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.
Kamikaze
Frank Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You’ll see the lies flying in the air
Reach out, reach out
Try to catch one if you can
Oh, right now they’re flying
Circling and coasting the sky
When they come crashing down
But you just right stand there
You ain’t looking ‘round
And baby, you won’t never see it coming
Causing kamikaze on they’re way down to you
But you won’t never see 'em
Oh no, you’ll never know he’s lying
'Til you look up and I bet you’d catch it
If you took a sec to look up
I know the truth is blinding
But you gotta look up
Or you’ll never see it coming
You’ll never see it coming
Feels like I’m on the 30th floor
Staring out my window
See them, they about to crash right into you
You’re marching on the sidewalk
Umbrella up, oblivious
No clouds, shades on, no sun
Oh, right now they’re flying
Circling and coasting the sky
When they come crashing down
It’ll be the worst surprise
But you just right stand there
You ain’t looking ‘round
And baby, you won’t never see it coming
A thousand kamikaze
On they’re way down to you
But you won’t never see ‘em
Oh no, you’ll never know he’s lying
'Til you look up and I bet you’d catch it
If you took a sec to look up
I know the truth is blinding
But you gotta look up
Or you’ll never see it coming
You’ll never see it coming
Look up, look up
You better look all around, all around
Baby you better look up, look up, I know
They’re coming down, coming down
They’re coming down
Look up, you better look up
Look up, look up, look up, look up
But you just right stand there
You ain’t looking ‘round
And baby, you won’t never see it coming
A thousand kamikaze
On they’re way down to you
But you won’t never see 'em
Oh no, you’ll never know he’s lying
Till you look up and I bet you’d catch it
If you took a sec to look up
I know the truth is blinding
But you gotta look up
Or you’ll never see it coming
You’ll never see it coming
Look up, look up
And baby you’ll see the light
You’ll see him flying look up, look up
You’ll see the lies no, look up, look up
Flight 143 took off a minute ago
Flight 143 was just on the ground
The lyrics of Frank Ocean's song "Kamikaze" explore the theme of ignorance and unawareness in the face of impending danger or deception. The opening lines, "Look up, look up, look up, you'll see the lies flying in the air, reach out, reach out, try to catch one if you can," depict a situation where falsehoods and deceit are prevalent. The use of the imagery of lies flying in the air suggests that they are widespread and easily observable if one pays attention.
The chorus emphasizes the consequences of not being vigilant: "You just right stand there, you ain't looking 'round, and baby, you won't never see it coming." The repetition of the line "But you gotta look up" highlights the importance of being aware and not being blinded by the truth. The song uses the concept of kamikaze, referring to an act of self-destruction, to symbolize the impact that lies can have when they finally come crashing down.
In the second verse, the lyrics continue the metaphorical imagery, describing the person being targeted as "marching on the sidewalk, umbrella up, oblivious, no clouds, shades on, no sun." This paints a picture of someone who is detached from their surroundings, shielded from the truth, and unaware of the impending danger.
Overall, "Kamikaze" serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of being observant, critically thinking, and looking beyond the surface to avoid being caught off guard by lies and deception.
Line by Line Meaning
Look up, look up, look up
Pay attention, be alert, and be aware
You’ll see the lies flying in the air
There are deceitful intentions all around you
Reach out, reach out
Attempt to grasp or understand the lies
Try to catch one if you can
Make an effort to identify and comprehend one of the lies
Oh, right now they’re flying
Currently, the lies are spreading and circulating
Circling and coasting the sky
Moving around and covering a wide area
When they come crashing down
Eventually, the lies will collapse and become evident
It’ll be the worst surprise
It will be a shocking and devastating revelation
But you just right stand there
However, you remain stationary and unobservant
You ain’t looking ‘round
You are not actively searching for the truth
And baby, you won’t never see it coming
And unfortunately, you will never anticipate it
Causing kamikaze on they’re way down to you
Causing deliberate self-destruction as it heads towards you
But you won’t never see 'em
But you will never notice them
Oh no, you’ll never know he’s lying
Oh no, you will never realize that he is being dishonest
'Til you look up and I bet you’d catch it
Until you raise your gaze and I guarantee you would comprehend it
If you took a sec to look up
If you pause for a moment and pay attention
I know the truth is blinding
I understand that the truth can be overwhelming
But you gotta look up
But you must make the effort to be aware
Or you’ll never see it coming
Or else you will never anticipate the consequences
You’ll never see it coming
You will not have foreseen it
Feels like I’m on the 30th floor
It feels as if I am in a high place
Staring out my window
Gazing through the window
See them, they about to crash right into you
Observe them, they are about to collide with you directly
You’re marching on the sidewalk
You are walking on the pavement
Umbrella up, oblivious
Holding an umbrella but unaware of your surroundings
No clouds, shades on, no sun
No clouds in the sky, wearing sunglasses, no sunlight
Look up, you better look up
Pay attention, it is essential to be aware
You better look all around, all around
It is crucial to survey your entire environment
Baby you better look up, look up, I know
Darling, it is imperative that you raise your gaze, I am aware
They’re coming down, coming down
They are descending, getting closer
And baby you’ll see the light
And darling, you will finally comprehend the truth
You’ll see him flying look up, look up
You will witness his deceitful actions, look up
You’ll see the lies no, look up, look up
You will recognize the falsehoods, no, look up
Flight 143 took off a minute ago
Flight 143 departed very recently
Flight 143 was just on the ground
Flight 143 was just stationed on the surface
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TreySongzLyricsonScreen
[Verse 1]
I’ll stack these magazines in the corner
After I’m done with them
And I still got the same hope that I started with
That you’ll be in one of them
My camera shed some tears since you left him
With nothing, with nothing
[Pre-Chorus]
How am I supposed to remember?
I got the memories
But memories fade, baby
What am I gonna show to my kids, girl?
When I’m older, and my mind is telling me to forget you
What’s gonna make me remember?
[Chorus]
That’s why I was always taking pictures, pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss a thing, miss a thing
Tell me how could you take the pictures, pictures
When you knew they were all that I had left - nothing left
They were part of our history, this story
I was always taking pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss you so bad, miss you this bad
Miss you so bad, miss you so
[Verse 2]
We didn’t make love
We celebrated its invention
Confetti on the mattress - I used to have those images
Tonight I came home they were just embers in the fire
Along with my hard drive, no notes, no goodbye
[Pre-Chorus]
How the hell am I supposed to remember?
Tell me now, I got the memories
But memories don’t last...
What am I gonna show to my kids, baby?
When I’m older, and my mind’s telling me to forget you
What’s gonna make me remember?
[Chorus]
That’s why I was always taking pictures, pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss a thing, miss a thing
Tell me how could you take the pictures, pictures
When you knew they were all that I had left - nothing left
They were part of our history, this story
I was always taking pictures
‘Cause I didn’t wanna miss you
[Verse 3]
No video, no polariods
No record of the love we had
My Nikon wasn’t fast enough
To catch my heart break in half
No smiles in my picture frame, no
Just got them little basic ones that the picture frames come with
Models, wedding pictures, you know
[Chorus]
That’s why I was always taking pictures, pictures
'Cause I didn’t wanna miss a thing, miss a thing
Tell me how could you take the pictures, pictures?
When you knew they were all that I had left – nothing left
They were part of our history, this story
I was always taking pictures
'Cause I didn’t wanna miss you so bad, miss you this bad
Miss you so bad, miss you so…
@JianniCarter
I stack these magazines in the corner after I'm done with em
Then I still got the same old love that I started with
But you be in one of them
My camera shed some tears since you left em with nothing.
With nothing
How am I suppose to remember
Oooh
And all the memories.
The memories they faded
What am I gonna show to the kids girl
Oohh noo
My mind is telling me to forget you
What's gonna make me remember?
That's why I was always taking pictures.
Pictures
Cause I didn't wanna miss a thing
Miss a thing
Tell me how I could take the pictures
Pictures
When you know they were all I had left
Nothing left
They were part of our history
I was always tsking pictures
Pictures
Cause I didn't wanna miss you bad
Miss you this bad
@obrey__
I just got to experience this song for the first time... wow
@vexrich
Same
@Kiara-jm2cq
Me too
@obrey__
Kiara kind of random, but a song I really wish I could hear for the first time again is called track x by black road, new country. Suuper beautiful and haunting
@vexrich
@@obrey__ We say things like that but my favorite music sounds best when I've heard it a lot, and take a break and hear it again knowing most of the words but noticing something new in it
@obrey__
Vex Rich true.. I still feel the song, but I’m afraid of getting sick of it.. now that I think about it, this is kind of a great spot to be in. I hope I remember this when I go through a mid life crisis and romanticize youth lol
@certifiedtre_7716
So mad this song isn’t on streaming services because it’s literally one of my favorites by him 😭😭😭
@ericperalta739
agreed
@SnakeEyesBR1
why aren't you?
@certifiedtre_7716
@@lenabean0470 I’m super late seeing your reply! THANK YOU 😍😍😍