You’d think that after releasing twenty-three albums in twenty-six years you might be a little tired. Most people would be—but for Funky DL, the grind never stops. Hailing from Hackney, East London, the rapper and producer has been a force in the UK and international hip-hop scene ever since the late 1990s. Over the course of his fruitful career, he has collaborated with English hip-hop pioneers like Blak Twang and Skinnyman, as well as the legendary Japanese producer Nujabes. Now, Funky DL brings us I Am Reuben, an album dedicated to his late brother.
This album is a smooth listen. Over an emotional 30 minutes, Funky DL reminisces about time spent with his parents and his brother, Reuben, as well as his rise in the game. The whole tracklist is solid, but some particularly good cuts are “Retrospect” and “Thy Mother & Father.” On the former, DL discusses the struggles he has faced as an independent artist, from making beats as a teenager to running his own label, Washington Classics. The instrumental in “Retrospect” is a jazzy, boom-bap beat with hard-hitting drums. In “Thy Mother & Father,” Funky DL looks back on how hard his parents worked to provide for their family. It features what I consider to be the best production on the album: a chill beat with heavily filtered rhodes chords and a funky bassline reminiscent of J Dilla’s 1990s productions for The Ummah.
Other notable songs include “Raised” and the titular “I Am Reuben.” Although DL’s flow often feels a tad bit awkward on this album, “Raised” is a glorious exception. Throughout the song, Funky DL’s flow is effortless, and better yet, he still manages to tell a compelling story. “I Am Reuben” is special for a different reason. This short snippet of a song features a verse recorded by Reuben many years ago. It is raw and different from DL’s style, but you can feel the talent and potential, making for a very sad listen when you know the context.
Now for the not-so-great stuff. Funky DL, although completely solid, is far from his best on this album. Lyrically, some of DL’s bars are a little dry. There are only so many interesting ways to talk about being an independent rapper, and I believe that he has exhausted them. And, as I mentioned earlier, his flows seem a little stilted and disjointed at times. From a production standpoint, this album is technically top-notch, but some of the beats end up sounding very similar, with the same kind of mellow chords making multiple appearances. That being said, the repetition of this style on this album does serve to create a contemplative, nostalgic mood.
I Am Reuben is a good album overall, but it is nothing special in Funky DL’s extensive discography. I recommend it to fans of Funky DL, as well Nujabes fans who might want to check out the solo work of this frequent collaborator. Happy listening.
This article also appears in our November 2023 print edition
