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Jay-Z was not wrong when he said that Frank Ocean wasn’t playing to anybody’s rules. Ocean is considered a pioneer in alternate R&B and his music has impressed even the likes of Jay-Z and Brad Pitt. Ocean won the Best Urban Contemporary Album Grammy for his debut albumChannel Orange. His second album,Blonde, was critically acclaimed for its experimental approach.
Ocean hasn’t released a full-length album since his 2016 hit and his live comeback after six years at Coachella was a big disaster. Fans await to see his third studio album despite the singer not releasing that much music since the launch of his fashion brand Homer.
Jay-Z Showered Praises Upon Frank Ocean’s Music
Jay-ZidentifiedFrank Ocean‘s talents way back when he was yet to release his first studio album. Ocean worked on the 2011 collaborative album between Jay-Z and Kanye West, titledWatch the Throne. He co-wrote and featured on the songsNo Church in the WildandMade in America, the former of which won the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.
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The Roc Nation founder was full of praises for Ocean when he appeared on a Twitter Space hosted by Alicia Keys. He went on to claim that no one could take on Ocean in aVerzuzbattle. He appreciated the singer for creating rules for himself that didn’t fit the format defined by the industry. He shared on the Space (via NME):
You know, the success has to be like Frank Ocean. Now obviously, you know, he’s super popular, but I wouldn’t say that he’s playing by what were the industry rules. He’s playing by his own set of rules – he’s making music that he wants to make, and it doesn’t fit a format.
He further shared that Ocean made music that wasmuch better than anyone else. Jay-Z shared that theThinkin Bout Yousinger did not make music that hit billion streams but made some of the best music out there. He shared:
He doesn’t have songs on there that fit pop radio or that make it [to] a billion streams; he just has music that’s better than everyone else. And that’s what has to be the goal going forwards. And I don’t want to say [he’s] better than everyone in terms of competing with music, I’m just saying, like he has some of the best music that we’ve ever heard.
Keys also agreed with Jay-Z about Frank Ocean’s sheer talents. However, Ocean went largely silent after making such a huge cultural impact.
Frank Ocean Created Two Critically Acclaimed Albums
Frank Ocean signed to Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist in 2009 after beginning his music career as a song ghostwriter. In 2011, he released his first major project as a solo artist, his mixtape titledNostalgia, Ultra. It had two singles,NovacaneandSwim Good. He has also written songs for singers like Brandy Norwood, John Legend, Beyoncé, and Justin Bieber.
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In 2012, Ocean released his first studio albumChannel Orange. It received critical acclaim, with particular praise for its lyrical content. Five singles were released from the album,Thinkin Bout You,Pyramids,Sweet Life,Lost, andSuper Rich Kids. He came up with his visual albumEndlessafter a four-year hiatus in 2016, effectively ending his contract with Def Jam.
His second studio album,Blonde, was released independently the next day. The songsClose to YouandSeigfriedin the album were a favorite ofBrad Pitt. TheFight Clubactor discovered R&B around this time right after his separation from Angelina Jolie. He shared withGQthat it helped with the pain, revealing that Frank Ocean was one artist he was listening to. He shared:
I’ve been listening to a lot of Frank Ocean. I find this young man so special. Talk about getting to the raw truth. He’s painfully honest. He’s very, very special. I can’t find a bad one.
After releasing the two singlesDear AprilandCayendoin April 2020, Frank Ocean has been largely absent from the mainstream music scene. While some fans are waiting for the singer to release his third studio album, others are of the notion that Ocean might be done with music for the time being.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
