1. |
Who Franklyn Is
02:32
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[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
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2. |
Follow the Code
04:00
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[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
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3. |
Humble Beginnings
04:09
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[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
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4. |
Early
05:12
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[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
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5. |
A13
04:47
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[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
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