DHL by Frank Ocean Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking The Layers of Intrigue
Lyrics
That is not love that I get from you
Uh, huh-huh
Love that I, love that I give (uh-huh, uh-huh, huh)
Look at them shakes, uh-huh (that is not love)
Made up a dance (that I get)
How come you shook? (From you)
When I ain’t took out my hands
Beans, Starbucks, starstruck
Bitch comin’ soon, yeah, that’s ’cause you suck, yeah
(Suck me, suck me, suck me)
That’s comin’ soon
(Suck my dick, uh)
Come on, I’m back, I want my babe
Stayin’ alert, I’m going steady
‘Cause all my chains, diamonds keep callin’
Findin’ the key, put it in, Kawasaki
Totin’ that Amazon (Amazon)
Shit like 6’5″ (shit like 6’5″)
Take back, rewind, now I rewind
Ooh, ooh, baby, be mine (baby, be mine)
Ooh, ooh, baby, be mine
Just got a pack, came from DHL, just got up with a pack
Got out a pack, came from DHL, just got off like a bail
Got out a pack, new ones in my jail
Just got out, found a pack
I got a pack
(Been in jail, been in jail, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Just got a pack, came from DHL
We get the check, bail (like it long-term like the pill)
I got a pack, came from DHL
Just got up on a pill, I got a
Niggas think it’s new, it ain’t new, boy
Old files just turned two, yeah, it flew, yeah
Still sound like it’s comin’ soon, comin’ soon, yeah
Still sound like it’s comin’ soon, tell the truth, yeah
Boy-toy suck me like a Hoover, like a Hoover
Boy-toy ride me like a Uber, like a Uber
Smiley face, factory case, ain’t bust it down, yeah
I left it, I forgave their violations, ain’t seen ’em around
Yet to test it, wavy pool, sit behind the pool
I’m tellin’ the truth, bro
Remind me of trade, brushin’ his waves
Shit look like ramen noodles
Fuck, this shit sound like it’s comin’ soon, comin’ soon, bro
And it still sound like it’s comin’ soon, comin’ soon
New files sittin’ on my drive, nothin’ new, yeah
New fobs and I can’t get down, what to do, yeah
New fobs, really can’t get down to the pool, yeah
New glist’ sittin’ on the cyst on my wrist, yeah
New bitch ridin’ on my dick like a kit, yeah
All of them days when I paid for the studio rate, instead of the rent, yeah
Now I can hang in this bitch every day, wait for some inspiration to hit me
Look like I’m dressed for a hike but I really look like I’m in Paris and shit, yeah
Look like I’m dressed for a camp ’cause I’m pitchin’ a bag like I’m pitchin’ a tent, yeah
This ain’t no fuckin’ hopes and dreams, it’s prophecy
Hardly sleep, faith was in the coffee bean
Roman numerals, niggas pourin’ up Ivy Leagues, fours
Double D’s exposed, throw some beads
Fuckin’ these hoes, leave, now my fuckin’ flow’s stole
Screw me slow, yes
Ooh, he TX, XTC rollin’
You seen my bag, it’s swollen, Rimowa, I can’t even fold it
I drop you a pin like I’m bowling
We moanin’ ’til not even mornin’
Breakfast and dinners is blendin’, we spend all that time alone, alone
Watchin’ the clouds roll, woah
Just got a pack, came from the DHL
Just got up with a pack
I got a pack, came from the DHL
Just got up with a pack
I got a pack, woah, a pack, yeah
Just caught up with a pack
I got a pack on DHL
Just caught up with a pill
There it is, woo
Dhl, just got up with a pack
I got a pack, came up on DHL
Just came up with a pack
I got a pack, came up on DHL
Just caught up with a pack
I got a pack, came up on DHL
Just got off with the pack
Independent jugg, sellin’ records out the trunk
I’m already rich as fuck so the product’s in the front
Got my partner in the front, been my BF for a month
But we been fuckin’ from the jump
Frank Ocean has always been a purveyor of the enigmatic, layering his songs with labyrinthine lyricism and a subdued yet profound delivery. ‘DHL,’ a track from his enigmatic corpus, stands as a testament to his ability to amalgamate seemingly disparate themes into a cohesive, compelling narrative.
The song’s title itself alludes to a global delivery service, hinting at themes of exchange, transmission, and perhaps something more personal being conveyed beneath the surface. As listeners embark on this journey to unravel the denser meanings within the bars, we delve deep into Frank’s psyche and the song’s sonic universe.
The Strain of Unreciprocated Devotion
‘Love that I, love that I give / That is not love that I get from you.’ These first lines set a tone of imbalance in passion and affections in a relationship dynamic. Ocean’s trademark vulnerability surfaces here as he opens up about the one-sided nature of love, a recurring motif in his work.
The struggle with the recognition of uneven emotional investment lays bare the human desire for equitable love. It’s a trenchant reminder of Ocean’s own experiences with love and longing, a theme that is relatable yet profoundly personal.
Catching the Symbolism Behind the Packaging
References to ‘DHL’ and receiving packages become a leitmotif, symbolizing not just the arrival of something new but possibly alluding to hidden aspects of Ocean’s life – the delivery of his truths, music, or even aspects of his identity. The repetition creates a sense of anticipation and repetition, as if waiting for something meaningful to transpire.
Moreover, the delivery imagery may play into themes of clandestinity and discretion, as packages can both contain and conceal, serving as metaphors for the parts of ourselves we parcel out to the world, curated and sometimes kept secret.
A Profusion of Pop Culture and Personal References
Frank Ocean’s lyrics are never shorn of cultural context or personal anecdotes, and ‘DHL’ is fraught with nods to contemporary culture – from shoutouts to Starbucks to the utilitarian Amazon. These anchor the song in the present day while exposing the omnipresence of commercialism in modern life.
These specific references also draw attention to the intertwining of the mundane and the profound in daily life, how a simple act of receiving a package can ignite a flood of emotions or memories, both trivial and substantial.
The Recursive Nature of Creativity and Its Fruits
‘Old files just turned two’ suggests a revisiting of past creations, implying the cyclical nature of an artist’s work. Ocean might be referencing his unreleased music or creative cycles, touching on themes of patience and the gestation period that preludes the revelation of new art.
This line, paired with the phrase ‘still sound like it’s comin’ soon,’ plays with fans’ expectations and the music industry’s tendency towards hype. It’s a wry nod to how unreleased work can amass an almost mythic status before it even reaches the audience.
Vivid Imagery and Memorable One-Liners
‘Roman numerals, niggas pourin’ up Ivy Leagues, fours / Double D’s exposed, throw some beads’ – here Ocean crafts an image that’s both vivid and cryptic. The juxtaposition of academic success with party imagery conjures a feeling of youthful recklessness mixed with ambition.
Ocean employs this rich, dense imagery throughout ‘DHL,’ creating lines that linger long after the song ends. They are reflections on success, desire, and the constant push and pull between public persona and private life. Each lyric serves a dual purpose: to evoke and to provoke thought, leaving listeners suspended in a liminal space between understanding and mystery.
