Clout Cobain

## Single by Denzel Curry

"**Clout Cobain**" (stylized "**CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N**") is a song by Denzel Curry, released on July 12, 2018, as the third single from his third studio album, *Ta13oo*. Over a Genius annotation, Curry addressed that the track was inspired by a fight he had with one of his friends. He continued, "I was mad at the moment and just mad at everything, and kind of sad a little bit that a friendship was over. So, it caused me to write that song in the first place."

## Credits and personnel

### Song

* Chris Gehringer – mastering
* Denzel Curry – lead vocals, writer
* Mike Hector – writer, producer
* Nathan Burgess – recording engineer, mixing
* Julian "J Gramm" Gramma – writer, producer

### Video

* Director, Editor: Zev Deans
* Producer: Wes Hager
* Director of Photography - Chris Raymond
* Creative Director - Adam Farrell
* Creative Director - Mark Maturah
* Production Supervisor - Zori Davidkova
* 1st Assistant Director - Brian Koenig
* 2nd Assistant Director - Thomas Jones

Cast
* Denzel Curry - Clown Kap
* Brendon McGowan - The Ring Master
* Leslie Barany - Concession Carny
* Sam Andoe - Camel Wrangler
* Queen Ravenden - Aerialist
* Jon Jõni - Aerialist
* Jennifer Luna Galeana - Ball Balance
* Alberto Alegria - Juggler

Crew
* Makeup Department Head - Beatrice Sniper
* Assistant Makeup artist - Nino Tyalchrelidze & Neah Williams
* Stylist - Singer Mathews
* Assistant Stylist - Simun Ismail
* Hair Department Head - Ezel Mustaffa
* Assistant Hair - Seth Yance
* Art Coordinator - Eleanor Haines
* Prop Master - Eleanor Haines
* 1st Assistant Camera - Adam Gonzalez
* 2nd Assistant Camera - Mike Belardi
* DIT - Anthony Hechanova
* Gaffer - David Anthony
* Key Grip - Adam Richlin
* Best Boy Grip - Sam Titus
* Best boy Electric - Ittai Eshed
* Set Pa - Natalia Loff
* Set Pa/Driver - Vladimer Mokeria
* Set Pa/Driver - Hawke Whitebay
* Set Pa/Driver - Mark Ward
* Julian Zerbini - Camel Wrangler Assistant
* Color Correct by Hechanova Digital

## Background

The title originates from Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana, who died from suicide. The song addresses people obsessed with popularity that they kill themselves "over materialistic stuff". Curry noted over Genius that when asked what to call the track, he responded, "Let's name is "Clout Cobain," because most people want clout for the dumbest reason. Just to get luxury cars and material, and stuff like that."

Over an Instagram story, he shared:

> Truth is, I feel weird about a lot of things and trying to give people answers to solutions when I'm still learning myself. I always focus on the negative when I shouldn't... I know you guys only want me to release music and you will receive it but as of now I'm not fucking with anything.
>
>

## Music video

The official music video premiered the same time as the song, directed by Zev Deans. It features Curry as a clown controlled by his master. The clown later commits suicide, causing the audience to boo the performance. The video for Curry's follow up single, "Vengeance", can be seen as a sequel to this, while the video for Curry's other single, "Black Balloons", is the prequel. The visual addresses what artists go through to remain in the spotlight, and criticizes record labels who focus on money-making rather than the well-being of the artists. It also speaks to the generation growing up in social media that obsess over fame that they don't look at the message of artists, merely seeing them as entertainers.

The director shared in an interview, "There was a prop gun on the set for "Clout Cobain," so I just held it in my hand while I yelled, which was very effective, actually. For a lot of those videos, it was a fan-based crowd. We reached out to fans, which is how we got so many people there for free. They already buy into the tone we were trying to set, so they had fun getting face tattoos and playing along. You watch those videos and they're really giving a lot of authentic performances."

One of the audience's reactions about the video was it being "Santanic," which amused Deans. He recalled, "When I watched the Satanic one, it was like Christmas came early. I've infused occult imagery and conspiratorial symbology in my videos, but I did nothing like that in this video. To see someone take that video and read it that way when it had nothing to do with it was hilarious to me. That was a joy to watch. [...] that Christian woman getting completely riled up about something that didn't even have to do with what she was looking for." He noted that the one regret he had about the videoshoot was the conclusion. He explained, "I didn't have someone take a picture of Denzel's dead body with their phone. The whole time you have this dynamic where he's being forced to perform as a spectacle. The audience is not listening to his message, they're staring at his shoes."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Pre-Chorus]

I just wanna feel myself, you want me to kill myself

Man, I been on my own, Lord, I'ma need some help

I just wanna feel myself, you want me to kill myself

Man, it's been so damn long, dealing with the things I've felt

[Chorus]

Suicidal doors, call it Kurt Cobain

Suwoo leather seats, like a bloody stain

I need hella bass, I need hella pain

You gon' wanna cry, I'ma make it rain

Suicidal doors, call it Kurt Cobain

Suwoo leather seats, like a bloody stain

I need hella bass, I need hella pain

You gon' wanna cry, I'ma make it rain

[Verse 1]

I don't even know what to feel, they don't even know what's real

Dry tears with a dollar bill, I'm out tryna make a mill', oh

Why you wanna take my soul? I'm yelling out, "Hell no!"

I can't even trust my friends, most of them might be foes

Watch these hoes when they say they want a lot of me

I don't know who's the one that wanna plot on me

I stay low so my demons don't acknowledge me

When I go, I know death don't do apologies

[Pre-Chorus]

I just wanna feel myself, you want me to kill myself

Man, I been on my own, Lord, I'ma need some help

I just wanna feel myself, you want me to kill myself

Man, it's been so damn long, dealing with the things I felt (Ayy)

[Chorus]

Suicidal doors, call it Kurt Cobain

Suwoo leather seats like a bloody stain

I need hella bass, I need hella pain

You gon' wanna cry, I'ma make it rain

Suicidal doors, call it Kurt Cobain

Suwoo leather seats like a bloody stain

I need hella bass, I need hella pain

You gon' wanna cry, I'ma make it rain

[Verse 2]

Know when it rains, it pours, they wanna go to war

For things that they can't afford, I gotta grab the sword, preach

I gotta thank the Lord, I gotta go record (Heat)

I wanna be fly to soar 'cause n\*\*\*as be trying to floor me

People be thinkin' that I won the lottery

So paranoid, I don't know who be plotting on me

Out of nowhere try to fight you

I'm feeling like Raichu 'cause everything shocking to me

Gotta beware of the wicked, the time will be ticking

Them n\*\*\*as still clocking on me

Lord is my witness, I handle my business

You n\*\*\*as ain't never ball blocking on me

[Pre-Chorus]

I just wanna feel myself, you want me to kill myself

Man I been on my own, Lord, I'ma need some help

I just wanna feel myself, you want me to kill myself

Man, it's been so damn long, dealing with the things I've felt

[Chorus]

Suicidal doors, call it Kurt Cobain

Suwoo leather seats like a bloody stain

I need hella bass, I need hella pain

You gon' wanna cry, I'ma make it rain

Suicidal doors, call it Kurt Cobain

Suwoo leather seats like a bloody stain

I need hella bass, I need hella pain

You gon' wanna cry, I'ma make it rain

[Outro]

Clout Cobain, yeah

Clout Cobain, yeah

Clout Cobain

## References

1. ↑ Norris, John (August 8, 2018). "Denzel Curry on His New Album 'Ta1300,' Why Kurt Cobain Is Glorified for the Wrong Reasons & His Connection to Trayvon Martin". *Billboard*.
2. ↑ Barston, Stephen (July 17, 2018). "Denzel Curry's "CLOUT COBAIN" Highlights the Difficulty of Shunning Fame". *DJ Booth*.
3. ↑ Erickson, Steve (October 18, 2018). "Music Video Director Zev Deans on Denzel Curry's "Clout Cobain," Ghost's "He Is" and More". *Studio Daily*.

Template:Denzel Curry songs