say what they want but yo’ it’s nothing but some lip service, I couldn’t tell you how many times I already heard it and don’t effect me no matter how differently they word it, I am the sharpest that I ever been, don’t take it lightly, they can condemn me, but I’m certain that they won’t indict me, I’m elevated so way beyond mediocrity and my philosophy have you thinking like Socrates, there ain’t no stopping me, so everything I am is everything I had to be, because I live within a system full of apathy, yo’, so fuck the confidentiality, I’ll tell you anything I want in its totality, cos’ I’m here to present every single element, and it don’t matter when they try deny the evidence, cos’ I ain't culpable for what they can’t see, but everything that I present is everything that is me, moi. Chorus (Lei-an) Who am I in your eyes? Tell me what you see when you look at me, who am I? Tell me what you see, cos’ in my eyes, see I’m just me.
6.
Verse One (Funky DL) (Yeah, yo’), best to ever do it, no wonder I’m about to kill this and make it my business to make it your business, yo’ they say dope Rappers are in shortages, but they ignoring us, but we ain’t really trying to hear from these Tortoises, it ain’t hard to keep you hooked like choruses, I do my thing and switch it up, metamorphosis, so I don’t take no bull, where my Taurus’s? I’m trying to get my name bigger than enormous is, peace to everybody out there supporting this, but I ain’t that troubled if you don’t, suppliers just doubled up my quote, I’m getting paid from a tonne of old rope, wanna’ learn from me? You better take those notes, I’m a Burgundy; I straight quench those throats, now you heard of me, it’s absurdity, I am certainly and for eternity, gonna’ keep myself plugged to the circuitry, so no need for me to join a fraternity, universally, they familiar from afar, or they personally could be singing my praises, or they the cursing me, I don’t care which degree, university, it ain’t fair when you see me commercially, Oh no! D came up on the scene, now he won’t go, with his black and white Wash Classics logo and the boy just flow like Orinoco, whoa! Come again, so heavy, bound to make you wanna run again, got a style, older crowd feels young again, oops there they go falling in love again, and I can promise you that like a covenant. Chorus (Stee Moglie) With all my strength and all my soul, oh, oh, I won’t let you down, no, won’t ever, won’t ever let you down, I won’t break it; no I won’t break it, the promise, ooh, the promise that I made to you and I. Verse Two (Funky DL) (Yo’), these the best days, independent artist it be the best way, it’s a lot of hard work, but people press play and from all around the world then D will get paid and the money goes back for beats to get made, never do it for the fame, or the need to get laid, so you better think twice, your team can get slayed, now you silent, probably be the best way, on an island, under the trees, the best shade, no pilot bringing you back, so just stay outta’ my way, something like a hurricane, cos’ back in the day when I was a teenager an A&R man bought me a little pager, so I could go studio and drop a little flava’ and never stop doing it to this very day, I don’t play, cos’ this ain’t a game, they say I don’t get the props I deserve, but that’s really okay, I’m ahead of the curve and I could have been them, but instead I preferred to just be me and I give you my word that I’m more concerned with giving everyone something really superb, and I go back in the studio and return with a classic, they say D go hard, if it wasn’t this way there would be no bars, if it wasn’t that way, there would be no scars, yo’ and the boy just flow like Orinoco, whoa! Come again, so heavy bound to make you wanna run again, got a style older crowd feels young again, oops there they go falling in love again and I can promise you again with a covenant. Chorus x2 (Stee Moglie)
7.
Chorus (Xantoné Blacq) Oh my love, you are everything to me, my Queen, keep you always in my heart, my love. Verse One (Funky DL) She is one in a million, Brazilian, golden complexion, the closest I have ever seen to feminine perfection, I met her back in the summer of 2020 and instantly I knew that this gotta’ be more than friendly, we got to know each other quite quick and maybe, probably, we should be going slower, two bottles of Kindzmarauli, it's a two person party, I told her very calmly that I never met nobody like her, that's guaranteed, she text me all the time and sometimes in Portuguese, so every time I get a message, yo’ it's really news to me and her voice notes are like my favourite tracks, I press repeat, sometimes I miss her messages, it's cos’ I'm fast asleep, I wake early, I told her I make music, she heard me, she impressed with the number of streams along my journey, plus the fact that I studied the law like an attorney, showed me pictures of her family, parents looked very happily married, I wanna meet em’, impossible for me to predict how this would deepen, she told me I was stuck with her, I kinda like that feeling, she knows that she can trust me any time, any season, any day, any week, month, year, for any reason, anything that she needs, I’ll find a way to make it be. Chorus (Xantoné Blacq) Verse Two (Funky DL) I don’t see her all the time and so she ask me if I miss her? Tell her that’s automatic, ain’t nobody can resist ya’, that smile is like a picture, which is magic to the eyes, the kinda’ magic every time that got me hypnotised, recognise you need your space and I’m same, so we align, cos’ everybody need a little time and we don’t live together, but your stuff is at my crib, remembering the first time I showed you where I live, take an Uber to the station, I want you to travel safe and sound and so I’m coming with ya’, we take the high speed train, it gets you home quicker, as you stroll into the distance, definition watch your figure, you asked me to explain how different things in London work, sometimes I tease the answer just to see you give a smirk, we never had a time when you was driving me berserk, you just driving me to work, an inspiration for success and maybe I don’t say it, but I know I’m truly blessed, it’s really nothing less and I ain’t told many people I love em’, my Father, my older Brother, few friends, my younger Cousin, my older Sister, but now you know you made it to the club and membership is irrevocable my love. Pre-Chorus (Xantoné Blacq) My love, my love. Chorus x3 (Xantoné Blacq)
8.
Everybody 02:50
Verse One (Funky DL) Excuse me everybody, I’ll let into a secret, don’t move with everybody, the level of my achievement is losing everybody, I don’t even know my weakness, I proved to everybody when I infiltrate the speakers, don’t lose to anybody, the name is Consist, I ain’t using anybody, I’m on my own shit, same rules for everybody, but let me tell you this, I got news for everybody, the rules don’t exist, I’m snoozing everybody that be getting in my way, it’s the blues for anybody who be try’na’ show me hate, see if you was anybody, real recognise real, left clues for everybody, so if you don’t know the deal, I’m the coolest anybody that you ever gonna’ hear, I ain’t foolish everybody, I step it up every year, so I’m moving everybody with the boom-bap and I’m schooling everybody who wanna’ know how to rap. Verse Two (Funky DL) Pay attention everybody, now what am I to do? I can’t mention everybody, but I gotta name a few, like K-lash and CICERO, Stee Moglie, Abioseh and El-Emcee, shout to Teddy Reiss, Substantial, Jay Picasso and vsteeze, my man T8pes, shout to Splifto and Mami, Xantoné, everybody who’s on a journey, gravitate to every single thing that you need and rock the party, be a whole different breed til’ they stop the party, but we don’t give a D, we are the party, the roof’s in flames, we char the party and take the full blame, it was twenty albums deep, now it’s twenty one, the majority of Rappers don’t get half of my run, that’s a ten point five, yep’ dead in the water, let me know when you get to bout’ five and a quarter.
9.
Intro (PF Elle) I don’t wanna’ be, I don’t wanna’ be, I don’t wanna’ be, I don’t wanna’ be. Verse One (Funky DL) I don’t wanna’ be a slave to a system that cares more about my money than about my wisdom, designed to take from me, disregarding my position and when I wanna protest ain’t nobody wanna listen and when they start to listen, try convince me of they vision, a bullshit fiction, when I’m no longer living’s when you probably sound convincing, until that day I’m treating what you say with some suspicion, I am but one man, and I am powerful, so I ain’t got a problem making all of them accountable, they thought they could devise something that’s wholly insurmountable, thought your plan came together, smiling like you Hannibal, but I pity you fools, I’m incompatible, I should tell you fuck you, take a sabbatical, but then you probably put me in chains, call me a radical, but I really can't get with this trajectory, stopping me producing for myself like a vasectomy, cos’ ain’t nobody standing next to me who gonna speak for me the way that I can speak, don't know my heart, don’t feel my pain, ain't got my technique, nobody in the world was ever me, unless reincarnation has obscured my memory and even if it did, I don’t subscribe to those beliefs, just like they way they don’t subscribe to my relief, but I’mma’ always be free, yeah and I’mma always be me, D, yeah. Chorus (PF Elle) Can’t live in fear of the shooter, (no I) can’t measure life by the ruler, I’m not in need of a tutor, (I’m not in need, I’m not in need), (cause’ I’m) just living life how I’m sure of. Verse Two (Funky DL) I don’t wanna’ be slave to the rules and it ain’t only me and just cos’ I comply it doesn’t mean that I agree and if I don’t protest it doesn’t mean I acquiesce, it just means I know the battles I can win and not regress, calculate when I think, amalgamate that with ink, the power of my words are so succinct, no chinks in my armour, so bring your drama, cos’ when your karma meets my karma, you bound to be fry like Futurama, Brrrrrak like I’m Obama, the system try’na’ eat people up like J. Dahmer, but let me remind you I’m the Son of a Brown Bomber, that African blood that comes from the South East of Ghana, nothing like the Copacabana, huh’, it’s like my voice is all I have, they exploiting all the math for all the choices that I have, it’s a cowardice that makes you wanna leave the people powerless and I ain’t never sign up, so I ain’t down for this, I know you got your procedures and red tape, but I can see through it despite no red cape, but that was your mistake, cos’ you thought I was just Clark, you cannot see the fire in my heart when it’s just sparks, yo’, but it’s a domino effect, cos’ the sparks are the ignition to the flames that I project, huh, yeah, I do subscribe to these beliefs, I was free when I was born and nothing’s changed except for me, I’m free. Chorus (PF Elle)
10.
Verse One (Funky DL) It’s like the human being trajectory has changed, waking up every day, I’m feeling strange, feelings of disarray, I’m living in a world where people normalize the pain, when I be going to a gym they call “the feel good place” and I’m on the treadmill, TV up in my face, with the news showing civil war, corruption and rape, terrorists, murderers, wait just a moment, this don’t feel good, you probably need to change your slogan, don’t want us to break laws, when drafted they were broken, maybe the powers that be have a heart that’s kinda’ frozen, I know I’m kinda’ outspoken, but everything is not fair, even if you got a token for your place on a cruise ship, they’ll drown you in the ocean and send the rescue party slow motion, billions of people so alone live a life that they feel they don’t control and all they wanna do is go home. Chorus (Lei-an) (I-I-I), I just wanna’ go, see I just wanna go (home), take me to a space where I can feel I’m at home, that’s where I wanna’ be, they say no place is like (home). (I-I-I), I just wanna’ go, yeah I just wanna go (home), take me to a space where I can feel at home, that’s where I wanna’ be, they say no place is like home. Verse Two (Funky DL) I got legitimate concerns, but they don’t hear me, they just want me to do what I’ve always done and never dare be insubordinate and never come to life like I’m an ornament, this life has got me feeling this a tournament, I guess only the strongest survive, with such a blatant disregard for those who weak and deprived, they advocate for freedom of speech, but they cannot describe in true words the true answers, so behind a disguise they do the worst and do damage and it’s criminal, all the subliminals you think are minimal are pinnacle, even the music business is political, it’s critical, but if you more concerned about the gram and the image of yourself behind a filter then damn, what can I say to you? I guess I’ll think big and speak small, cos’ the other way around will get you nothing at all, just think about it, cos’ if we take the time to postpone everything that we know is worthless, yo’, we’ll find our way home. Chorus (Lei-an) (I-I-I), I just wanna’ go, see I just wanna go (home), take me to a space where I can feel I’m at home, that’s where I wanna’ be, they say no place is like (home). (I-I-I), I just wanna’ go, yeah I just wanna go (home), take me to a space where I can feel at home, that’s where I wanna’ be, they say there’s no place like (home), (I-I-I), I just wanna’ go, see I just wanna go (home), take me to a space where I can feel I’m at home, that’s where I wanna’ be, they say no place is like (home). (oh-oh), I just wanna’ go, yeah I just wanna go (home), take me to a space where I can feel like I’m at home, that’s where I wanna’ be, they say there’s no place like (home).

about

As prolific as Funky DL has been across his tenure as an MC and Producer, he has always understood the necessity to venture deeper into his craft and the necessity to transcend his previous works by tapping into his creativity in ways he never before has.

His 21st studio album comes in the form of "Beautiful Soul", a 10-track opus to the sounds and beauty of 1960's and 1970's Soul Music.

However, the title of the album doesn't stop there, as it also reflects DL's assertions through his lyrical content that we all arrived into this world as beautiful souls; although our innocence, dignity and integrity often succumb to some of what contemporary society lays before us. Be that as it may, the messages within the rhymes resonate hope, gratitude, optimism and triumph.

The production for the project began in April of 2020, with DL collaborating with some of his favourite live musicians, namely Xantoné Blacq on keys, Ed Riches on guitar and Sean Allen on bass. Working with each musician individually due to the lockdowns caused by the COVID pandemic, DL was undeterred by these restrictions and continued crafting the melodic landscape for the album.

Taking on the challenge of re-interpreting some heavyweight hits from over four decades ago, DL aimed to ascend beyond the typical proclivities of Jazz-Hop and Lo-fi Boom-Bap Beat-Makers, going miles further into a Producer aficionado mode of upper echelon creativity.

The musical illustrations within each composition are sensitive and delicate, with an acute attention to every detail, every layer and all the sonic accoutrements. "Progression" is the key word here, where throughout the album, the listener is bound to discover new occurrences along each track's seemingly linear journey. The result is an incredibly captivating, emotive and soulful expression across the album's 40 minute running time.

As for the rhymes, Funky DL taps straight into his core and speaks candidly on matters dear to his heartstrings. His knack for cutting to the chase is impeccable, as he steps further into his maturity as a writer, abandoning some of his previously youthful and playful tendencies and leaning more towards his wisdom, as demonstrated in much of his latter works.

And let us not forget the features that guest on this project. Each one hand picked to deliver the appropriate temperament to the track that hosts them. A mixture of transatlantic guests appear, with PF Elle and vsteeze invited as Cousins from the USA to line up with the British guests Stee Moglie, Lei-an, CICERO and Xantoné Blacq.

Each feature provides their unique and befitting vocal contribution to the project to provide an array of performance styles and characteristics, making this album live up to precisely what the title describes it to be... "Beautiful Soul".

credits

released November 5, 2021

Produced & mixed by Funky DL for Washington Classics 2021.

"100", written by N. Newman & D. Lyons.
"The Litigant", written by N. Newman & A. Fayeton-Blacq.
"And I Write Rhymes", written by N. Newman & V. Lora.
"Thankful For Everything", written by N. Newman & T. Grant.
"Me", written by N. Newman & L. McLeish.
"The Covenant", written by N. Newman & S.M. Domingue.
"My Love", written by N. Newman & A. Fayeton-Blacq.
"Everybody", written by N. Newman.
"Always Be Free", written by N. Newman & D. Lyons.
"Home", written by N. Newman & L. McLeish.

Keyboards: Xantoné Blacq.
Acoustic/Electric Guitar: Ed Riches.
Bass Guitar: Sean Allen.
Additional Vocals on "The Litigant" by Lei-an.

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Funky DL London, UK

Funky DL is regarded as one of the most legendary and significant MC's and Producers to come out of the UK. Now globally known for delivering albums with both musical and lyrical finesse...

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