Venting about his decision to drop the record his own way, he took to Twitter on March 1, 2011:
"i. did. this. not ISLAND DEF JAM. that's why you see no label logo on the artwork that I DID. guess its my fault for trusting my dumbass lawyer and signing my career over to a failing company. fuck Def Jam & any company that goes the length of signing a kid with dreams & talent w/ no intention of following through. fuck em. now back to my day. i want some oatmeal and toast. brunch swag."
As a member of the Odd Future (OFWGKTA) collective, his sound is distinctively soulful/r&b influenced, yet done in a way that could pass for something totally different. As Tyler, the Creator states, “It’s Smooth Ass Music About Bitches, Relationships And Being A Rich Young Nigga…But In A Swagged Out Way.”
Ocean was evacuated from the University of New Orleans to Los Angeles, California just as Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, and stayed in Los Angeles to pursue a music career. Ocean joined Los Angeles based collective OFWGKTA, who he met through mutual friends, at the end of 2009. In the end of 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped Ocean sign a contract with Def Jam Recordings as an artist, however, he was initially unable to build a relationship with the company. In 2010, he changed his name from Christopher "Lonny" Breaux to Christopher Francis Ocean via a legal website. In an April 2011 interview, Ocean intimated that his relationship with Def Jam has strengthened since the release of his mixtape. On April 28, 2011, Ocean was arrested on unspecified charges by the LAPD, and was released on the morning after on April 29, 2011. Ocean joined his OFWGKTA bandmates for the first time on tour from May 12 to May 19, 2011. On May 31, 2011, Def Jam released the single Novacane on iTunes soon followed by Swim Good Taken from his mixtape Nostalgia, ULTRA. His first 'proper' album, Channel Orange was released on July 17, 2012.
In 2016, He released the visual album Endless alongside his second studio album Blonde, following several years of delays. Blonde debuted at number one in the United States and United Kingdom.
In 2017, Ocean released several singles, including Chanel and Lens, through his Blonded Radio show, and made several appearances on other songs by artists like Calvin Harris, A$AP Mob, and Tyler, the Creator.
Brave
Frank Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your speckled face, yeah
Large crystals hang from your ears
Are they here i couldn't gauge your fears
I can't relate to my peers
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind
Maybe I'm a fool and maybe I should move
I'm not brave i'm not brave
So what would you recommend I do?
I'm living in the city, yes
Forgetting there's a jungle outside nah
I'm living in an ideal
An idea from another man's mind (Mind)
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind
I'd rather go to jail i'd rather try hell
Or I could be a fool
And settle, for a place with a nice view
(nice view, nice view)
(For a place with a nice view)
I would do anything for you
Yes, I would do anything for you
I would do anything for you
I'd do anything for you (Anything, anything)
I'd do anything for you
I'd do anything for you for you
For you
The lyrics to Frank Ocean's song "Brave" explore the theme of personal authenticity and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The first verse begins with references to the physical appearance of the subject, describing the markings on their surface and their speckled face. The mention of large crystals hanging from their ears suggests a sense of adornment or the desire to present oneself in a certain way. However, there is uncertainty about whether the subject's fears are apparent or concealed.
The chorus expresses the singer's inability to relate to their peers and their preference for living outside of societal norms. They would rather chip away at their pride than compromise their sanity. The following lines contemplate the idea of settling down, with the imagery of two kids and a swimming pool representing the conventional expectation of a comfortable, suburban life. The singer questions their own bravery and seeks guidance on what they should do.
The second verse continues the theme of living in an ideal or concept that is not entirely their own. The singer reveals that they are living in the city but have forgotten about the challenges and dangers of the outside world. They acknowledge that their current lifestyle is shaped by someone else's idea or influence. Again, the singer reiterates their preference for living outside of societal norms, even if it means going to jail or facing hardships. The last lines of the song express the singer's willingness to do anything for their love interest.
Line by Line Meaning
The markings on your surface
The visible signs of your past experiences and struggles
Your speckled face, yeah
Your unique and imperfect appearance
Large crystals hang from your ears
You display luxurious and extravagant jewelry
Are they here i couldn't gauge your fears
I can't determine whether you are truly afraid or just pretending
I can't relate to my peers
I don't feel a connection or understanding with people my age
I'd rather live outside
I prefer to exist outside of societal norms and expectations
I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind
I would sacrifice my ego rather than losing my sanity
Maybe I'm a fool and maybe I should move
Perhaps I am being foolish and need to make a change
To settle, two kids and a swimming pool
To conform, have a traditional family and a comfortable lifestyle
I'm not brave i'm not brave
I lack courage and bravery
So what would you recommend I do?
What do you advise me to do in this situation?
I'm living in the city, yes
Currently, I reside in the urban area
Forgetting there's a jungle outside nah
Ignoring the harsh reality and struggles of the world
I'm living in an ideal
My reality is based on an unrealistic and idealistic concept
An idea from another man's mind (Mind)
A concept created by someone else's imagination
I'd rather go to jail i'd rather try hell
I would prefer facing extreme consequences or hardships
Or I could be a fool
Or I can continue being foolish
And settle, for a place with a nice view
And conform to a comfortable yet unfulfilling lifestyle
(nice view, nice view)
(Superficially appealing, but lacking depth or meaning)
I would do anything for you
I am willing to do whatever it takes to make you happy
Yes, I would do anything for you
Indeed, there is nothing I wouldn't do for you
I'd do anything for you
I am ready to undertake any task or sacrifice for you
I'd do anything for you (Anything, anything)
There is no limit to what I would do for you
I'd do anything for you
I am committed to going to great lengths to please you
I'd do anything for you for you
All my actions and efforts are solely dedicated to you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@boyvidi9041
The markings on your surface
Your speckled face
Flawed crystals hang from your ears
I couldn't gauge your fears
I can't relate to my peers
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here
Maybe I'm a fool
Maybe I should move
And settle, two kids and a swimming pool
I'm not brave (brave)
I'm not brave
I'm living over city
And taking in the homeless sometimes
Been living in an idea
An idea from another man's mind
Maybe I'm a fool
To settle for a place with some nice views
Maybe I should move
Settle down, two kids and a swimming pool
I'm not brave
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather go to jail
I've tried hell
(It's a loop)
What would you recommend I do?
(And the other side of a loop is a loop)
This, this fe-, this feel
This feel, this feels
This feels how molly must feel
This feels how molly must feel
How molly must feel, this feels how molly must feel
How molly must feel
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
It's just a fond farewell (brave)
Speaking of Nirvana, it was there
Rare as the feathers on my dash from a phoenix
There with my crooked teeth and companion sleeping, yeah
Dreaming a thought that could dream about a thought
That could think of the dreamer that thought
That could think of dreaming and getting a glimmer of God
I be dreaming of dreaming a thought
That could dream about a thought
That could think of dreaming a dream
Where I cannot, where I cannot
Less morose and more present
Dwell on my gifts for a second, a moment
One solar flare, we're consumed
So why not spend this flammable paper on the film that's my life?
High flights, inhale the vapor, exhale once and think twice
Eat some shrooms, maybe have a good cry about you
See some colors, light hang glide off the moon (In the dark)
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you, anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you, anything for
@mykolasranft1315
Speaking of Nirvana, it was there
Rare as the feathers on my dash from a phoenix
There with my crooked teeth and companions sleeping, yeah
Dreaming a thought that could dream about a thought
That could think of the dreamer that thought
That could think of dreaming and getting a glimmer of God
I be dreaming a dream in a thought
That could dream about a thought
That could think about dreaming a dream
Where I can not, where I can not
@111AMAZINGMAN
This song is a sad summer night
@maxdeleus8725
realest comment out there
@kxlljn
no sad summer nights for me
@des6591
Me rn
@kxlljn
nvm
@ivyisntcool7309
Collin Simpson all summer sad nights for me.
@TheCareCommunity
If you listen to Seigfried for the first time, you might not like it. It takes time . So take your time. But I promise you when you listen to it at 12 midnight for the 6th time, it will become your favorite song of all time. Its powerful just wait, its gonna hit you.
@ok6866
True
@Ash_Boop
Weirdly I started really liking this song while playing Minecraft and exploring a giant cave in the new experimental mode of caves and cliffs. It was real surreal, couple with the fact that I swear I dreamt of that exact cave a few years ago, somehow. This song is great.
@MarMar-uy8xt
@@Ash_Boop wha- that was the same scenario i was in