Christopher Edwin Breaux, professionally known as Frank Ocean is an America… Read Full Bio ↴Christopher Edwin Breaux, professionally known as Frank Ocean is an American singer/songwriter and member of the gleefully hedonistic hip-hop collective OFWGKTA. He was born on October 28, 1987 and lived in Long Beach, California. He has helped pen tracks for Justin Bieber, John Legend, Brandy, and Beyoncé over the last few years. In 2011, Ocean released his debut mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, for free via his Tumblr.

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.

Made In America
Frank Ocean Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And he'll bring out the, out the darkness

Sweet King Martin, sweet Queen Coretta
Sweet Brother Malcolm, sweet Queen Betty
Sweet Mother Mary, sweet Father Joseph, sweet Jesus

We made it in America, sweet baby Jesus, ooh
Oh sweet baby Jesus, we made it in America

Sweet baby Jesus, ooh, oh sweet baby Jesus
We made it in America

I told my mama I was on the come up
She said "You going to school I'll give you a summer"
Then she met NO I.D, and gave me his number
Ten years later she driving a Hummer
Niggas hustle every day for a beat from Ye
What I do? Turn around gave them beats to Jay
And I'm rapping on the beats they was supposed to buy
I guess I'm getting high off my own supply
Downtown mixing fabrics trying to find the magic
Started a little blog just to get some traffic
Old folks'll tell you not to play in traffic uh
A million hits and the web crashes, damn!
South Park had 'em all laughing
Now all my niggas designing and we all swaggin'
Ignore the critics just to say we did it
This ain't no fashion show, motherfucker, we live it

Sweet King Martin, sweet Queen Coretta
Sweet Brother Malcolm, sweet Queen Betty
Sweet Mother Mary, sweet Father Joseph, sweet Jesus

We made it in America, sweet baby Jesus, ooh
Oh sweet baby Jesus, we made it in America

Sweet baby Jesus, ooh, oh sweet baby Jesus,
We made it in America

I pledge allegiance, uh, to my Grandma
For that banana pudding, our piece of Americana
Our apple pie was supplied through Arm and Hammer
Straight out the kitchen, shh don't wake Nana
Built a republic, that still stands
I'm trying to lead a nation, to leave to my little mans
Or my daughter, so I'm boiling this water
The scales was lopsided, I'm just restoring order
Hold up, here comes grandma, what's up YaYa?
What's that smell? Oh I'm just boiling some aqua
No papa, bad Santa
The streets raised me, pardon my bad manners
I got my liberty, chopping grams up
Street justice, I pray God understand us
I pledge allegiance to all the scramblers
This is the Star Spangled Banner

Sweet King Martin, sweet Queen Coretta
Sweet Brother Malcolm, sweet Queen Betty
Sweet Mother Mary, sweet Father Joseph, sweet Jesus

We made it in America, sweet baby Jesus, ooh
Oh sweet baby Jesus, we made it in America

Sweet baby Jesus, ooh, oh sweet baby Jesus,
We made it in America yes we did

Sweet baby Jesus, ooh, oh sweet baby Jesus,
We made it in America

Sweet baby Jesus, ooh, oh sweet baby Jesus,
We made it in America yes we did

Overall Meaning

The song "Made in America" is an ode to the American dream and the successes that black people have achieved in the United States through hard work and determination. The lyrics mention key figures in African American history such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Coretta Scott King, and Betty Shabazz, who are honored for their contributions to black progress in America. The repeated mention of "sweet baby Jesus" is both a religious reference and a way to emphasize the idea of success being sweet and a blessing from God.

The verses from Jay-Z and Kanye West recount their own success stories and how they have achieved their success through hard work and determination. They also reflect on the obstacles they had to overcome and the risks they had to take to achieve their goals. The lyrics speak to the idea of the American dream being achievable through determination and hard work, regardless of race or background.

Overall, "Made in America" is a celebration of black success and how the American dream is available to everyone who is willing to work hard and persevere.

Line by Line Meaning

And he'll bring out the, out the darkness
He will bring hope and positivity out of a difficult situation or period of darkness

Sweet King Martin, sweet Queen Coretta
A reference to iconic civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King, who fought for equality and justice

Sweet Brother Malcolm, sweet Queen Betty
A reference to activist leader Malcolm X and his wife Betty Shabazz, who also fought for civil rights and black empowerment

Sweet Mother Mary, sweet Father Joseph, sweet Jesus
A reference to Mary, Joseph, and Jesus from the Christian faith, symbolizing the presence of God in America

We made it in America, sweet baby Jesus, ooh
We achieved success in America with the help of divine blessings

I told my mama I was on the come up
I informed my mother that I was making progress in my career and becoming successful

She said "You going to school I'll give you a summer"
My mother wanted me to focus on my education before pursuing a career

Then she met NO I.D, and gave me his number
My mother introduced me to record producer NO I.D, who helped launch my career

Ten years later she driving a Hummer
My mother became financially successful due to the success of my career

Niggas hustle every day for a beat from Ye
Other rappers work hard to get a beat from Kanye West

What I do? Turn around gave them beats to Jay
Instead of using the beats for myself, I gave them to Jay-Z to use for his own songs

And I'm rapping on the beats they was supposed to buy
I ended up using the beats they were planning to buy for themselves

I guess I'm getting high off my own supply
I am benefiting from my own talent and creations

Downtown mixing fabrics trying to find the magic
I am experimenting with different creative processes to find inspiration

Started a little blog just to get some traffic
I began sharing my music online to gain exposure and attention

Old folks'll tell you not to play in traffic uh
Elderly people caution young people against taking unnecessary risks

A million hits and the web crashes, damn!
My music received an overwhelming amount of online attention, causing the website to crash

South Park had 'em all laughing
My popularity expanded to the point where it was even referenced by a popular cartoon show

Now all my niggas designing and we all swaggin'
Me and my friends are all successful and fashionable

Ignore the critics just to say we did it
We are proud of our success regardless of what critics may say

This ain't no fashion show, motherfucker, we live it
We are not just showing off our style, we actually live the life we portray

I pledge allegiance, uh, to my Grandma
I show loyalty and gratitude to my grandmother for her role in my life

For that banana pudding, our piece of Americana
My grandmother's cooking is a symbol of traditional American culture and values

Our apple pie was supplied through Arm and Hammer
The ingredients for our apple pie were provided by the company Arm & Hammer

Straight out the kitchen, shh don't wake Nana
The apple pie was freshly made in the kitchen and we shouldn't disturb our sleeping grandmother

Built a republic, that still stands
America was founded as a democratic republic and that system still endures today

I'm trying to lead a nation, to leave to my little mans
I want to set an example for future generations and lead them towards success

Or my daughter, so I'm boiling this water
I want to create a better future for my family and descendants

The scales was lopsided, I'm just restoring order
There were inequalities and injustices that needed to be corrected in society and I am playing a part in that

Hold up, here comes grandma, what's up YaYa?
My grandmother is arriving, and we affectionately call her "YaYa"

What's that smell? Oh I'm just boiling some aqua
I'm boiling water, which may have a distinct odor

No papa, bad Santa
I had a rough upbringing and experienced negative influences as a child

The streets raised me, pardon my bad manners
I grew up in an environment where rough behavior and language were the norm

I got my liberty, chopping grams up
I have gained my freedom and independence through my own hard work and hustle

Street justice, I pray God understand us
I believe in acting in accordance with what I see as right and just, even if it involves violence or other extreme measures

I pledge allegiance to all the scramblers
I show loyalty to all those who have worked hard and struggled to achieve success

This is the Star Spangled Banner
America is a patriotic and resilient nation, with our national anthem representing this spirit of perseverance and pride

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Christopher Breaux, Shawn C. Carter, Mike Dean, Shama E. Joseph, Kanye Omari West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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