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."
Window
NoName Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kiss me 'til I drown, everybody think they know me
Don't nobody really know me
Here with him a little ways from now, empty
Everything we ever was was empty
Empty fucking, cussing, I know I'm your bitch
Be on my bitch too making money little TM
Sympathy held you down, don't doubt, we love you
Ain't nobody around, ask array like I'm empty
Empathy was empathy only when you was into me
Kiss me back to save your happy, happy
This song ain't even about you, Daffy Duck
Laffy taffy, daffy ducky, fucky all around
Fuck me on the ground, fuck me in the bed too
Skip, love me with your eyes closed, cigarette, cruise ship
This song ain't even about you, Daffy Duck
This song gon' make me go fuck your daddy
This song the reason I be clinging 'fore I send him the addy
This like a remedy for nothing, this me frenchin' a tatty
Me so happy now, me so Mississippi
Kiss me 'til I drown, everybody think they know me
Don't nobody really know me
Me so happy now, me so Mississippi
Kiss me 'til I drown, everybody think they know me
Don't nobody really know me
Quit looking out the window
Go find yourself
Come get the bag with your kinfolk
Don't doubt your wealth
Quit looking out the window
Go find yourself
Come get the bag with your kinfolk
Don't doubt your wealth
I knew you'd never love me but I fucked you anyway
I guess a bitch like to gamble, I guess a bitch like to lonely
Who niggas? No me, me, God atone me
Oh I'm really feeling like I made this bitch
I know that's my ego, I know I'm just empty the sentiment for the people
The sacrifice for my hoes, I'm gonna rob the church for the steeple
I bought you Game 5 tickets, made my pussy the sequel
So you really don't think about me?
And you really don't miss me?
Though I lullaby your brokenness, believe me I'm Ripley
But you struggling to love yourself, believe me that's karma
You want a nasty bitch, psychiatrist that cook like your mama
And all you got was me-me-me
But I love you even though we're not meant to be, I still love you
I hope you find everything that you want, and she loves you
Everything is everything just know that I love you
Quit looking out the window
Go find yourself
Come get the bag with your kinfolk
Don't doubt your wealth
Quit looking out the window
Go find yourself
Come get the bag with your kinfolk
In "Window", NoName lays out her innermost feelings in a raw and unfiltered manner. She is grappling with her own identity and her relationships with others. The opening lines ("Me so happy now, me so Mississippi/Kiss me 'til I drown, everybody think they know me/Don't nobody really know me") suggest that she is playing a persona, an act in order to please others or to get them to think a certain way about her. The ambiguity surrounding her identity is clear. The song features NoName battling the expectations that society has for her as well as her own insecurities. The lyric "Empathy was empathy only when you was into me" exemplifies how she feels that people only cared about her when it suited them.
The second half of the song features NoName's explanation on her relationship with someone, with whom she has a complicated history. She feels a sense of betrayal and pain from her former lover, but at the same time, she still loves him. NoName knows that they are "not meant to be", but she cannot help but harbor emotions for him. The song ends with the aforementioned "Quit looking out the window/Go find yourself/Come get the bag with your kinfolk/Don't doubt your wealth" lines, suggesting that she wants to move on with her life and take back control of her narrative so as to escape society's expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Me so happy now, me so Mississippi
I feel happy now, even if it's because of something small and unimportant like Mississippi.
Kiss me 'til I drown, everybody think they know me
My desire to be loved is so great that I would rather be drowned in superficial affection than feel unknown.
Don't nobody really know me
Despite my desire to be loved, I understand that no one truly knows me or my inner struggles.
Here with him a little ways from now, empty
Even though I'm physically present with someone, I feel emotionally empty and distant.
Everything we ever was was empty
Our past relationship was built on emptiness and lack of substance.
Empty fucking, cussing, I know I'm your bitch
Our sexual encounters lacked emotional depth and intimacy, and I am aware that I am nothing more than an object to you.
Be on my bitch too making money little TM
You use me for financial gain just like everyone else in the industry does, and I have to accept it to survive.
DM your resume to industry
The music industry is full of fake and shallow people, and I have to actively promote myself in order to make connections and opportunities.
Sympathy held you down, don't doubt, we love you
Despite the toxicity of the industry, there are still people who care about me and try to support me.
Ain't nobody around, ask array like I'm empty
Even though I am surrounded by people, I still feel lonely and empty inside.
Empathy was empathy only when you was into me
People only cared about me when I was doing well and could benefit them.
Kiss me back to save your happy, happy
We use physical affection to distract ourselves from our internal struggles and maintain a façade of happiness.
This song ain't even about you, Daffy Duck
This song is not about anyone in particular, but rather a reflection of my own personal experiences and emotions.
Laffy taffy, daffy ducky, fucky all around
The world is full of meaningless and shallow experiences and people, and it is difficult to find genuine connection or purpose.
Fuck me on the ground, fuck me in the bed too
We use sex as a way to escape our psychological pain and emptiness.
Skip, love me with your eyes closed, cigarette, cruise ship
We try to find temporary joy and companionship in fleeting and superficial experiences like smoking and cruising.
This song gon' make me go fuck your daddy
This song is giving me the confidence and power to be reckless and destructive, even to those close to me.
This song the reason I be clinging 'fore I send him the addy
This song is a manifestation of my obsessive tendencies and is driving me to dangerous and impulsive behavior.
This like a remedy for nothing, this me frenchin' a tatty
Even though this song is not a real solution to my problems, it is helping me cope and find temporary relief from my inner turmoil.
Quit looking out the window
Stop focusing on external factors and start looking inward for happiness and fulfillment.
Go find yourself
Figure out who you truly are and what you want out of life.
Come get the bag with your kinfolk
Support and collaborate with your loved ones to achieve success and happiness together.
Don't doubt your wealth
Believe in your own worth and potential for success and happiness.
I knew you'd never love me but I fucked you anyway
I was aware of your lack of genuine affection towards me, but I still pursued a sexual relationship with you out of desperation or loneliness.
I guess a bitch like to gamble, I guess a bitch like to lonely
I take risks and engage in questionable behaviors even though they often lead to loneliness and dissatisfaction.
Who niggas? No me, me, God atone me
I don't care about anyone else's opinion or feelings, and I rely on my faith in God to absolve me of my sins.
Oh I'm really feeling like I made this bitch
I feel proud and accomplished for reaching a level of success and recognition in the music industry.
I know that's my ego, I know I'm just empty the sentiment for the people
I recognize that my pride and sense of self-importance are fueled by a lack of genuine fulfillment or satisfaction.
The sacrifice for my hoes, I'm gonna rob the church for the steeple
I am willing to do whatever it takes to provide for and protect my loved ones, even if it means committing immoral or illegal acts.
I bought you Game 5 tickets, made my pussy the sequel
I use sex and gifts as a way to maintain control and dominance in my relationships.
So you really don't think about me?
I am questioning if you truly care about me or think about me as much as I do about you.
And you really don't miss me?
I am struggling to accept that you do not seem to miss my presence or companionship.
Though I lullaby your brokenness, believe me I'm Ripley
Even though I try to comfort and care for you, I am also capable of causing harm and destruction like the fictitious character Ripley.
But you struggling to love yourself, believe me that's karma
Your struggles with self-love and self-acceptance may be a result of past actions or behaviors that have brought negative consequences or karma.
You want a nasty bitch, psychiatrist that cook like your mama
You desire someone who can satisfy both your carnal and emotional needs, and can act as a therapist and cook like your mother.
And all you got was me-me-me
You ended up with someone who is selfish and only thinks about themselves.
But I love you even though we're not meant to be, I still love you
Even though our relationship is toxic and unsustainable, I still have strong feelings of love towards you.
I hope you find everything that you want, and she loves you
I wish you the best in your future pursuits and hope that you can find someone who truly loves and cares for you.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: Brian Sanborn, Fatimah Warner, Luke Sangerman, Michael Anthony Neil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind