Super Rich Kids

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"is exactly as the title suggests; Frank’s view on the children of parents who have inherited massive trust funds without the grasp of what a huge responsibility it is and the good they could do. From expensive cars to a different woman every night, the alleged social elite stumble through a charmed existence where the real world is buffered from them and then they breed a new generation with the same attitude. The track also contains brief glimpses into what he perceives as an alternative view of loneliness and isolation where all the super rich want is a love that’s not about money or anything material." [18]

"Super Rich Kids" is described by Muso's Guide as "a contemporary version of a Jay McInerney novel," [19] and by The Independent as "something Carole King knocked out in the 1970s." [20] HipHopDX.com said that "at no point are the lyrics judgemental. If anything they’re compassionate." [21] The song also takes samples from Marvin Gaye 's "Got to Give It Up", and a reference to the 1970s sitcom Good Times (the "Dy-no-mite!" catchphrase of the character J.J. Evans).

Critical reception

The single received acclaim from critics. Sound and Motion magazine said that it "could easily be listened to repeatedly or just set on in the background for an evening's entertainment." [18] Muso's Guide said the song "could be viewed as one of those tail end singles from a brilliant album that doesn't stand strong on its own (Can anyone remember 'Until The End of Time' from FutureSex/LoveSounds or 'Broken-Hearted Girl' from I am ... Sasha Fierce?). Ocean, proving his talent as a songwriter, and a jaded voice for this frustrated introspective generation is able to find something profound from a superficial world." [19] The song became an Editor's Pick on djbooth.net. [4]

Critical reactions of the song in reviews of Channel Orange were also positive. Time called the track a "stand out, tying together the album’s two themes of class and love." [22] Billboard , in a track-by-track review, said that "the steadiness of the beat is immediately familiar but wholly fresh – it's like Ocean snatched 'Benny and the Jets' and threw the composition down a trap door into another universe." [23] No Ripcord said that "it's so incongruous against the crass commercialism and consuming greed that pervades so much of popular culture that it's astonishing." [24]

Complex listed Earl Sweatshirt's appearance in the song number 15 on their "25 Best Guest Verses of 2012". [16]

In other media

The song appeared on the Gossip Girl episode "Monstrous Ball", along with four other Frank Ocean tracks: "Lost", "Pyramids", "Sweet Life" and "Thinkin Bout You". [25] The song also appears as the seventeenth track on the soundtrack for the film The Bling Ring [26] and on the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies. The song was also covered by Misha B. [27]

Lawsuit

In 2014, record label TufAmerica filled a copyright lawsuit against Vivendi and Universal Music Group for the sampling of Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" in "Super Rich Kids". This was because, according to the lawsuit, the sample included a sample of "Impeach the President". [28]

Charts

"Super Rich Kids"
Super Rich Kids.jpg
Single by Frank Ocean featuring Earl Sweatshirt
from the album channel ORANGE
ReleasedMarch 11, 2013 (2013-03-11) [1]
Recorded2012
Genre
Length5:05 [2]
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Malay
Frank Ocean singles chronology
"Lost"
(2012)		"Super Rich Kids"
(2013)		"Nikes"
(2016)

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [33] 2× Platinum140,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [34] Gold45,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [35] Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [36] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. 1 2 R.Kelly & Justin Bieber Hang Out Like Besties + Prince Drops New Music "Screwdriver" + Frank Ocean's Next Single "Super Rich Kids". The YBF. January 23, 2013. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  2. ↑ Channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean. iTunes. Accessed from October 29, 2013.
  3. ↑ Frank Ocean - Super Rich Kids Sheet Music - Download and Print. Musicnotes.com. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  4. 1 2 Frank Ocean - Super Rich Kids. djbooth.net. Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  5. ↑ Himmelman, James (February 7, 2013). Frank Ocean Can Fly. The New York Times . Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  6. ↑ Ocean-ography. GQ. December 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  7. ↑ Frank Ocean Debuts "Super Rich Kids". Rap Radar. November 16, 2011. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  8. ↑ Frank Ocean’s ‘channel ORANGE’ Tour Rolls Into L.A. (Video). Rap Up. July 18, 2012. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Singles Release Diary". Digital Spy. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  10. ↑ Hamm, Ryan (July 20, 2012). Frank Ocean: Channel Orange (Def Jam). Under the Radar. Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  11. 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (July 11, 2012). "Frank Ocean: Channel Orange – review". The Guardian . Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  12. 1 2 Richard, Chris (July 10, 2012). "Music review: Frank Ocean's 'Channel Orange'". The Washington Post . Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  13. ↑ Youssef, Sobhi (July 15, 2012). Frank Ocean - Channel Orange. SputnikMusic. Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  14. ↑ Calvers, John (July 3, 2012). The Future's Bright: Frank Ocean's Channel Orange Track-by-Track. The Quietus . Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  15. ↑ Lee, Christina (May 4, 2013). Michael Buble Sings Frank Ocean’s “Super Rich Kids”: Watch. Idolator. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  16. 1 2 Andrew Martin, Ernest Baker (December 29, 2012). 15. Earl Sweatshirt on Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids". Complex . Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  17. ↑ Billings, Lake (July 18, 2012). Frank Ocean: Channel Orange. Paste. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  18. 1 2 Single Review: Frank Ocean feat Earl Sweatshirt- Super Rich Kids. Sound and Motion Magazine. March 21, 2013. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  19. 1 2 Wink, Richard (March 1, 2013). Single Review : Frank Ocean – Super Rich Kids. Muso's Guide. Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  20. ↑ Price, Simon (July 15, 2012). Album: Frank Ocean, Channel Orange (Def Jam). The Independent . Accessed from June 2, 2012.
  21. ↑ Reyes, Jon (July 13, 2012). Frank Ocean - Channel Orange. HipHopDX.com. Accessed from June 1, 2012.
  22. ↑ Locker, Melissa (July 10, 2012). Frank Ocean Pours His Heart Out on Channel Orange: Album Review. Time . Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  23. ↑ Frank Ocean, 'Channel Orange': Track-By-Track Review. Billboard . July 10, 2012. Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  24. ↑ Rivers, Joe (August 6, 2012). Frank Ocean: Channel ORANGE. No Ripcord. Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  25. ↑ D. Kennedy, Gerrick (November 8, 2012). 'Gossip Girl' to feature songs from Frank Ocean's 'Channel Orange'. Los Angeles Times . Accessed from June 2, 2013.
  26. ↑ 'The Bling Ring' Soundtrack: Sofia Coppola Film Features Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Phoenix. The Huffington Post. May 17, 2013. Accessed from June 1, 2013.
  27. ↑ Bridgewater, Paul (March 27, 2013). Watch Misha B in session covering Frank Ocean’s ‘Super Rich Kids’. thelineofbestfit.com. Accessed from July 10, 2013.
  28. ↑ Gardner, Eriq (February 10, 2014). "Hollywood Docket: Frank Ocean Sampling; 'Happy Birthday' Litigation; 'Hobbit' Settlement". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  29. ↑ Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update – 16.03.2013 (Week 10)". zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  30. ↑ "2013-03-16 Top 40 R&B Singles Archive". Official Charts Company . Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Frank Ocean - Chart History: R&B Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Frank Ocean – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Singles Accreditations Report - March 2024" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Frank Ocean feat. Earl Sweatshirt – Super Rich Kids". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  35. ↑ "British single certifications – Frank Ocean feat. Earl Sweatshirt – Super Rich Kids". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  36. ↑ "American single certifications – Frank Ocean – Super Rich Kids". Recording Industry Association of America.

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