DHL

Album: released as a single (2019)
Charted: 67 98
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Frank Ocean references the international shipping service DHL; the singer has just received a "pack" from the courier company, which contains illegal pills.

    Throughout the rest of the braggadocio track, Ocean portrays himself as a wealthy and successful gay artist. He namechecks other brands, including Starbucks, Amazon, Uber and Hoover; many of the references are used to describe an intimate homosexual act with his "boy toy."
  • Frank Ocean co-produced the song with German EDM beatmeister Alex Ridha, who uses the moniker of Boys Noize. Ridha's other credits include Skrillex's "Dirty Vibe," A$AP Rocky's "Calldrops," and his own tune "Mayday," which featured in the Oliver Stone film Snowden.
  • Frank Ocean first met Boys Noize in Berlin. The producer was working there on ASAP Rocky's "Babushka Boi" track when Ocean showed up. After the pair played around with a few ideas, Boys Noize took what they'd come up with and developed it.

    "The first half of the song was something that got created together," the producer told Complex. "I think the most important part is the initial vibe you have and the ideas. When I produce music, it evolves all the time. Personally, I like to sit on music as well and add ideas. That's something that happened to that song. You create something and then you live with it for a while and let it breathe."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger

Kelly Keagy of Night RangerSongwriter Interviews

Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger tells the "Sister Christian" story and explains why he started sweating when he saw it in Boogie Nights.

Vince Clarke

Vince ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

An original member of Depeche Mode, Vince went on to form Erasure and Yaz.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?