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.
Novacane
Frank Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did-didn't I? Can't feel nothin', superhuman
Even when I'm fuckin' Viagra poppin', every single record autotunin'
Zero emotion, muted emotion, pitch corrected, computed emotion, uh-huh
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile, ow
Stripper booty and a rack like wow, brain like Berkeley
Met her at Coachella, I went to see Jigga, she went to see Z Trip, perfect
I took a seat on the ice cold lawn, she handed me a ice blue bong, whatever
For tuition doin' porn in the Valley, at least you workin'
But girl I can't feel my face, what are we smokin' anyway?
She said, "Don't let the high go to waste"
But can you taste a little taste of
Novocaine, baby, baby, Novocaine, baby, I want you
Fuck me good, fuck me long, fuck me numb
Love me now, when I'm gone, love me none
Love me none, love me none, numb, numb, numb, numb
Sink full of dishes, pacin' in the kitchen, Cocaine for breakfast, yikes
Bed full of women, flip on a tripod, little red light on shootin', I'm feelin' like
Stanley Kubrick, this is some visionary shit
Been tryna film pleasure with my eyes wide shut but it keeps on movin'
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile
Stripper booty with the rack like wow, I'll never forget ya
You put me on a feelin' I never had (never), never had, never had (never had)
And ever since I've been tryna get it back and pick it up and put it back (back, back)
Now I'm somethin' like the chemist on campus
But there's no drug around, quite like what I found in you, you
I still can't feel my face (ohh), what am I smokin' anyway? (Ah)
She said, "Don't let the high go to waste" (ooh)
But can you taste a little taste of
Novocaine, baby, baby (oh), Novocaine, baby, I want you
Fuck me good, fuck me long, fuck me numb
Love me now, when I'm gone, love me none
Love me none, love me none, numb, numb, numb, numb
Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine (ohh)
Numb the pain, numb the pain, numb the pain, numb the pain, numb the pain (ahh yeah)
Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine (ohh)
(Wooh-oo) for the pain, for the pain (ooh-oh)
Novocaine, Novocaine
Oh-oh, oh-oh, ho-ho
Oh-oh, oh-oh, ho-ho-ho
Oh-oh, oh-oh, ho-ho
Oh-oh, oh-oh, ho-ho-ho
Pretty girls involved with me
Makin' pretty love to me pretty, pity pity
All the pretty girls involved with me
Makin' pretty love to me pretty, pity pity
Ohh, I can't feel a thing
I can't feel, can't feel a thing
Can't feel a thing, can't feel, feel, feel, feel a
I can't feel, feel a, Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine
I can't feel, feel a, Novocaine, for the pain, for the pain
I can't, can't feel a (feel a)
Feel a, feel a (ohh)
Novocaine, Novocaine, 'Caine ('Caine, 'Caine, 'Caine)
In Frank Ocean's song Novacane, the singer reflects on a hollow and emotionless life that he's created for himself. He feels that he's started something he always wanted, but the lack of feeling is taking over, making him feel superhuman. The composition is filled with the use of various drugs as a metaphor for loveless sex and emotions, and he talks about how everything is pitch-corrected, which symbolizes the emptiness in his heart.
Frank Ocean starts the song by stating that he got what he wanted, but he cannot feel anything. He further raps about how he can't feel his face and is addicted to Novocain. Frank talks about his life's various components, from meeting a model at Coachella, who wants to be a dentist and is paying for her tuition by performing in the porn industry, to his addiction to cocaine, causing him to lose any genuine emotions. While the verse talks about hooking up with a pornstar, it alludes to the desperation of filling a void created by the emptiness and loneliness felt by the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I started somethin', I got what I wanted
Did-didn't I? Can't feel nothin', superhuman
I got what I wanted and became super successful, but now I'm emotionless and can't feel anything.
Even when I'm fuckin' Viagra poppin', every single record autotunin'
Zero emotion, muted emotion, pitch corrected, computed emotion, uh-huh
Even when I'm having sex or making music, I'm emotionally numb and rely on auto-tune and other production techniques.
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile, ow
Stripper booty and a rack like wow, brain like Berkeley
I'm blaming my emotional numbness on the woman I met who had a great body and intelligence, but may not have been genuine.
Met her at Coachella, I went to see Jigga, she went to see Z Trip, perfect
I took a seat on the ice cold lawn, she handed me a ice blue bong, whatever
She said she wanna be a dentist really badly, she's in school payin'
For tuition doin' porn in the Valley, at least you workin'
I met her at a music festival and we smoked marijuana together. She's trying to pay for dental school by doing porn, but I won't judge her for that.
But girl I can't feel my face, what are we smokin' anyway?
She said, "Don't let the high go to waste"
I'm so emotionally numb that I can't even feel my face. She tells me not to waste the high from the drugs.
Sink full of dishes, pacin' in the kitchen, Cocaine for breakfast, yikes
Bed full of women, flip on a tripod, little red light on shootin', I'm feelin' like
Stanley Kubrick, this is some visionary shit
I'm living a crazy life with lots of drugs, women, and constant video recording. I feel like a visionary filmmaker like Stanley Kubrick.
Been tryna film pleasure with my eyes wide shut but it keeps on movin'
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile
Stripper booty with the rack like wow, I'll never forget ya
I'm trying to capture pleasure on camera, but it's elusive. Again, I blame my numbness on the woman with the Hollywood smile and great body.
I still can't feel my face (ohh), what am I smokin' anyway? (Ah)
She said, "Don't let the high go to waste" (ooh)
But can you taste a little taste of
I'm still feeling numb and she reminds me not to waste the high, but also encourages me to keep going and experience more.
Novocaine, baby, baby (oh), Novocaine, baby, I want you
Fuck me good, fuck me long, fuck me numb
Love me now, when I'm gone, love me none
Love me none, love me none, numb, numb, numb, numb
I'm asking for more drugs to numb me further, and to be loved passionately before I inevitably leave and become numb again.
Pretty girls involved with me
Makin' pretty love to me pretty, pity pity
All the pretty girls involved with me
Makin' pretty love to me pretty, pity pity
I have many beautiful women in my life, but our love and intimacy is superficial and even pathetic, something to pity.
Ohh, I can't feel a thing
I can't feel, can't feel a thing
Can't feel a thing, can't feel, feel, feel, feel a
I can't feel, feel a, Novocaine, Novocaine, Novocaine
I can't feel, feel a, Novocaine, for the pain, for the pain
I can't, can't feel a (feel a)
Feel a, feel a (ohh)
Novocaine, Novocaine, 'Caine ('Caine, 'Caine, 'Caine)
I'm repeating that I can't feel anything and asking again for more Novocaine, to numb me from my pain and the world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Christopher Breaux, Christopher A. Stewart, Lamont Derelle Neuble
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kadiidaniella
I think I started somethin', I got what I wanted
Did-didn't, I can't feel nothin', superhuman
Even when I'm fuckin', Viagra poppin'
Every single record, autotunin'
Zero emotion, muted emotion
Pitch corrected, computed emotion, uh-huh
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile, ow
Stripper booty and a rack like wow
Brain like Berkeley
Met her at Coachella
I went to see Jigga, she went to see Z Trip
Perfect
I took a seat on the ice cold lawn
She handed me a ice blue bong, whatever
She said she wanna be a dentist really badly
She's in school paying for tuition doing porn in the Valley
At least you working
But girl I can't feel my face
What are we smokin' anyway?
She said don't let the high go to waste
But can you taste a little taste
Novacane, baby, baby
Novacane, baby, I want you
Fuck me good, fuck me long, fuck me numb
Love me now, when I'm gone love me none
Love me none, love me none
Numb, numb, numb, numb
Sink full of dishes, pacing in the kitchen
Cocaine for breakfast
Yikes
Bed full of women
Flip on a tripod, little red light on
Shooting, I'm feeling like Stanley Kubrick
This is some visionary shit
Been tryna film pleasure with my eyes wide shut but it keeps on moving
I blame it on the model broad with the Hollywood smile
Stripper booty with a rack like wow
I'll never forget you
You put me on a feeling I never had, never had, never had (never)
And ever since I've been tryna get it back
And pick it up and put it back
Now I'm something like the chemist on campus
But there's no drug around
Quite like what I found in you, you
I still can't feel my face
What am I smokin' anyway?
She said don't let the high go to waste
But can you taste a little taste?
Novacane, baby, baby
Novacane, baby, I want you
Fuck me good, fuck me long, fuck me numb
Love me now, when I'm gone, love me none
Love me none, love me none
Numb, numb, numb, numb
Novacane, novacane, novacane, novacane, novacane
Numb the pain, numb the pain, numb the pain
Numb the pain, numb the pain
Novacane, novacane, novacane, novacane, novacane
For the pain, for the pain
Novacane, Novacane
Pretty girls involved with me
Makin' pretty love to me, pretty, pity, pity
All the pretty girls involved with me
Makin' pretty love to me, pretty, pity, pity
I can't feel a thing,
I can't feel, can't feel a thing
Can't feel a thing, can't feel, feel, feel, feel her
I can't feel, feel her
Novacane, Novacane, Novacane
I can't feel, feel her
Novacane for the pain, for the pain
I can't, can't feel, feel her, feel her
Novacane, Novacane, cane, cane, cane
@thegoodvibeMusic
Where do you live? 🌍
@jasonclyburn9088
New york🥴
@emmanuelarejola474
Philippines here 🇵🇭🌅
@uwhatami827
Apartment
@cedellacharette7613
Florida 🎉
@simplysharon8136
Ohio ❤
@melaningoldielocs352
This song takes me somewhere…I don’t know what I’m feeling but I have it on repeat
@candybro1005
Ikr
@Jaylahh_
I thought I was the only oneee😂
@survivalmode7032
Novacaine