After a short spell working as a model, 5'10" Kelis began appearing on songs by Neptunes produced rappers such as 'Got Your Money' by the late rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard. Soon afterwards, she released her debut album, Kaleidoscope in 1999 of which the first single was 'Caught Out There,' a song based on the time she caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and she beat him. The video feautures Kelis leading a pack of angry women down the street screaming 'I hate you so much right now!'. The album was released in USA, Europe and Asia, but did not find much audience in the USA. Not a great success, it only sold 249,000 copies to date.
After finding her largest audience in Europe, Kelis released her second album titled Wanderland (2001) in Europe only, which like her first album did not fare well. It only sold 80,000 copies and was entirely produced by The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) again, similarly to her debut. Only one single was released 'Young Fresh N New'.
In 2003 Kelis finally found fame in her country with the single 'Milkshake,' which was a massive success in Europe, Asia and USA, and she began dating rapper Nas (born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones). The single was from the album 'Tasty' which did not feature the Neptunes as heavily as her previous albums. Singles included the popular Dallas Austin produced 'Trick Me' and 'Millionaire', a collaboration with OutKast's Andre 3000. 'In Public's duet with Nas was the fourth single from the album, becoming a top twenty hit in the U.K. without a video.
In 2006, Kelis presented a new album to her fans, entitled Kelis Was Here, which was originally to be called 'The Puppeteer' which was released on 22 August but was due Fall 2005. No Neptunes tracks appeared on this album, but Kelis used other producers such as Max Martin, Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas) and Raphael Saadiq. Singles are the huge 'Bossy', 'Blindfold Me', and 'Lil Star'. Kelis wrote more of the material on this album than she did for Tasty, and carries off the sci-fi, electronica sounds so often considered Neptunes material without them. This is most evident on the brilliant 'Trilogy'. Kelis has said she wants to make her mark with this album, as it will be the last 'album like this' she will make.
In October 2007, Kelis was dumped by Jive Records, for poor sales of Kelis Was Here but a new album is in the pipeline. The Hits - a greatest hits collection - was released in March 2008, including tracks where she was a featured artist, eg, Got Your Money by Ol' Dirty Bastard , N.E.R.D's Truth or Dare, and Richard X's Finest Dreams.
Kelis then signed to Interscope Records, and released her fifth studio album entitled Flesh Tone in May 2010. The David Guetta-produced Acapella preceded the LP in February of that year. Other singles released from the album include '4th of July (Fireworks)', 'Scream' and 'Brave'. The following year, Kelis appeared on Calvin Harris' 'Bounce'.
In the beginning of 2010, Kelis received a letter by animal rights organization PETA, in which she was informed about the cruelty that comes along with the production of fur coats. She pointed out that the organization seems to have little concern about the treatment of people of color and that she will continue wearing fur and eating meat.
Songfacts reported that 'Distance', the planned first single from Kelis’ sixth studio album received its first play during the June 30, 2012 show of The Beatnik Mix on London's Reprezent 107.3FM. At the time, the album was set to be house/dance-inspired, but sessions with TV on The Radio's Dave Sitek led to it taking a soul-like direction.
Kelis completed her sixth album in April 2013, and her new label Ninja Tune confirmed details regarding the album in January the following year, 'Jerk Ribs' served as the lead single for the album; the track had however been previously released as a free download the previous year.
Food was released in April 2014 to critical acclaim. Kelis also appeared for the first time at the annual South by Southwest festival, both performing and serving meals to attendees from her food truck.
4th of July
Kelis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never seemed to
Now I'm living proof
And now I'm brand new
Rename me
Baby, you can claim me
I've been changed, see
You make me over
Didn't think I needed you
Never seemed to
Now I'm living proof (living proof)
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
You make me high
You make me high
You make me high
You make me high
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
Didn't think I needed you
Never seemed to
Now I'm living proof
And now I'm brand new
Rename me
Baby, you can claim me
I've been changed, see
You make me over
You make me over
Didn't think I needed you
Never seemed to
Now I'm living proof (living proof)
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
You make me high
You make me high
You make me high
You make me high
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
You make me high (and I don't wanna come down)
You make me
Just like the sky
Like the fourth of July
Just like the sky
Like the fourth of July
Just like the sky
Like the fourth of July
Just like the sky
Like the fourth of July
Kelis's song 4th of July is a love song that expresses how the love of her life has transformed her into a new person. She sings about how she didn’t think she needed this person, although now she knows that she couldn’t have been more wrong, and he made her feel like 'living proof’. The lyrics suggest that Kelis's partner had a positive impact on her life, and she feels like a better person thanks to him. She asks her partner to rename her, indicating that her former self was no longer valid, and she's a new and improved version of herself. The repetitive nature of the lyrics suggests that Kelis is in a trance-like state when she's with her partner, and he makes her feel high, like she's soaring.
Kelis asserts that regardless of what she says or does, it will never be as good as loving him. These lyrics demonstrate that the relationship is a pivotal moment in her life, and she has been searching for this profound experience for a long time. Kelis admits that her partner makes her feel high and that she never wants to come down. She also compares her love for him to feeling like the sky on the fourth of July, which is a significant holiday celebrated in the United States. Her comparison of this metaphor to the relationship is noteworthy because the Fourth of July signifies independence, and Kelis is suggesting that her partner is giving her the freedom to be herself.
Overall, Kelis’s 4th of July is a love song that speaks to the power of finding the right person at the right time. The lyrics express how love can have a transformative impact on someone's life, how love can make someone feel high and free, and that nothing will ever be as good as loving the right person.
Line by Line Meaning
Didn't think I needed you
I didn't think I needed you in my life
Never seemed to
It never seemed like I did
Now I'm living proof
But now I am living proof that I do
And now I'm brand new
You have changed me for the better
Rename me
You have transformed me into someone else
Baby, you can claim me
You can have me, I'm yours
I've been changed, see
It's obvious I have been changed
You make me over
You have remade me into a new person
You make me high
Being with you makes me feel euphoric
Nothing I'll ever say or do
Will be as good as loving you
No matter what I do or say, nothing will compare to my love for you
Just like the sky
Like the fourth of July
My love for you is as bright and explosive as the Fourth of July sky
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANTHONY SCOTT BURNS, VANESSA FISCHER, KELIS JONES - ROGERS, JEAN BAPTISTE KOUAME, DAMIEN LEROY, RONALD MORRIS, JAMIE MUNSON, JEFFREY MATTHEW SCHEVEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrSaud6
This song was way ahead of its time.
@brentlyle2
On cultural oppression
@missgiovanna19
I can never get over how good this song is and SO ahead of it’s time!
@user-bp1gx3qt3o
not really it’s very typical of the late 2000s
@StochasticWolf
@T No there was a whole edm/dubstep movement that began about 2011 and peaked about 4-5 years later
@daterminator2207
@Stochastic Wolf it began in 2008 thanks to Gaga
@alr492
One of the most underrated artists in the history of music. Awesome voice in an awesome woman.
@morganolfursson2560
almost 8 million views, i wouldn't call that underrated .
@james-1233
I would only 25000 like should be in the million's kelis is awesome ♥️♥
@rn4390
Amazing