''Telefone'' is the debut mixtape by American rapper
Noname. Originally announced in 2012, the mixtape faced numerous delays and was finally released four years later on July 31, 2016, as a free digital download. It features
guest appearance
In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...
s from
Saba Saba may refer to:
Places
* Saba (island), an island of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean Sea
* Şaba (Romanian for Shabo), a town of the Odesa Oblast, Ukraine
* Sabá, a municipality in the department of Colón, Honduras
* Saba (river), ...
,
Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae Washington (born January 22, 1999) is an American R&B singer-songwriter from Chicago who is currently signed to Atlantic Records and the Three Twenty Three Music Group. She is also a member of the musical collective Zero Fatigue. H ...
,
Raury
Raury Deshawn Tullis (born June 10, 1996) is an American singer-songwriter and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for his eclectic sound mixing soul, hip hop and folk. He was born and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was also a member ...
, and
Smino
Christopher Smith Jr. (born October 2, 1991), better known by his stage name Smino, is an American rapper and singer. Smino is the founder of the musical collective Zero Fatigue with Bari, Monte Booker, Jay2, and Ravyn Lenae. He is a member of t ...
among others.
The mixtape was met with universal acclaim.
''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' ranked opening track "Yesterday" as the 37th best track of 2016.
Background
Noname, then performing under the stage name Noname Gypsy, announced to fans in 2012 that her debut project would be titled ''Telefone''. Noname first gained attention through her guest feature on the song "Lost" by
Chance the Rapper
Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
from his second mixtape ''
Acid Rap'' (2013). In July 2013, ''Hypebeast'' reported that Noname's debut mixtape ''Telefone'' was "due out soon" and ''
Fact
A fact is a datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance, which, if accepted as true and proven true, allows a logical conclusion to be reached on a true–false evaluation. Standard reference works are often used to check facts. Scient ...
'' reported in August 2013 that the mixtape was "set to drop any day now". In January 2014, Noname stated that her first project ''Telefone'' would be either an
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. or mixtape, depending on if she could afford to pay for mixing.
However, 2014 and most of 2015 passed with no new information on ''Telefone''. Noname made reference to her fans anxiously awaiting the frequently-delayed project on
Mick Jenkins' "Comfortable" from the mixtape ''
The Waters
''The Waters'' (stylized as ''The Water ') is the fourth mixtape by American rapper Mick Jenkins. It was released on August 12, 2014, by Cinematic Music Group.
Background
''The Waters'' is a concept mixtape. Jenkins' lyrics are immersed in the s ...
'', rapping "Noname on the comeup, ''Telefone'' never coming out, what's the hold up? / Where you been at? Where the print at?" Noname was nicknamed the "
Jay Electronica
Elpadaro F. Electronica Allah (born Timothy Elpadaro Thedford; September 19, 1976), known professionally as Jay Electronica (stylized as J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A), is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in New Orleans, he ...
of Chicago" for managing to stay relevant despite only releasing music sporadically.
On January 17, 2016, Noname released the song "All I Need" onto
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
, featuring Xavier Omär (originally released under his previous stage name SPZRKT). On April 4, 2016, Noname shared the song "Freedom Interlude", produced by
Saba Saba may refer to:
Places
* Saba (island), an island of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean Sea
* Şaba (Romanian for Shabo), a town of the Odesa Oblast, Ukraine
* Sabá, a municipality in the department of Colón, Honduras
* Saba (river), ...
and Phoelix. In June 2016, Noname moved to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
to finalize ''Telefone'' with Saba, Phoelix, and Cam O'bi. The group used two
Airbnb
Airbnb, Inc. ( ), based in San Francisco, California, operates an online marketplace focused on short-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking. The company was founded in 2008 b ...
rentals to house makeshift studios.
That same month, Noname shared on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
that ''Telefone'' would be released in late July and feature twelve tracks.
Artwork and title
In a June 2015 interview, Noname was asked about the title ''Telefone''. She responded:
I named it ''Telefone'' because I like the idea of what it means to be on the phone with someone for the very first time and all its little intricate idiosyncrasies. From the awkwardness to the laughter or various intimate conversations you can have over the phone, I want my project to be very conversational. I want people to feel like they’re on the phone with me, getting to know me better than a text message or a tweet.
The artwork for ''Telefone'' was painted by Nikko Washington, the art director for Chicago collective
SaveMoney
Savemoney (sometimes stylized as SaveMoney or SAVEMONEY) is a hip hop collective originating in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded by Chicago rapper Vic Mensa.
Members
* Vic Mensa
* Chance the Rapper
* Nico Segal
* Towkio
* Joey Purp
* Kami
...
. Washington had previously done the cover art for Noname's tracks "All I Need" and "Freedom Interlude", but had never hand-painted a cover before. Noname asked Washington to make the cover depict the balancing act of life and death. Washington kept with this request, and painted a child as "a reflection of a young African-American child in this world right now. I tried to make her represent Noname, but not be her."
Release and reception
''Telefone'' was released to rave reviews from fans and critics. ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' called it "nostalgic, intricate coming-of-age hip-hop."
''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' called it a "stunning debut" and gave the song "Diddy Bop" their "Best New Track" honor, with Jayson Greene writing:
"Diddy Bop" is luxurious and easy and warm, a reminiscence about good times, or better ones. Her voice is in a playful and confident middle range between forestalling, singing, and slam poetry, and her lyrics carve out enough details to fill the song with an entire imagined cast of characters—jealous boyfriends griping at girls in love with Raz-B from B2K; kids nabbing twenties from their mom's purse..."
''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' called the mixtape "some of 2016's most thought-provoking hip-hop''.''"
''
Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
'' wrote that on 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
''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
'' concluded 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."
"Diddy Bop" featuring
Raury
Raury Deshawn Tullis (born June 10, 1996) is an American singer-songwriter and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for his eclectic sound mixing soul, hip hop and folk. He was born and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was also a member ...
and Cam O'bi was
Beats 1
Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), ...
's World Record on August 8, 2016.
Accolades
Track listing
Notes
* signifies an additional producer
*"All I Need" contains uncredited vocals by Phoelix and L-Boog
Personnel
Credits adapted from Noname's
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
.
*
Noname – lead vocals, songwriting
* Cam O'bi –
executive producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
, additional vocals
* Phoelix – executive producer, additional vocals (
* Akenya – additional vocals
* Cameron Boswell – audio engineering for Eryn Allen Kane
* Nick Breton – audio recording
* Elton "L10mixedit" Chueng – mixing, mastering
* Ralph Gene – drums
*
Saba Saba may refer to:
Places
* Saba (island), an island of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean Sea
* Şaba (Romanian for Shabo), a town of the Odesa Oblast, Ukraine
* Sabá, a municipality in the department of Colón, Honduras
* Saba (river), ...
– additional songwriting
* Ron Spraggins – audio engineering for Akenya
* theMIND – additional vocals , additional lyrics
* Nikko Washington – artwork
References
{{Authority control
2016 mixtape albums
Noname (rapper) albums
Jazz rap albums
Neo soul albums
Soul albums by American artists
Jazz albums by American artists