Hackney Central rapper answers his critics in new record

A rapper, who feels he was misrepresented by national newspapers after he declined a place at a prestigious university, has released a new song about his experience.

Franklyn Addo, 17, was lambasted on Twitter by critics who incorrectly believed he had turned down an offer from Cambridge because of the city’s lack of a music scene.

But the former Cardinal Pole Catholic School student insisted he had chosen the London School of Economics (LSE) instead because he preferred the course syllabus and for financial reasons.

Franklyn, who lives on the Pembury Estate, in Hackney Central, has used the incident as inspiration for his latest record.

In ‘The Fire Burns’, he raps about how “the media are watching me”, but goes on to discuss his Christianity and his desire to be successful.

At one point he raps: “Stop investing your energy / in spreading lies, twisting and sending guys / a different direction / you best just listen and get it right.”

Franklyn told the Gazette: “The reason I wrote this song is because I felt the need to directly address all of the media publications about me so far and to give my listeners a firsthand insight into my motivations behind choosing LSE over Cambridge.

“I believe rap is an expressive art form through which I can express myself naturally.”

Anyone interested in learning more about Franklyn’s music should visit www.franklynmusic.com.