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Dennison Point

by Funky DL

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1.
Moving In 02:58
Chorus Welcome to the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, I. S.O.N, I. S.O.N. Verse One Yo’, me and my older Brother were trouble, so we had pack our bags on the double and relocate four miles away, East London where the skies are grey, the year was ninety-two, or ninety-tre, I can’t remember, here’s your new bedroom, me and my Bro walked in two-by-two, I put my bag down, coat off, removed my shoes, no bunk for Funk, we had to share a double-bed as teenagers, my Pops sent us down to the local retailer to get him cigarettes, but we were under age, watching Rambo and Schwarzenegger flix all day, we had a fridge in our room stacked with Coca-Cola, 7-Up, this was like a dream come true, I had a Step-Mom and didn’t really pay her no mind, because she didn’t really pay us no mind and that was fine, I used to see my Dad on weekends, but now I see my Mom on weekends, my world’s turned upside-down at each end, and I’mma have to live with it, Hackney used to be my home and now I’m just a little bit further out, but it’s the price that you pay when you’re only fourteen and you have no say... (mutha) Chorus Verse Two Even though I moved yo’ I didn’t change schools, now the journey’s much longer, had a few routes to choose from to get there, get back, when I reflect back to the days of grey trousers, blue shirt, jet black sweater with a crest on the left breast, less rest, Mom had four now there’s two gone, less stress, all around the time when music was alluring, My Pops used to leave the house at five in the morning and I would wake up at the very same time Four hours before nine, I didn’t mind, Cos I would watch a movie before I got ready, by my very last lesson my eyes would get heavy, got my Teachers telling me I need iron, but underlying was the fact I woke up so early, so I’m trying to stay awake, but I had a new lifestyle, with my Brother and my Father and his Wife who didn’t smile, So welcome to Dennison, where the lights never go out like Thomas Edison is working on em’, my whole life turned a corner, especially when both elevators out of order, now I’m walking up the stairs going… Chorus Outro Welcome to the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, I. S.O.N, I. S.O, living with my D.A.D. and I’m S.O.N, at the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N, the D.E. double N. I. S.O.N.
2.
Chorus (Cicero) Thank you all the same, but I'mma be OK from here on in, I want you to know that I'm just fine, cos with or without you I'm all in. Verse One Some people say why did I name my album Classic Was The Day? Because I knew from the beginning I’ze about to pave the way, some other Rappers didn’t fuck with me, I didn’t rhyme the same and so they tried to throw they shade and talking shit around my name, that’s kinda’ lame, but didn’t go from in and out my lane and now they looking from a distance and they got no one to blame, they feel ashamed, cos everything they said was just in vain, but homie dripping from the tap don’t match with twenty years of rain, are you insane? If you could never see it from the start, I had this music in my heart and like Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth it’s not a game, I went from people watching me on stage and taking photos with they bae and now they sending messages with just a flame, and now I reminisce about days when I was living up in Dennison, now look at everything that I became, today I’m getting messages from people who were hating on me, wanting to collaborate, but thank you all the same, no thank you all the same... Chorus Thank you all the same, but I'mma be OK from here on in, I want you to know that I'm alright, cos with or without you I'm all in. Verse Two Some people say I am the hardest working brother on a team, and I’ve been putting out this music since the age of seventeen, I had no studio, so had to go wherever I could be, until an Engineer named Dillon told me bout the MPC, I raised my two grand up to put my two grand down, cos I was sick of making music with a tin-pan sound, got these Beat-Makers looking at my wingspan now and they be doing what I’m doing but this kid stands out, I’m so in love and it started from the sound I heard Shaheed, Tip, Phife, Maseo, Posdnuos and can’t forget Trugoy the Dove, Mike G, Sammy B, Afrika, Dres, Mr Lawnge, Jarobi, Queen Latifah and the sister Monie Love, Prince Paul and the rest of the Natives, cos they were so damn creative and yo’ they music befitting just like a glove I really wish my music was released a little earlier than 1997, but I wasn’t old enough, I wasn’t old enough... Chorus Thank you all the same, but I'mma be OK from here on in, I want you to know that I'm just fine, cos with or without you I'm all in.
3.
Sleep 03:19
Chorus Knowing that you’re loved more than you thought, sleep loved, sleep loved. Verse One I used to dream about her, more than a brief encounter, I used to watch from a distance while older men surround her, in expensive whips, more than likely flippin' bricks, knowing in my mind I couldn't give her shit and knowing I was never on her level, I'm hardly very successful, I'm hardly anything special and she was never plain jane-ing, I guess she'd know my name if I was big in entertainment, I'd bring her to my show to watch me on the microphone, pacing up and down the stage and got the flyest Nike's on, take her to my crib and spoon her, and switch the music up to something smoother, she precious I could be her jeweler, much later than sooner we had to part ways, but kissed me on the lips around the 21st day of November, I still remember, I always gave would never lend her for agenda, she couldn't say I was the last of the big spenders, September to December, that was the trimester, a super-fly sister, meet her for lunch when she free, City of Westminster I should have made her my wife, but now I'm sitting here like Michael Jackson singing that she out of my life, sleep. Chorus Knowing that you’re loved more than you thought, (check it, ch-ch-check it) sleep loved, (check it, ch-ch-check it), sleep loved. Verse Two She used to call me late night and talk dirty til’ the early hours, she compliment my hair was curly, she was curvy, flowers was the aroma of her jersey, as she leaned in to kiss me, told me about this dude she was seeing who acting shifty, he pissed her off like a kidney, now she chilling in my room while I trim my Pops hair, he told me “you can get any girl in the world but be clear, you only got one shot, don’t fuck it up, cos from there your chance is over, you gonna see as you get older”, so I console her when she’s crying on my shoulder, over and over, I told her beauty’s in the eye of the beholder, she told me hold her, had the body of a Coca-Cola bottle, but emotionally it’s like she on a roller-coaster, she couldn’t see what was wrong, I had to diagnose her, she’s so attracted to dudes who like to fuck her over, something bout’ the drama, the rah-rah, the marijuana, something bout’ them dudes she investigating like Panorama, and now her heart is open sesame like Ali Baba, she look into my eyes and told me they mysterious and wanna know the future, but today it’s just precarious… sleep. Chorus
4.
He Classic 02:55
Chorus He don’t wanna be a Gang-banger, he just wanna spit rhymes and bang hammers and tell it raw like it was bad manners’, rocking dem' Shell Toes and Bandanas, he from a place where only fam’ matters, he classic... Verse One What’s it mean to be sixteen and have a dream? He just wanna beam on the scene, believe, have a team, have his photo taken for record covers and magazines, selling CD’s and 33’s, there’s no streams, make a little cash, ay’ yo’ please don’t buy no magic beans, trying to live clean, get protein, no nicotine, Parris, Stixx, me got routines, delivery, top level, we should have screens up in this limousine, stock levels running on E, we like a guillotine, cutting Devils, stepping to D was like figurine and Mr. T having beef, hit em’ like a Tambourine, a few years later it’s me brushing my Japanese, 6000 miles, but I ain’t never been to Aberdeen, Bad News intervenes and Nujabes is on the beats, had a couple DAT machines and sold one to me happily, scores of people queuing at shows was my reality, back in 97, yeah I won a MOBO, Shane told me try get another, don’t be a Bozo, I got one already, don’t need no affirmation from em’, jumping through they hoops, I don’t need the aggravation from em’, rude bwoy’, King of the pack, I took the Jokers out, Stixx said there ain’t a subject I never spoke about, when it comes to music yo’ D will never joke about, the world would be a different place if I didn’t open my mouth. Refrain Classic (x4) Chorus He don’t wanna be no Gang-banger, he just wanna spit rhymes and bang hammers and tell it raw like it was bad manners’, rocking dem' Shell Toes and Bandanas, he from a place where only fam’ matters, he classic... Verse Two When I got my record deal I got an advance, then came home with my first twenty grand, then showed my Dad, then went to the bank to make a deposit, they wouldn’t take it, didn’t believe a Black Kid at nineteen was caking, so the Teller called the Manager, someone who’s less an amateur, who called my Publisher for confirmation, the woman’s name was Monica, she called me up and told me that was racist, and she really let em’ know they doubt was baseless, so she the greatest, back to the basics, I’m from Ghana and Jamaica, call me Consist, cos I be always putting pen to paper like a Novelist who getting compliments, do me a favour, I was born for this, I’m making music, irritating neighbours, getting corn for this, I gotta find more ways of getting payments and performing this, cos when the East is in the house it’s danger, I’m a nocturnal animal, living from an intangible commodity that’s valuable and so it’s understandable that I’m a thinker and so my ideas bloom and I get told it's like I’m not in the room, but don’t assume that I ain’t hearing what you saying, I’m just breaking it down in like in a thousand ways and putting everything in place, rude bwoy’, King of the pack, I took the Jokers out, Stixx said there ain’t a subject I never spoke about, when it comes to music yo’ D will never joke about, The world would be a different place if I didn’t open my mouth. Refrain Chorus
5.
Chorus The days of… of Dennison (x6), back in the days when I used to live in Dennison. Verse One The days of Dennison, my Brother was a menace and my Pops would try to sit us down, administering medicine to get us from the Genesis of manhood to Exodus, live a life of excellence and now you hear the evidence, an audio perfectionist, I'm fourteen years old and living nine levels down from the fourteenth floor, it didn't stop at fourteen there's about eight more, and this was social housing, stacking people on top of people, on top of people like this was a fucking mountain and now my Pops is shouting go and take the trash out and turn the sound you blast down, then go and put this cash down, Post Office counter, pay this bill and in a flash, now boy bring my change back and take these batteries, I bought the wrong ones exchange that, my Pops was strict so there was nothing you could say back, people wondering how he so firm and I'm so laid back, I guess it's just my way black, but I had some traits black, I'm reasonable, but fuck with me, I’ll smack you in the face black, I used to live on Gibbins Road, only two bedrooms, so I'm sharing with my bigger Bro, two older siblings, didn't really know my Sisters though, page three newspapers, looking at them figures yo’, but only on the weekends, cos my Pops would buy the Mirror yo’, how I'd love to meet Sam Fox you'll never know, I'm just a kid and I can dream, so I forever hope. Chorus Verse Two The days of Dennison, the time I met my cousin Mike, first impression, I was like, he's cool, he let me ride his bike, same age, same year in school, so we would vibe like brothers getting closer as I'm heading to the limelight, Miglow Mick, Amango, Myers and Melanin, part of the Washington Classics legacy development, He came to live with us temporarily, Rubes, Naph and Mike, we were born in the seventies, two Brothers and a Cousin, we were tight like the Kennedy's, and when it came to tech I would rely on him heavily, he contributed to my journey into celebrity, and every time we reminisce, we laugh at the memories, so never be forgotten, yo’ we started from the bottom like a elevator, dropped my keys down the shaft, so we had to make a makeshift magnet to get em' back, snagged it, my Pops didn't believe us, tried to tell him, wouldn't have it, although he said it could be true, until the end he wasn't convinced, what could we do? And every day was a funeral, looking in the freezer for something that was consumable and I knew your cousin Mel before you knew your cousin Mel, as far as being a good friend to me she does it well, if ever you're in trouble Mel! I never knew a love like this, the days of Dennison, the first room on the left so let us in. Chorus
6.
Verse One I never been a part of the in crowd, I’ve never been the type of cat to part with my inbound instincts, or intuition, when I decided to make music it was like a mission, my Pops is in the kitchen cooking and was forced to listen to all the beats I’m banging out, it’s like an exhibition, if you had asked him what I’m doing, there’s no definition, he was the type of man who respected the old traditions of academia, I may have made him prouder if I focused on my books, instead I turned the music louder with the same beat going round hour after hour and that was every day from sunrise to sunset, the bass kept banging like I’m playing a drum set, replacement woofers when my Yamaha NS-10’s used to blow like the loose girls I saw on MSN, living up in Dennison, the loudest of the premises, decibels deafening, while D was just developing Washington classics, I want my shit on plastic, and you can go ask Stixx if I was ever passive, he would tell you that I’m the definition of active, I was like the captain taking over this rap shit, graphic, I could hear a beat before I made it, it was like somebody super glued my finger to the fader, I was looping Cal Tjader and I couldn’t be persuaded that my time was being wasted on these musical creations. Verse Two Year after year I devoted myself to music, Seven days a week I’m focusing on my acoustics, nothing else would get my time, I kept it so exclusive, I was mild mannered, but my style is super human, Newman, I’m in my room and the speakers booming, presuming that I would get a deal and distribution, DJ Parris, DJ Stixx and I would form a union, initially we clueless, but we were avid students, when I got my deal, I said let's sign it as a group, but both of them responded, said this deal is just for you, we will back you, so know that we are always in corner, we are your supporters, but you are the main performer, three young brothers and we going on a journey, stood up for each other like we criminal attorneys, from early, nothing deterred me, cos I was firmly worthy, hungry and thirsty, but yo’ conversely, I’m full of ideas and couldn't wait to get a reaction from my peers, I’m moving so swift in a fraction of my years, I made a name from just the reaction of my ears, and turned it into something worthwhile, cos ever since I was small child, I had an inkling to rhyme, wrote a poem when I was nine and my School Teacher smiled, rewarded me with a prize and ever since that time this music been on my mind. Outro Hello… yeah, but you’re calling me on my work phone. I understand that, but you’re calling me on my work phone? Yeah, but you’re calling me on my work phone.
7.
No Resting 03:05
Chorus (x2) There was no time for resting, I saw the people and places that I was destined and every move that made without question, paid from my investment, I'm a just a young kid in Dennison. Verse One East 15 and I’m chilling, I’m in my teens, big Bro has left home, still living up in the D, he always came to visit, at times would disagree with my father, have a heated conversation then he’d leave, but we love each other deeply, sometimes in family’s we rub each other the wrong way, especially when you tired and you having a long day, and you just wanna rest, kick back, relax chill, now Debt Collectors knocking for my Step-Mom’s tax bill, they threatening to take away my shit and it wasn’t my debt, but took six hundred out and gave em’ all of it and I’m thinking what a Bitch! and she didn’t even pay me back, my Pops took the hit, man she on another tip, around that time I started thinking life was unfair, I formed the attitude that I got only one year to go get it, no limits, my whole spirit and couldn't figure out why some people are so timid, went to my first funeral, it left me jaded, I came home and felt weighted from my school friend David passing away, the sky went grey and then the sky fell and felt the same when it was Kidco from Tribel, rest in peace, we used to play each other beats and his music was the dopest in the streets, no question, tomorrow‘s never promised, everyday is a blessing, that’s why I make an album every year, no resting. Chorus Verse Two I couldn’t cope with the roaches, made it harder to focus on my dopeness, pest control so hopeless and I noticed them every other moment, eventually they went away, I'm closest to my Brother out of all of my family, in 2002 we all got hit with a tragedy, I lost my Grandmother and my Uncle within sixty days of each other, I’m standing under coffin and it’s a shoulder crusher, it was the heaviest thing I’ve ever had to hold up, now in heaven they sing, I’m finding as a grown up life’s a difficult thing, so everyday I woke up, put my heart and my soul into music to blow up, thinking back to Consist and JQ, J was my best friend, but he went away to Prison back in the day, when we were adolescents and chillin’ around the way and everything was sweet! it’s never doom and gloom, I’m learning everything I can about life living out of me and Reuben’s room, I made so many friends and I met a lot of people, I was a good kid, but did a couple things illegal, it’s like you live and you learn, we live in world where everyone is kinda submerged in something they heard, but I’mma live like I’m making a testament to just doing my very best, yup! No resting. Chorus
8.
Chorus 5th floor (x2) Verse One I used to live up on the 5th floor, my view was mediocre, feeling like I was piss poor, back then I wasn’t smoking, got everything to live for, I kept my windows open, Pops was knocking on this door, said “can I have a moment just to send you to this store?” Sometimes I wasn’t busy, other times I was occupied, but still would do it quickly, then return with my knapsack, then go inside my room, put my computer on Blackchat and talk to women way before there’s Insta and Snapchat, I met a couple chicks and so I’m trying to convince them, that they should come link me til’ I met this Egyptian and she would be my girl until we ran out of steam yo’, cos she was immature, it’s like we wasn’t a team yo’, so focused on my music that was only my dream yo’, I worked with Sus and Dukus and recorded some ill shit, and bought so many records on some Jazz and and some chill shit, I’m 5 floors up and I’m killin’ it. Chorus 5th floor (x4) Verse Two TV was my life when I was up on the 5th Floor, until I asked the question, “why I’m watching all this for?” my mind is being filled with all the medias ideas, I stopped and saw the things I could achieve in like 5 years, I started working harder, I’m recording like all day, my Pops complaining bout’ the vinyl stacked in the hallway, my telephone is ringing, people constantly calling, sometimes they come and chill with me til’ four in the morning, I’m thinking back to 1995, it was crazy yo’, I heard my music playing for the first time on radio, it was Friday Night Flava’s, DJ 279 and dem’, it gave me the momentum, one more time, one more time again, the quickest at reloading when it came to this rap game, the radio was pivotal in spreading my rap name, I had a couple groupies trying to get in my space quick, but intellect aroused me and I found em’ quite basic, still I’m 5 floors up and I’m killin' it. Chorus 5th floor (x4)
9.
The Point 03:20
Chorus (Yo’) For all the peeps who came to see me up in Dennison Point, we could be Friends, or be recording a joint, it doesn’t matter, cos you so made a difference to my story, my existence, some dope Brothers and Sisters, some days I’m really missing all the peeps who came to see me up in Dennison Point, we could be Friends, or be recording a joint, it doesn’t matter, cos you so made a difference to my story, my existence, some dope Brothers and Sisters, some days I really miss you. Verse One And the first on my list is my big Brother Reuben, was the first to hear my music and encouraging my movement, then there’s Stixx the DJ, known you back from when we played as young as four years old in the sand, I’m glad we stayed so close like Jean Marc who always came to visit, yeah we sat and wrote a movie together, there ain’t no limits to the ideas we had and Dyanna Fearon, I had the most fun producing your album, writing and engineering, Aisha, Lei-an and Janye, those were some of the best years of my life and yo’ I hope you feel the same, ay’ yo’ Marie, for all the time you spent with me, I didn’t mind how long you stayed and wished you’d never leave, and there was Charlene, Anthony and Danielle, you were my Family, I got to know you all so damn well and can’t forget Parris, you had my back at times it really mattered, you were Stokey, I was Stratford and we both making it happen and Sienna, I put you on my first joint with Emma, we go back to Primary, that’s as far as I remember, ESP where you at? With your Cousin Strap? Two of the Illest lyricists I ever put on a track and then there’s Koya with K and Andrea we studied together back in the day, I got so much love for you both, what can I say? Would love to see you again, and there’s name after name, after name. Chorus Cos I’m naming all the peeps who came to see me up in Dennison Point, we could be Friends, or be recording a joint, it don’t matter, cos you so made a difference to my story, my existence, some dope Brothers and Sisters, some days I’m really missing all the peeps who came to see me up in Dennison Point, we could be Friends, or be recording a joint, it don’t matter, cos you so made a difference to my story, my existence, some dope Brothers and Sisters, some days I really miss ya’. Verse Two My Uncle Chris used to come and check me, remember Charlene, Crystal and Becky, Shola Ama so impressed me, Phoebe One came through with dope vibes, recorded “Hands Up”, that record sold the most in twenty 0-five, and Mr Brown put it down the harder we try and J Sean came through one time and Estelle came through one time and Richard Blackwood when he rhymed, Nujabes saw my records and he wanted to buy some breaks from me, but I ain’t selling, and I would be here forever trying name everyone from studio sessions and I can't forget Vanessa and the jokes I had with Sam, cos everyone's impression made me just the way I am, yo’, remembering my Niece Amy, she was just a baby, chilling on my black carpet, walls painted navy and Rudine and Joel you came a few years later, so much family up in this skyscraper, on my floor, five neighbours, opposite was a Man and Wife, the man drunk once a year, because his son took his life, sad times, happy times, all kinda times, mad breaks, dope beats and all kinda rhymes and Amal, I thought you were the best in world and then your man called to tell me, “stop paging my girl”, I said, “she calling me back, so what you think about that?”, but I don’t need to say it all on this track, let’s take it back. Chorus To the peeps who came to see me up in Dennison Point, you could be Friends, or be recording a joint, it doesn’t matter, cos you so made a difference to my story, my existence, some dope Brothers and Sisters, some days I’m really missing all the peeps who came to see me up in Dennison Point, we could be Friends, or be recording a joint, it never mattered, cos you so made a difference to my story, my existence, some dope Brothers and Sisters, some days I really miss ya’.
10.
Moving Out 01:13
Chorus Moving out, moving out, (I gotta go man), moving out, moving out, (I gotta go). Verse One Now it’s twenty 0-five, I’m still living with my Pops, I’m twenty-seven, nearly twenty-eight, suffocating from the lack of space, so I found my own place, but my Father told me “don’t go, stay here, you can rent that place for cash and make some doe”, but I knew that I was now a man and had to leave the nest, I had to be the King of my own castle and beat my chest, gotta live my own rules, so I need my own roof, peace Pops, I thank you for my whole youth, before I left he me told to remember these words, “you’re alone this world, so stand firm”, I gotta say I learned a whole lot from this old Pops, made me to the man I am, I gotta give him mo’ props, packing up my boxes, it took me like a couple days and now I’m standing in an empty room gazing, thinking of the memories I’m taking to my new home, doing everything alone, then I phoned for a cab, I packed the elevator, made a few trips, got my clothes on the back seat and plus my music in the trunk, and it’s the 10th of October, the Dennison chapter of my life is over...

about

At 14 years old, Funky DL and his older brother Reuben permanently moved from living with their Mother in Hackney to living with their Father in London’s Borough of Newham. It was this significant change that would begin to shape the most formative years of DL's transition from childhood into adulthood and his relentless pursuit into the world of music.

In the heart of Stratford, East London, a two bedroom apartment in a towering 22 story building was to permanently become DL’s new home. Lyrically encapsulating DL’s experiences between 1992 and 2005, from the first track, “Moving In” to the final song, “Moving Out”, this is a remarkably personal Funky DL album, aptly titled after the name of the building... DENNISON POINT.

credits

released November 1, 2018

All tracks written by N. Newman
All tracks produced by Funky DL for Washington Classics 2018.
Additional keyboards on tracks 4, 5, 6, 7 & 9 by Xantoné Blacq for Platinum Fingers Music.
Additional vocals on track 6 by Carla Boothe.
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Funky DL at the Washington SoundLab.
Art, design and layout by Sanchez at VC Design.

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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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