Frank Ocean has spilled his guts on the last year in a rare interview with the New York Times. It’s not often that the singer speaks publicly, and that’s no accident. “Sometimes I’m fascinated with how famous my work could be while I’m not so famous,” Ocean says at the beginning of the conversation. It’s something he clearly thinks about a lot.
On the appeal of anonymity, Ocean says he’s “super-envious of the fact that Daft Punk can wear robot helmets and be one of the most famous bands in the world, while also understanding that will never be my situation. It’s too late.”
“I’ve gotten used to being Frank Ocean. A lot of people stopped me on the street when I hadn’t put music out in a while, literally would yell out of an Uber, “Frank, where the album?”
Despite winning two Grammys in 2013, Ocean has chosen to spurn the prestigious ceremony this time around — and didn’t even submit his music for consideration. “It just doesn’t seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down.”
“I think the infrastructure of the awarding system and the nomination system and screening system is dated. I’d rather this be my Colin Kaepernick moment for the Grammys than sit there in the audience.”
Ocean’s fans will know that Blonde took a lot longer than expected to come out before finally dropping this year, and Ocean goes some way to explaining what kept the record in the holster: “Sometimes I want to talk on a song and be angry, because I am angry. Then there’s always a part of me that remembers that this record lives past my being angry, and so do I really want to be angry about that?”
As for what comes next, Ocean is quick to point out that he’s the one in control.
“Because I’m not in a record deal, I don’t have to operate in an album format,” he said. “I can operate in half-a-song format.”
The 29-year-old also toys with exploring his talents beyond music, saying: “I believe that I’m one of the best in the world at what I do, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to be,” he said. “It’s more interesting for me to figure out how to be superior in areas where I’m naïve, where I’m a novice.”
“It just doesn’t seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down.”
Rich gay kids from L.A? Thats your agenda is to push your homosexuality towards the public. If he never came out he would be just another dust ass r and b singer. Usher better then this clown anyway
He’s from new Orleans for one. And in terms of growing up with an abundance of money as compared to other inner city folks, he still is urban. And historically, the Grammys have been representing the urban music terribly. As far as usher, he doesn’t do the same thing frank does, two different genres almost. Hence. Frank is better at what frank does.
But he is rich and gay and lives in L.A. Now. Your point?
I love both artists, however Usher is a better singer with better range. Especially old Usher, he could sing his ass off. Now it’s more poppy, at times almost EDM with some of his songs. Regarding his stance, I don’t really agree. When it comes to the “urban” (which you really mean black) categories, black people tend to win. However there is a wide range of music that is not “urban”, not sure how many black ppl are vying for country album of the year. Not saying there aren’t times when race is a factor, I’m sure there are, but not every time a category has no black nominees or no black winner is one of those cases.
pretty much he wants attention.
I bet if there was a big, hard white dick on stage he would be there.
Never been a Frank Ocean fan and honestly never even heard any of his music before but based on reading this interview, he seems to be honest and taking a stand for what he believes so i don’t quite understand all the hate in the comment section? Am I missing something here?
what is he even protesting? what a vague non-answerer
Yea but how could he possibly change what he thinks is unfavorable, if he doesn’t submit his music? This is exactly a Colin Kaepernick moment. Kaep knelt for the anthem for change, but all that did was draw attention to Kaep and other people not standing. Nobody talked about what he wanted them too…then he doesn’t vote. That’s something that could actually change things, but he couldn’t be bothered. And voting isn’t just about the POTUS, there’s other things to vote on as well. You can’t put effort into things that can’t change anything and then slack on the things that can and call it the same thing. Ocean should’ve submitted the music and if he won, then that’s the biggest statement he could’ve made, but now he just sounds like a whinebag