Noname released her debut mixtape, Telefone, on July 31, 2016. Her debut album, Room 25, was released on September 14, 2018. She is member of the trio Ghetto Sage, with Smino and Saba.
Noname's interest in poetry led her to compete in local open mics and slam poetry competitions; she placed third place in Chicago's annual Louder Than a Bomb competition. Noname then started to freestyle rap with friends, collaborating with local Chicago artists including Chance the Rapper, Saba, Mick Jenkins, and Ramaj Eroc.
In 2013, she appeared on Chance the Rapper's second mixtape, Acid Rap, contributing a verse to the track "Lost" where she sang the chorus to the song as well as her own verse. She later contributed a verse for the song "Finish Line/Drown" from Chance the Rapper's 2016 mixtape Coloring Book. In December 2016, she appeared with Chance the Rapper on Saturday Night Live. She announced her first tour on November 13, 2016.
In 2014, she was featured on Mick Jenkins' mixtape The Waters, contributing to the track "Comfortable". In 2015, she was featured on multiple tracks from Kirk Knight's album Late Knight Special.
Noname first used the stage name "Noname Gypsy", which she chose as a teenager when she was transitioning from poetry to music, believing "gypsies were very nomadic, just not about staying in one space for a long time". In March 2016, she removed "Gypsy" from her stage name after learning of its racial connotation, saying she was unaware of the negative connotations of the term "gypsy" and did not want to offend Romani people. In a 2016 interview with The Fader, she explained her current stage name, following the change:
"I try to exist without binding myself to labels. I’m not really into labels at all, even the way I dress; I usually don't wear anything with a name brand. For me, not having a name expands my creativity. I’m able to do anything. Noname could potentially be a nurse, Noname could be a screenwriter. I’m not limited to any one category of art or other existence, on a more existential level."
Noname released her first mixtape, Telefone, on July 31, 2016, after three years production. Telefone was Noname's method of publicizing her new stage name, through songs presented as open-ended telephone conversations. The album is centered around important telephone conversations that Noname has had. Her rap speaks of black women's pain and also highlights the struggles of growing up in Chicago. The album was originally released as a free download on Bandcamp, and then on vinyl in September 2017.
Rolling Stone wrote it was one of 2016's "most thought-provoking hip-hop." Stereogum wrote that Noname possessed "a potency and urgency in her complicated, spoken word-esque cadences and subdued delivery that escapes many of her more animated peers." Consequence of Sound wrote that "the louder her music is played, the brighter her cadence glows, giving her lyrics a type of 3D craft that makes Telefone a diary of lessons too relevant to keep to yourself."
In October 2016, Noname and fellow Chicago resident Saba collaborated to produce "Church/Liquor Store", a song that explores the Westside of Chicago where liquor stores sit directly next to places of worship. Noname critiques the gentrification of the neighborhood and the erasure of crime believed to accompany it.
In August 2018, Noname announced that her second album, Room 25, would be released in the fall of 2018. The album, which took approximately one month to record, chronicles the two years since the release of Telefone, during which she moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, and had a short romantic relationship.
Noname compared her maturity on Room 25 to Telefone, saying "Telefone was a very PG record because I was very PG. I just hadn't had sex." Unlike Telefone, Room 25 was created due to a financial obligation. Noname said in an interview, "It came to a point where it was, like, I needed to make an album because I need to pay my rent. I could've done another Telefone tour, but I can't play those songs anymore. Like, I could, but I physically hate it because I've just been playing them for so long." Noname paid for the entire album herself using money from touring and guest appearances on Chance the Rapper projects.
The album was released on September 14, 2018. El Hunt of NME described the album as "flawless" and "smartly constructed and laced with intricate subtlety." Rolling Stone said Noname was "One of the best rappers alive" and included her on a list of "Artists You Need to Know". Pitchfork designated Room 25 as "Best New Music" and wrote that it is "a transcendent coming-of-age tale built around cosmic jazz and neo-soul, delivered by a woman deeply invested in her interiority and that of the world around her." PopMatters said the album was "vintage neo-soul and future rap hand in hand; a soulful sanctuary for those turned off by the austerity of mainstream mumble rap". She performed a three-song medley of "Blaxploitation," "Prayer Song," and "Don't Forget About Me" from the album in her solo television debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on October 17, 2018.
On May 15, 2019, Noname announced that her upcoming second studio album would be titled Factory Baby. In November of that year that she said she was quitting music, and expressed frustration with her predominantly white audience. She went on to say that the demographics of her fanbase made her want to quit music: "I refuse to keep making music and putting it online for free for people who won’t support me. If y'all don't wanna leave the crib I feel it. I don't want to dance on a stage for white people."
Casket Pretty
NoName Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't no one safe in this happy city
I hope you make it home
I hope to God that my tele' don't ring
Niggas is casket pretty
Ain't no one safe in this happy city
I hope you make it home
I hope to God that my tele' don't ring
I've been searching for God in the bottle he gave me
Ashes to Ashes, dearly departed, regarded as Holy
Dont hold me, dont hold me
When niggas is dying and dying
And I'm afraid of the dark
Blue and the white
Badges and pistols rejoice in the night
And we watch the news
And we see him die tonight
Tonight the night his baby said goodbye
Roses in the road, teddy bear outside
Bullet there on the right
Where's love when you need it
Too many babies in suits
Too many babies in suits
Back before the dawn
Ricochet the pawn
Bullet in the chest
You ain't mean no harm
Collecting your check mate
I know you in love with the power
It's flowers at every occasion
I need me a medicine man
Somebody heal me
Somebody take my hand
All of my niggas is casket pretty
Ain't no one safe in this happy city
I hope you make it home
I hope to God that my tele' don't ring
Niggas is casket pretty
Ain't no one safe in this happy city
I hope you make it home
I hope to God that my tele' don't ring
The lyrics to NoName's song Casket Pretty highlight the realities of gun violence, police brutality, and systemic racism in America. The line "All of my niggas is casket pretty" refers to the fact that many Black people in America are killed and end up in caskets due to these issues. The repetition of "Ain't no one safe in this happy city" emphasizes the pervasive fear that these issues create for Black communities.
The lyric "I've been searching for God in the bottle he gave me" touches on the common trope of alcohol being used as a coping mechanism. The following lines "Ashes to ashes, dearly departed, regarded as holy" refer to the phrase often used during funeral services, "ashes to ashes, dust to dust." The use of this phrase highlights the frequency of funerals and memorializing in Black communities due to gun violence and other causes of premature death.
The line "Where's love when you need it" speaks to the lack of support and love that Black communities often receive in the face of these issues. The repeated line "I hope you make it home, I hope to God that my tele' don't ring" is a heartbreaking reminder that simply making it through a day without a loved one being killed is a constant fear for many Black people.
Overall, NoName's Casket Pretty is a powerful commentary on the ongoing struggles faced by Black communities in America.
Line by Line Meaning
All of my niggas is casket pretty
All of my friends are dressed in their nicest clothes for their funerals
Ain't no one safe in this happy city
No one is safe in this city, despite its happy appearance
I hope you make it home
I hope you arrive safely at your destination
I hope to God that my tele' don't ring
I hope I don't get a call telling me that someone I care about has been hurt or killed
I've been searching for God in the bottle he gave me
I have been seeking comfort from alcohol as if it were a divine power
Ashes to Ashes, dearly departed, regarded as Holy
We consider those who have died to be holy and worthy of reverence
Dont hold me, dont hold me
Don't try to comfort me or hold me back from my grief and anger
When niggas is dying and dying
When people are being killed over and over again
And I'm afraid of the dark
I am afraid of the violence that surrounds me, both physically and emotionally
Blue and the white
Police officers, represented by their blue and white uniforms
Badges and pistols rejoice in the night
The symbols of law enforcement seem to celebrate and relish in the violence they cause
And we watch the news
We witness the violence and death that happens in our city through media outlets
And we see him die tonight
We witness a man's death as it is reported on the news
Tonight the night his baby said goodbye
Tonight is the night when a young child is left without a father
Roses in the road, teddy bear outside
Memorials and tributes left for someone who has died on the street
Bullet there on the right
A bullet sits on the street as evidence of the violence that occurred there
Where's love when you need it
Where is the compassion and care that we all need during times of grief and hardship?
Too many babies in suits
Too many young people are forced to wear funeral attire
Back before the dawn
Before the sun rises and another day of violence begins
Ricochet the pawn
Innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire of violent situations
Bullet in the chest
A bullet goes straight to its intended target
You ain't mean no harm
You did not intend to cause harm or violence
Collecting your check mate
The violent actions and consequences of others are viewed as just another move in a game of chess
I know you in love with the power
I understand that other people's violent actions are driven by their need for control and domination
It's flowers at every occasion
We see flowers being given and displayed at both celebrations and funerals
I need me a medicine man
I need someone to help heal and soothe the emotional wounds caused by this cycle of violence
Somebody heal me
I am in need of healing and comfort from the trauma I have experienced
Somebody take my hand
I need someone to support and guide me through this difficult time
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Fatimah Warner, Michael Anthony Neil, Tahj Chandler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind