Telefone

Album Summary

This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.

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 appearances from Saba, Ravyn Lenae, Raury, and Smino among others. The mixtape was met with universal acclaim. Pitchfork ranked opening track "Yesterday" as the 37th best track of 2016. 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. 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." Telefone was released to rave reviews from fans and critics. The Guardian called it "nostalgic, intricate coming-of-age hip-hop." Pitchfork called it a "stunning debut" and gave the song "Diddy Bop" their "Best New Track" honor.