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.
Sugar Honey Iced Tea
Kelis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was that you?
Then I heard a voice
Sound like birds outside
Was that you?
(Shu-sugar-sugar honey ice-ice-tea)
But I bet you didn't know
You're my sugar honey iced tea, baby
You're just as sweet as can be
Your momma must be made of sugar
Your daddy makes honey
And that's what makes sense to me, oh!
(Shu-sugar-sugar honey ice-ice-tea)
Not sure if I was dreamin' of you and I
Was that true? Oh, I don't know
Smilin' and squeezin' in the bluest sky
Wasn't that true?
(Shu-sugar-sugar honey ice-ice-tea)
[Chorus:]
(Shu-sugar-sugar honey ice-ice-tea)
Open my arms
See my love's a window, it's open for you
Not to hurt you
Actually reverse effects like that in a Tide commercial
We'll be blowin' free in the wind
It's a sunny day, I sp your love and grin
(Shu-sugar-sugar honey ice-ice-tea)
(Hold it now...Hold it now)
[Repeat 3x]
Two steps to my love, baby
Two steps to my love
(Hold it now)
[Chorus:]
Open my arms
See my love's a window, it's open for you
Not to hurt you
Actually reverse effects like that in a Tide commercial
We'll be blowin' free in the wind
It's a sunny day, I sip your love and grin
(Hold it now...H-Hold it now)
(Shu-sugar-sugar honey ice-ice-tea)
In Kelis's song Sugar Honey Iced Tea, the singer wakes up and sees something bright and hears a voice like birds outside, wondering if it's the person she is singing about. The chorus reveals that the person she is singing about is her sugar honey iced tea, whom she proclaims is just as sweet as can be. She believes that this person's mother must be made of sugar and their father makes honey because that's the only explanation for their sweetness. In the second verse, the singer expresses uncertainty of whether or not she was dreaming of the person she is singing about but recalls smiling and being happy with them under a blue sky.
The bridge of the song describes the singer's love as being like an open window that is available for the person she is singing about to freely enter without fear of getting hurt. She then compares their love to a sunny day, where she sips on it with happiness. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes that the person she is singing about is truly her "sugar honey iced tea".
Overall, the song appears to be an upbeat and catchy anthem about the sweetness of the singer's love for someone. The use of metaphors like their family members making sugar and honey adds to the overall lightheartedness and sweetness of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up this mornin' and seen somethin' bright
I woke up to something surprising and delightful
Was that you?
Did you bring this joy to my life?
Then I heard a voice
I heard something soothing and reassuring
Sound like birds outside
It sounded like the sweet melody of birds chirping
But I bet you didn't know
You may not have realized
You're my sugar honey iced tea, baby
You are my love, my sweetness, and my addiction
You're just as sweet as can be
You are the personification of sweetness
Your momma must be made of sugar
Your mother is the source of your sweetness
Your daddy makes honey
Your father is the source of your irresistible nature
And that's what makes sense to me, oh!
It is easy to see why you are the way you are
Not sure if I was dreamin' of you and I
I am not sure if my thoughts of you were a mere dream or a reality
Was that true? Oh, I don't know
I am already lost in thoughts and emotions of you
We'll be blowin' free in the wind
Our love will be unshackled and unbound
It's a sunny day, I sip your love and grin
I bask in the glory of our love, with a shining smile
Two steps to my love, baby
Our love is just two steps away from reaching its destination
Open my arms
I plead for you to enter my arms
See my love's a window, it's open for you
My love is transparent and open, for you to look through
Not to hurt you
It is not my intention to hurt you
Actually reverse effects like that in a Tide commercial
In contrast, my love can have healing and reversing properties, like Tide detergent
Hold it now...
Pause and reflect on these words
(Shu-sugar-sugar honey ice-ice-tea)
A refrain, summarizing the sweetness and tenderness of the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHAD HUGO, PHARRELL WILLIAMS, PHARRELL L WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind