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We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Archives

by Franklyn

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1.
[Intro: Franklyn] It’s the city that raised us up But the city can break you down And if you escape it’s luck It’s gritty the place is foul Yo, we live in this place, we’re stuck It’s a pity our shades are brown There’s plenty at stake And many mistakes are made As we chase the pounds Employers dismiss us, they’re racist Got lawyers for different cases They shift us, we sit in their stations It’s literally trials and tribulations There’s vials that litter the pavements [Verse One: Franklyn] Let me tell you Who Franklyn Is Franklyn is a misanthropist Don’t back the things that these actors spit Telling massive fibs trying to gas the kids Them man are tryna be bachelors Me I’m 2Pac, with a bachelors It’s facts I spit, on the tracks I rip I guess you can call me a rap activist No I don’t need a celeb to hype me I went studio and left a crime scene And if a brudda try send to spite me It’s a must that I lyrically end a life, b East London, hence it’s grimy Trend aside, see I’m a product of Ghetts and Wiley The best I might be And that goes through my head on drives To go and get my girlfriend from Whitleys The whole scene’s been saying you’re hard But I laugh, ‘cos it’s less than likely Cos you got little white girls all spraying your bars But I’d rather the ends recite me Cos even though I’m a father of flows I read this prose for my dargs on the road Getting illegal dough as they barter with coke The streets are cold and it’s hardly a joke You can ha-ha, you can laugh I suppose But it’s dark hearts on the paths that we chose I mean - I was in my yard, not involved But that ain’t the case for half of my bros Anyways No fear in our hearts cos we’re bold Cuz, who cares for the pastor or pope? Half of us don’t Yeah we go hard for the code Get clapped, you can be the largest of blokes Like “why would I work 9-8 on a Wednesday? He was selling high-grade when the feds came We just raise crime rates on our estates We’re irate on our best days So I ain’t got time to rest mate When my friends stay confined in these enclaves We’re the next slaves and we’re dying for end gains Tryna get cake, not trying to maintain I’ve seen too many youngers die too early Maybe we should write our wills All of the murderous hype isn’t worth our lives So I tell a man “pipe down chill” Like, right now, still I describe turbulent times in my rhymes What I write down’s real I’m a young prodigy, live my life quarantined Everything I write down’s ill Everyone’s tryna get the funds up At least till the cops come But I ain’t even rapping for a lump sum Or tryna get a grammy like my mum’s mum It’s deep than music Not about me, it’s a movement I’m leaving a blueprint Cos I wanna see the solutions And that’s the reason I do this Cool
2.
[Intro: Franklyn] I'm on the I'm on the I'm in my space I'm in my zone I'm cool on my Js I'm calm on my Jones Yo [Verse One: Franklyn] I go hard with the pen I’ma farda fi dem And I school these liars Can’t class me with them I find it hard to pretend And when I’m in the booth it’s fire Come like an arson attempt My young mind’s advanced in a sense That’s why every single time I touch mic My lines leave lasting effects Cos I bar with intent I’m set apart from the trends They love hype I’d rather reflect And I’m calm and collected Got a larger perspective And I demand my respect These man couldn’t walk on the paths that I’ve stepped in That’s why I pass on events Fam I hardly attend I’m staying in my yard instead Cos I don’t wanna party with them Those bruddas ain’t part of my section Man have all mastered deception Only play tough with an army of henchmen Showing fake love when they harbour resentment And when it comes to the bars I’m a veteran Man are tryna garner attention Desperate, tryna be stars in the ends I’m just in the cut with my dargs an my bredrins Like Brewbags, Barney and them Man I’ve rated from young Them man there raised me, from I was a baby And now they praise what I become Then I check Kavvy and Kahil again Getting faded off rum And having higher level discussions Bout how change is gonna come I pray that it does [Chorus: Franklyn] I’m on a wave I’m on a roll I’m on the way I’m on the road I’m in my space I’m in my zone I’m cool on my Js I’m calm on my jones I’m getting paid I’m getting dough They want me to stay But I gotta go Them man are bait It’s how I was raised I follow the code Cold [Verse Two: Franklyn] They really ain’t touching me My living is luxury And winning is customary I’m home in silence, cos socialising’s a little bit much for me And I don’t have time for elaborate stories Just give me the summary And I don’t need company I be on my Js comfortably I know some guys that are prone to violence They been on a bunch of greez Visiting cunch for ps They don’t want handouts or subsidies That’s why they’re delivering drugs to fiends The way that we’re living is nuts to me But free all them niggas in custody Free all the guys behind bars All of them rappers are lyin darg Them bruddas there they just bluff on beats All of my bruddas are lionhearts Moving like they got some cubs to feed We want the cake and the custard G I got the faith of a mustard seed I pray for a change in this peak system Too many mandem have seen prison I fear for the gang cos there’s bare in the can Coming like some street drinkers My olders told me to heed wisdom So I tell a wasteman to keep distance Yeah I grew up round some deep thinkers They can’t see us cos the team’s different [Chorus: Franklyn] I’m on a wave I’m on a roll I’m on the way I’m on the road I’m in my space I’m in my zone I’m cool on my Js I’m calm on my jones I’m getting paid I’m getting dough They want me to stay But I gotta go Them man are bait It’s how I was raised I follow the code Cold
3.
[Intro: Franklyn] Lineage Heritage [Verse One: Franklyn] I was born to win I’m what you call a king Fam it’s unfortunate That bare man are fradulent I mean all they do is force the ting And growing up man I saw some things Like how we went from innocent youts To the youngers delivering food Like they do when you order in So how you gonna tell us bout struggle? Can’t tell us bout nothing really How u gonna tell us bout humble? When we been getting cake from early How u gonna tell us bout hustle? When man are pushing weight to earn p's How u gonna tell ‘em bout muscles? But still man are on arms We had some challenging pasts Try us? You’re having a laugh Nah, you don’t want passa and qualms Real talk you don’t want war with mine... Man just tell a brudda fall in line Them man there tell porky pies I wonder if they ever get bored of lying… Yeah, we reside on the borderlines Some did crime on a lawless grind Me and my guys stay fortified Not by choice we were forced to fight Been trill since year 4 or or 5 And I got sick skills if we’re talking rhymes And I’m a big deal fam I want all the shine Man ah get it all in time What we telling 'em? [Chorus: Franklyn] We had some humble beginnings The struggle can tun you a villain And that’s why there’s younguns on drillings Look at the slums that we live in That’s why I hustle for shillings Won’t stop till I’m stunting n winnin’ And balling through the city With some boys I’d give a kidney If I hit a lick I’m bringing all my hittas with me I be balling through the city With some boys I’d give a kidney If I hit a lick I’m bringing all my hittas with me [Verse Two: Franklyn] I write these verses with a higher purpose There’s substance in these lines and words That I scribe in cursive And if you pree the subtext, then behind the surface You might find it’s describing the times And it’s quite discerning Cos I’m quite observant I’m a shining wordsmith whose life is service Fam I grew around knives and burners and trident searches I know guys that are riding birds from some frightening verdicts I still cry for those lying in hearses cos of violent murders We survived the worst things In a time where survival is quite subversive In a world so dark, had to work so hard And grind just to line our purses Even for a minor purchase But the hurt don’t last, so we smiled and firmed it We got fervent hearts Now we’re flying despite the turbulence Cos our mind’s are determined So what we telling 'em? Oh so ahead of them Low key veteran Flow needs medicine Man ah hate tho cos they’re jealous and irrelevant Can’t turn paigon and try turn friend again I can name so many breddas that I’m better than But everything is everything And anything ah anyting So much melanin They swear it’s menacing Tryna get cheddar in and ball like Bellerin [Chorus: Franklyn] We had some humble beginnings The struggle can tun you a villain And that’s why there’s younguns on drillings Look at the slums that we live in That’s why I hustle for shillings Won’t stop till I’m stunting n winnin’ And balling through the city With some boys I’d give a kidney If I hit a lick I’m bringing all my hittas with me I be balling through the city With some boys I’d give a kidney If I hit a lick I’m bringing all my hittas with me [Outro: Franklyn] Balling Stunting I’m really performing Some brothers are bluffing I ain’t got time for talking Or discussing It’s either I put my all in Or it’s nothing
4.
Early 05:12
[Verse One: Franklyn] Tell me how relevant is music When barrettas get to shooting I''m stressed because I grew around death and destitution It seems that niggas like palaver All this hype and drama But you can never fight your karma When it's sayonara Trust me man are out here robbing For the pounds of profit If it's beef then it's no doubt they're on it You can frown upon it But they're takin' more shots than them alcoholics And my mind is preoccupied with thinking how to stop it Yeah we need the pounds and the pence We need them zeros G's tote rounds of the lead Don't be a hero Crack houses in Kent That's where the fiends smoke Peak yo Out for the bread Because we knead dough Out here to ball They're on their D Rose Butt they're moving foul for it all Yeah that's a free throw So tell me how relevant is music When I'm tryna get to the solutions? [Chorus: Franklyn] From early... I've had rhymes from early But my brothers doing crime from early Out here, trapping from it's night till it's early From early All my brothers certi Me I'm tryna stop 'em doing madness on the curb So tell me what's the value of a verse? I prefer actions over words [Verse Two: Franklyn] And tell me how a bar is gonna help When man are blasting off them shells With that hard stuff on the scales Yeah they're marketers as well Shotting bricks, yeah they're on the strip Tryna bag a sale Niggas bang dem hammers, bun a hammer curl The gym won't save you When these clips gon' maim you Man I'm telling you these breddas move ever so grimy And no they don't scrap so if a bredda wan fight Well then a weapon leave his melon looking very unsightly And so they're like: 'I don't care what any crew's got I'm hella zealous bredda I'ma let my tool pop Wet his henchmen when I run up on a fool's block Eff a sentence cah I'm getting vengeance full stop I got twenty two bullets if it's twenty two opps And one for anyone who's tryna make my revenue stop' So tell me how a bar is gonna help In light of all the darkness in the world? [Chorus: Franklyn] From early... I've had rhymes from early But my brothers doing crime from early Out here, trapping from it's night till it's early From early All my brothers certi Me I'm tryna stop 'em doing madness on the curb So tell me what's the value of a verse? I prefer actions over words [Verse Three: Franklyn] So I hate when people ask me if I rap still When all my bruddas still pack steel Tryna make you run that belly like a bad meal If you resist you get your cap peeled So when you see me Try not to talk to me bout rap All these rappers lie; so talk to me bout facts And numbers lie as well; so don't talk to me bout stats Another guy just fell; so talk to me bout that And he was killed by a 9; so talk to me bout sticks And he was tryna push a line; so talk to me bout bricks But money comes and goes; so don't talk to me bout chips And there are bruddas stuck on road So don't talk to me bout whips These rappers ain't talking about shit That's the reason why I be walking around pissed All this madness got me in a bad mood So I don't give a damn about no rap tune [Chorus: Franklyn] From early... I've had rhymes from early But my brothers doing crime from early Out here, trapping from it's night till it's early From early All my brothers certi Me I'm tryna stop 'em doing madness on the curb So tell me what's the value of a verse? I prefer actions over words
5.
A13 04:47
[Verse One: Franklyn] Mic shinobi flow I mean you know me, yo I should be signed to OVO I need that Sony dough If we’re going toe to toe I leave ‘em comatose Forever skippy with the flow becah I know the ropes I don’t find your shoes impressive Keep your loubs and necklace I seen niggas almost lose their senses Just to cruise in Lexus For the jewels and pendants Just so they can roll in gold Me I’m spiritual, I got that Holy Ghost Thank you Jesus in advance for all my future blessings I believe in miracles cos that’s our only hope Meanwhile my brothers moving reckless Doing Q and Z flips But the crack that’s always in my lines will make ‘em overdose I just write cos I ain’t ever tryna do a sentence But they’re selling loads of dope and blow I’m tryna hold my own Since such a huge percentage End up spending futures stressing Is it safe to say we need some new perspective? I think so Hard feelings from you soft niggas The plot thickens Catch up, because the clock’s ticking If you can’t see what I’m saying Call the opticians Me I got vision beyond tryna make a watch glisten I’m just biding my time Ain’t tryna clock figures And as I’m driving at night And doing long distance My lonely routes are suspicious I zone to music and listen It’s so conducive to thinking amongst the whispers I’m the ghetto Wilfred Owen I’m the block’s Dickens Writing Bout how they cook rocks in hot kitchens And how they slot clips in the Glocks To cock smitherns at opps They’re not missing a shot It’s not wisdom Believe me I speak the truth man This is not fiction God willing it stops We’ve all lost victims to this odd system I just had to take a drive in the rain Before my overthinking drives me insane I’m switching lanes like [Chorus: Nneka] Melodies from heaven Rain down on me Rain down on me Melodies from heaven Rain down on me Rain down on me [Verse Two: Franklyn] See me I’m tryna rhyme I’m tryna push these raps But some are on a violent grind Tryna push them wraps It gets messy in the bits, would you look at that Emptying the clipse, like when pusha raps We’re made to fly but they surprise our wings And cumulatively, how much time have we spent in bing? When I think about it, man my head just spins Seems we don’t mind being in chains So long as the pendant swings And we get those rings Living in relentless sin But we just really need the peace that repentance brings It’s all because they held us down and made us dwell in slums And they pretend to help us now, but we ain’t felt the love So little niggas grip a strap With the shells and slugs Villainous, they hit the strip with packs And try and sell these drugs And miss ‘em with the chat You can’t tell ‘em nuttin Bruddas who were never sick at maths Are getting healthy sums This is crazy And there ain’t no ifs or maybes Cos we’re talking kids and babies Moving A Class just to whip Mercedes And all these things have left me mad flustered and stressed I stay at home, no you won’t catch me at your lackluster events I just tell my little brothers “Don’t you act up for your friends” Cos I seen bruddas talk smack And then get smacked up in the ends They got Macs tucked and the skengs If you got bad luck, then it’s death Or you get whacked up, and then wrapped up Better back up your threats Don’t be balling out of your budget Don’t get banged up for that Benz Fam, it’s funny, cos this money Just gets stacked up to get spent And this trap stuff is a trend Such exaggeration Yeah, you’re tryna But just practice patient And this rap stuff is a mess I see mad bluffs and pretense But this song beef can’t feel right When we lost people in real life To the concrete and the steel knives Yeah, that fills my mind on this still nights And I’m still driving like [Chorus: Nneka] Melodies from heaven Rain down on me Rain down on me Melodies from heaven Rain down on me Rain down on me Take me in your arms and hold me close Rain down on me Rain down on me Fill me with your precious Holy Ghost Rain down on me Rain down on me

about

Forged from influences ranging from the sounds of Hip Hop, Grime, Jazz, and Gospel to the writings of Wilfred Owen and Charles Dickens, 'Archives' is Franklyn's re-introductory EP after a long hiatus.

The 5-track project, which features production input from Alfa Mist, intimately explores themes of loss, grief, and youth violence as well as community, hope, and aspiration.

credits

released September 30, 2019

Executive Produced by Franklyn Addo
Engineered by Joe Meehan
Mastered by Joe Meehan, Santiago Morales
Additional piano by Jonathan Rhamie
Additional vocals by Nneka

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Franklyn London, UK

Rapper from Hackney, East London.

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