Frasqueri recorded her first song, "Destiny", in 2010, and released it under the name of Wavy Spice on her SoundCloud and her YouTube channel in mid-2012. It was largely autobiographical and gained modest popularity. Subsequently, she released her second track, "Bitch I'm Posh". The track went viral, and as of December 2017, received 110,000 plays on Soundcloud. Frasqueri then released YAYA, which was a commentary of perceptions of colonial history. Frasqueri continued to release singles, such as Dragons, a Game of Thrones inspired piece, Honeysuckle, and Vicki Gotti until changing her moniker to Princess Nokia. She released her mixtape, 1992, on Soundcloud. She also began touring.
Frasqueri was praised for her feminism, especially after confronting a man yelling racial slurs on a subway train. She also founded the Smart Girls Club, a podcast where she discusses healthy living and "urban feminism".
Frasqueri claims Princess Nokia is an alter ego, which she introduced with the track "Nokia". She released an album named Metallic Butterfly on May 12, 2014, and was debuted on Vice and Soundcloud.
On September 8, 2017, she released her debut studio album, 1992 Deluxe, which was an expanded version of her 2016 mixtape, 1992. It peaked at number 25 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart. NME listed it as the 32nd best album of 2017.
Nokia also has debuted a new radio show on Apple's Beats 1 Radio on February 18, 2018. She has a total of 6 episodes labeled, "The Voices in My Head with Princess Nokia."
Balenciaga
Princess Nokia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thrift clothes looking like the Prada
Whole fit lit, it cost me nada
Bitches always talking, I give them all nada
I'm so fly, I don't even try
I get so high, I can touch the sky
Dress for myself, I don't dress for hype
Looking like a milli' but I only cost twenty
Smoking big gas
And damn it smell funny
Ain't a fucking thing that no one could tell me
I drop the fits and I drop the hits
Pull the alarm as soon as it's lit
Bitches be pressed I make bitches sick
Bitches be mad I blow them a kiss
Drip everywhere on account of the clothes
I'm going dumb switch up on my flow
I be right up when I'm down ten toes
Always make a lot of money selling out my shows
Anime lit
And I'm blessed with the drip
Baby biohazard
The slime go real quick
Money a knot
and it look like a cyst
I smoke 'em big choppers, go get me a zip
Sketchers looking like Balenciaga
Thrift clothes looking like the Prada
Whole fit lit
It cost me nada
Bitches always talking I give them all nada
I'm so fly, I don't even try
I get so high, I can touch the sky
Dress for myself, I don't dress for hype
I dress for myself, you dress for the likes
I take a sip
Sip apple juice
I know I'm fly
I know I'm cute
Bitches clout chase
and they act hella rude
My priorities straight I don't know about you
Is that Vetements
Yves Saint Laurent?
Is it Off-White
Or Comme des Garcons?
My imagination
I do what I want
If I look broke
'Cause don't give a fuck
Is that Chanel
Or basic as hell?
Is that retail
Or is that resale?
I look so fly
You can't even tell
They all spending money
I just get free, yeah
Sketchers looking like Balenciaga
Thrift clothes looking like the Prada
Whole fit lit
It cost me nada
Bitches always talking I give them all nada
I'm so fly, I don't even try
I get so high, I can touch the sky
Dress for myself, I don't dress for hype
I dress for myself, you dress for the likes
The song "Balenciaga" by Princess Nokia is a celebration of individuality and self-expression. The lyrics are a reflection of her unique sense of style and her unwillingness to conform to societal expectations or the opinions of others. The first verse begins with a comparison between Sketchers and Balenciaga shoes, suggesting that they are interchangeable, and that what matters most is how the person wearing them feels. She then goes on to describe the rest of her outfit, which is assembled from thrift clothes, but still manages to look like it came from a high-end designer.
Princess Nokia's refusal to conform is further emphasized in the chorus, where she repeats the phrase "I'm so fly, I don't even try" several times. She asserts that her style is entirely her own and that she dresses for herself rather than trying to impress others. This is also embodied in her attitude towards money, where she suggests that she doesn't need to spend a lot to look good.
The overall message of the song seems to be about rejecting societal norms and following your own path in life. Princess Nokia is a strong advocate for individuality and often discusses her own experiences of growing up as an outsider. "Balenciaga" is an anthem for all those who have ever felt like they didn't belong and a reminder that being true to yourself is the most important thing of all.
Line by Line Meaning
Sketchers looking like Balenciaga
My cheap shoes look like expensive designer ones
Thrift clothes looking like the Prada
My secondhand clothes look like high-end fashion
Whole fit lit, it cost me nada
My entire outfit looks amazing and didn't even cost me anything
Bitches always talking, I give them all nada
People are always talking about me, but I don't give them any attention
I'm so fly, I don't even try
I'm naturally cool, I don't have to put in effort
I get so high, I can touch the sky
I feel really good and free, like I'm on top of the world
Dress for myself, I don't dress for hype
I wear what I like, not what's popular or trendy
I dress for myself, you dress for the likes
I'm true to myself, while others dress to impress or gain approval
Looking like a milli' but I only cost twenty
I look like a millionaire, but my outfit didn't cost me much
Smoking big gas and damn it smell funny
I'm smoking a lot of weed and it has a strong odor
Ain't a fucking thing that no one could tell me
I know who I am and what I want, and no one can change my mind
I drop the fits and I drop the hits
I release both dope fashion and music
Pull the alarm as soon as it's lit
I make a scene as soon as I enter a room
Bitches be pressed I make bitches sick
I make other people jealous and envious with my style and success
Bitches be mad I blow them a kiss
Even though some people are hating on me, I still show them love
Drip everywhere on account of the clothes
I'm oozing with style and fashion due to my clothes
I'm going dumb switch up on my flow
I'm changing up my style and flow in a radical way
I be right up when I'm down ten toes
I'm always committed and focused, even when life gets tough
Always make a lot of money selling out my shows
I'm always successful and make a lot of money from my music performances
Anime lit and I'm blessed with the drip
I'm heavily into Japanese animation and I have a lot of style
Baby biohazard the slime go real quick
I have a dangerous and attractive persona that attracts fans quickly
Money a knot and it look like a cyst
I have a lot of money, and it's all tied up and swollen, like a growth on my body
I smoke 'em big choppers, go get me a zip
I smoke huge joints and buy weed in bulk quantities
I take a sip, sip apple juice
I drink apple juice, which may symbolize my innocence or purity
I know I'm fly, I know I'm cute
I'm confident in my style and look
Bitches clout chase and they act hella rude
Other people try to gain popularity by being disrespectful towards me
My priorities straight I don't know about you
I have my life in order and my values aligned, while others may not
Is that Vetements, Yves Saint Laurent?
I'm identifying high-end fashion brands and questioning their value and worth
Is it Off-White, or Comme des Garcons?
I'm recognizing other popular fashion brands and questioning their value and authenticity
My imagination, I do what I want
I use my creativity and individuality to dictate my style and decisions
If I look broke 'cause don't give a fuck
Even if my style looks poor or unconventional to others, I still don't care
Is that Chanel or basic as hell?
I'm questioning whether a fashion brand is truly high-end or just overrated and common
Is that retail or is that resale?
I'm questioning whether someone bought an item at the store or secondhand
I look so fly, you can't even tell
I look amazing and stylish without trying too hard, and it's not easy to replicate
They all spending money, I just get free, yeah
Other people have to spend a lot of money to achieve my level of style, while I naturally have it for free
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Destiny Nicole Frasqueri Ortiz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cami
[Chorus]
Sketchers lookin' like Balenciaga
Thrift clothes lookin' like the Prada
Whole fit lit, it cost me nada
Bitches always talkin', I give them all nada
I'm so fly, I don't even try
I get so high, I can touch the sky
Dress for myself, I don't dress for hype
I dress for myself, you dress for the likes
[Verse 1]
Lookin' like a milli but it only cost 20
Smokin' big gas, and damn, it smell funny
Ain't a fuckin' thing that no one could tell me
I drop the fits and I drop the hits
Pull the alarm as soon as it's lit
Bitches be pressed, I make bitches sick
Bitches be mad, I blow them a kiss
Drip everywhere on account of the clothes
I'm goin' dumb, switch up my flow
I be right up when I'm down ten toes
Always make a lot of money sellin' out my shows
Anime lit and I'm blessed with the drip
Baby biohazard, the slime go real quick
Money a knot and it look like a cyst
I smoke ‘em big choppers, go get me a zip
[Chorus]
Sketchers lookin' like Balenciaga
Thrift clothes lookin' like the Prada
Whole fit lit, it cost me nada
Bitches always talkin', I give them all nada
I'm so fly, I don't even try
I get so high, I can touch the sky
Dress for myself, I don't dress for hype
I dress for myself, you dress for the likes
[Verse 2]
I take a sip, sip apple juice
I know I'm fly, I know I'm cute
Bitches clout chase and they act hella rude
My priorities straight, I don't know about you
Is that Vetements? Yves Saint Laurent?
Is it Off-White? Or Comme des Garçons?
My imagination, I do what I want
If I look broke ‘cause I don't give a fuck
Is that Chanel? Or basic as hell?
Is that retail? Or is that resale?
I look so fly, you can't even tell
They all spendin' money, I just get it free, yeah
[Chorus]
Sketchers lookin' like Balenciaga
Thrift clothes lookin' like the Prada
Whole fit lit, it cost me nada
Bitches always talkin', I give them all nada
I'm so fly, I don't even try
I get so high, I can touch the sky
Dress for myself, I don't dress for hype
I dress for myself, you dress for the likes
Cris
Ok my stab at interpretation:
She’s going crazy for fashion.
But also making a statement (if you watched her closet tour on YT) that she dresses for her. She is a person who loves to thrift, but also gets clothes sent to her, and also buys $$ pieces.
She is often critiqued for being her own person, for her fashion style being different and misunderstood. I can say with confidence that Destiny is herself. That often leads to paradoxes that most folks can’t appreciate.
Let’s me honest, she’s not your typical artist, she went from electric/dance/house music, to rap music, to an emo album, to rap again. She can’t be boxed.
I think this song is an expression of that. She’s crazy for fashion, her unique fashion perspective (deeply rooted in her NY lineage) is based in experiencing poverty, and also being apart of so many different worlds. (Scene, emo, goth, rap, hip hop,) even her race/ethnicity (as a brown woman with African descendant , Indigenous descendant, Puerto Rican identified woman, who refuses to be boxed).
Fashion is the overlay, but her message is always the same:
embrace your self as you are, embrace your lineage, be proud of being weird and not fitting in with the status quo, be unapologetically YOU.
You can fight me on it, but that is the essence of Destiny (Princess Nokia) be rooted in self, even if it doesn’t make sense to others. PERIOD.
Corey J
She looks like a completely different artist in every music video. 💫
nae boogie
Issa Gemini thang ♊️
medici
Thats what we love about her❤💖
Gabriela Irizarry Porrata
Love that she stays consistent with her chameleonic shapeshifting artistry... LOVE
Kush Kitten
Shes a Gemini bby
83studio
She's a Gemini!
Kaylah
Imagine how cool the world would be if everyone just wore whatever style they wanted
st00pid
amazing
lexi michelle
Okaylah 🤩🤩
Lae Wilson
so true honestly I wish it