Back in 1995 a 17-year-old MC took to the hip-hop scene in the UK. Armed only with a few demos and oblivious of how to prosper in the music industry, little did he know he would end up being one of the few pioneers of hip hop in the UK.
Funky DL started earning props when his music received regular air play on stations such as Kiss FM, Choice FM and Radio one by the likes of veteran Jockeys such as DJ 279, Max LX and Dave VJ and Tim Westwood.
In 1996 Funky DL went on to win the well known Fosters Ice Breakers competition and released his first record The Individual, this consequently led to DL being firstly offered a two single deal with Almost records which developed further into an album deal with Almo Sounds and a publishing deal with Rondor Music.
Equipped with unlimited studio access, DL set about crafting his debut album “Classic was the day”. The album was released in the late summer of 1997 and was widely received by the UK’s hip hop fraternity and veered DL on to win a MOBO award for the best hip hop act of 1997.
In the same year Funky DL went on to remix records for artists such as Missy Elliot, Keith Sweat, Adina Howard and Connor Reeves as well as going on to spearhead “The London All-stars” project (a collaboration of London’s finest rappers) including MCD, Blak Twang, TY, Skinnyman, ESP, Kwestmann, Q-Tee, Phoebe One, Fallacy and Rodney P. This was a unique one of a kind release and stunned the scene as no record had ever before been released with such a high profiled calibre of rappers from the UK.
In 1998 DL signed to an independent label “Utmost Records” and released his sophomore album “Heartfelt Integrity”. Another MOBO nomination was presented which reflected DL’s consistency and helped him to further cement his name and efforts in the scene.
Funky DL went on to tour Australia, France and Israel, the latter being an unusual destination for rappers but was overwhelmingly received, returning to London to support the likes of The Roots, KC and Jojo, Ras Kas, Killah Priest and stole the show in front of 3000 people at the Hippodrome Leicester Square from an early Destinys Child at the Choice FM 8th Birthday Party.
After a very rewarding year, DL left Utmost Records to run his own label Washington Classics and in 1999 Washington Classics released numerous Funky DL records including the 12-inch “Stoppin and Startin” which surprised many of DL’s critics because of the amazingly tight lyricism. DL released his third album “One Another” (a first for any rapper in the UK) which led to yet another MOBO nomination and propelled him to even greater heights, touring in Japan where his music was being so widely received.
Single-handed, Funky DL had earned himself the title of “the hardest working man in hip-hop”, now synonymous with his name. Another successful year saw DL support the superstar “Eminem” for his UK tour and was recalled in early 2000 to join Eminem and Dr Dre in the Brixton Academy. 2000 also saw DL do his second tour of Japan and also fly out to New York to work with the rapper Miilkbone and also feature on Bobbito Garcia’s radio show along side N’Dea Davenport and hip hop heavyweight producer Easy Mo Bee...
Funky DL’s fourth album “When Love Is Breaking Down” was released which led to DL’s return to Japan for its promotion, Touching down at the infamous Club Harlem Shibuya Tokyo and making several public appearances in HMV stores in Tokyo and Yokohama for signing and performing tracks in store live.
DL spent the next few years expanding his name in Japan by licensing many albums to established labels and touring extensively in many cities across Japan such as, Tokyo, Osaka, Mito, Hamamatsu, Wakayama, Utsunomiya, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Sapporo, Gifu, Nagoya, Okayama, Yokohama and Akita. DL also used this period to write, produce for and record with his R&B outfit “Thursdays Love”. The Debut Thursdays Love album “For the Love of Jazz and Thursdays” was so well received in Japan it was re-released after being licensed by a major Label in Japan. This led DL to go on to produce “Life When You’re Driving” a yet to be released album by R&B vocalist “Dyanna Fearon” featuring the incredible talents of “Xantone Blacq” (Current Keyboardist for Amy Winehouse)
Funky DL then went on to New York to produce for an up and coming rapper from Far Rockaway Queens named “Sekz” and featured with Sekz on The Showbiz and A.G single “The Street”.DL released his 5th and 6th albums “Blackcurrent Jazz” and “The Classic Fantasy” (The most vivid and vibrant Funky DL albums yet) which have been so widely received in Japan making DL one of the UK’s most unique international artists to date as no other UK hip-hop act has been able to equal Funky DL’s achievements from then till now..
In 2005 the album “Street Love” which the UK smash “Little Mike” is taken from, was a special limited release, meanwhile the album “Since 77” saw its Japanese release to co-inside with DL’s five date summer tour of Japan as well as the launch of the funkydl.com and washingtonclassics.com website as DL started to prepare idea’s for what was to be the now evident “4th Quarter Album”
A Funky DL Greatest Hits Album was released in Japan in 2006 marking DL’s many accomplishments and was well received followed by a Latin styled release of old titles re-recorded and remixed with fresh visions.
DL then took the fork in the road in late 2006 and once again decided to do something different by flying out to New York to clear his head and write what was to be “Street Swagger”. A 24 track promotional CD which was to be a completely free release for 2007 to celebrate 10 years since the birth of Washington Classics and also a decade since his first album emerged. The Washington Classics Street Team went out in the streets of London to circulate 10,000 CD’s in the capital at no charge as well as making 10,000 downloads available from the website again for no cost to the consumer and this promotion proved as an invaluable asset to DL’s whole outfit.
DL then intensively worked to complete the now due album “The 4th Quarter” which he has himself remarked as his “greatest moment in his career creatively” as it embodies the 4 elements and styles which he specialises in. The album is segmented into 4 areas which represent soul, new age, jazz and authenticity and is an experience which surely will intrigue the most subtle of hip-hop heads there are.
The frightening thing about all of this is this is just the beginning... So to sum up... For a kid who at 19 scored a 5 album deal with no management, won a MOBO and was the only X3 consecutive hip-hop nominee period, Remixed for many famous acts, travelled the world touring and producing for underground and established acts, owning and running a respected record label dealing with main stay labels and just landing on the tip of age 30 you must agree.. DL is the about the greatest successful inspiration the UK could offer!!!!
Hey Funky DL Greetings from Tel-Aviv Israel & thanx 4 checking out our space & sounds...Great 2 meet you...cool music... We wish you all the best Audio Junkies
Hey, thanks so much for the friend request! I heard some of your tracks with Nujabes a while back, and I still love them~ I'm definitely going to listen to your more recent stuff too. Check out my music if you get a chance, I'd really appreciate it! My dream is to music in Japan, so you're an inspiration for sure. Take care~!
Big Props Mr DL, I should of left you a comment ages ago. It's big to see your back, You were heavy back in the day & still heavy now. I still got a copy of "Circles" from back i the day. I will deffo support & get the 4TH QUARTER.
Big respect.
Peace out
Lee
Oh by the way, I may have to invest in one of your Instrumentals as they had me spitting around the house. lol
