Meaning of “Crack Rock” by Frank Ocean
In his younger days, Frank Ocean accompanied his grandfather to Narcotics Anonymous’ meetings, where the latter acted as a mentor. And it was those experiences that inspired “Crack Rock”.
So in the first verse, the singer takes on the role of such an individual, and in the second he delineates some of the negative effects of having one’s life taken over by the crillz, i.e. becoming a crack addict. And interestingly, the singer uses the bridge of the song to allude to how corrupt cops are also intimately involved in the circulation of this illegal substance throughout the community.
“Hittin’ stones in glass homes
You’re smokin’ stones in abandoned homes
You hit them stones and you broke your home
Crack rock
Crack rock, crack rock”
Cops involved in the drug trade
What Ocean says about corrupt law enforcers engaging in this illegal business is very true. Over the years, in certain communities in America, there have unfortunately been instances where corrupt police officers were involved in the illegal drug trade.
In these situations, officers have abused their power and position to facilitate the distribution of illegal drugs, which significantly undermines trust in law enforcement and perpetuates cycles of crime and violence.
I never knew the deep backstory behind “Crack Rock” until I began working on this article. It’s very heartbreaking and eye-opening at the same time. I feel like it takes a real artist to transform personal, painful experiences into a song that not only resonates with many but also sheds light on a larger societal issue. Frank Ocean not just shared a personal narrative but opened a much-needed conversation about addiction and corruption.
When was “Crack Rock” released?
Frank released this on July 10th, 2012. It is one of the tracks on Frank’s “Channel Orange” album. The said album is the singer’s debut studio album. It produced a ton of hits, including:
- “Lost”
- “Super Rich Kids”
- “Pyramids”
- “Thinking Bout You”
- “Sweet Life”
Credits
Frank wrote this song with one Malay. Both Frank and Malay also handled the production of “Crack Rock”. That said, there is also another record producer with production credits on this track called Om’Mas Keith.
