Frank Ocean part 1

I've been delaying the presentation of today's artist until the release of his latest album. After many delays and lots of false alarms, not one, but two different albums were released by this artist during the last few days. I've managed to listen to them both, so the time has come for his presentation.

Frank Ocean was born Christopher Edwin Breaux on October 28, 1987, in Long Beach, California to parents Calvin Edward Cooksey and Katonya Breaux. When he was around five years old, he and his family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up around its local jazz scene, he did neighborhood chores and saved up money to rent studio time.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and his recording facility was destroyed by floodwater and looting. To continue recording music, he moved to Los Angeles and intended to stay for just 6 weeks but decided to stay longer and develop his music career after establishing contact with people in the industry. He recorded some demos at a friend's studio and shopped them around Los Angeles. After getting a songwriting deal, he started working with other record producers and wrote songs for artists such as Justin Bieber, John Legend, Brandy, and Beyoncé, as well as working with Nas and Pharrell Williams. Ocean later said of his work at the time, "There was a point where I was composing for other people, and it might have been comfy to continue to do that and enjoy that income stream and the anonymity. But that's not why I moved away from school and away from family." Frank joined hip hop collective Odd Future, whom he had met in 2009. His friendship with Odd Future member Tyler, The Creator reinvigorated his songwriting. In late 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped him sign a contract with Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist.

On February 2011, Ocean released his first mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, to critical acclaim. A grim-yet-loving remake of Coldplay's Strawberry Swing is the opening track. On the track Ocean sings simply of love; there are no mentions of "him" or "her," just "we."

Next on the mixtape is Novacane, which was Ocean's first single. Lyrically, the song narrates a tale of a young female dental student who makes a living doing porn and who recreationally uses local anesthetic drugs that she acquires from her place of study. The song explores themes of isolation, loneliness and a lack of feeling caused by numbness. The song received highly positive reviews from music critics and was listed as one of the best songs of the year. The single made #17 US R&B/Hip-Hop, #6 US Heatseekers & #82 in Billboard's Hot 100. It was certified gold.

Next on the mixtape is We All Try, which contains the powerful line "I believe that marriage isn't between a man and woman, but between love and love."

Swim Good was his next single, a track that explores tropes of the tragic love story and suicide. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Ocean's vocals and the song's dark subject matter.

In March 2012, controversy arose over the track American Wedding, which samples The Eagles' song Hotel California. Don Henley of the Eagles "had threatened legal action over Ocean's track", claiming that Ocean's version of the song was illegal. Frank responded with "Ain't this guy rich as f*ck? Why sue the new guy? I didn't make a dime off that song. I released it for free. If anything I'm paying homage."

In June 2011, Ocean revealed that he would work on the upcoming Kanye West and Jay-Z collaborative album, Watch the Throne. Ocean co-wrote and featured on two tracks: No Church in the Wild and Made in America. Here's No Church in the Wild:

Thinkin Bout You was released as the lead single from his debut studio album Channel Orange (2012). The song tells the story of a man yearning for commitment from an on-the-fence lover. Ocean doesn't use any gendered language except in the first verse: "My eyes don't shed tears, but boy, they bawl when I'm thinkin' 'bout you." The single was a big success in the US, where it went platinum. It was also a hit in the UK, New Zealand, Denmark, Japan and South Korea.

Just before Channel Orange's release in July 2012, news outlets and music journalists from pre-release listening events for the album raised questions about certain songs' lyrics and Ocean's sexuality. Frank addressed the rumors with an emotional response on Tumblr: "Whoever you are, wherever you are ... I'm starting to think we're a lot alike. Human beings spinning on blackness," he begins. "In the last year or 3 I've screamed at my creator. Screamed at clouds in the sky. For some explanation. Mercy maybe."

"4 summers ago, I met somebody. I was 19 years old. He was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. Everyday almost. And on the days we were together, time would glide. Most of the day I'd see him, and his smile. I'd hear his conversation and his silence. Until it was time to sleep. Sleep I would often share with him. By the time I realised I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. There was no escaping, no negotiating with the feeling. No choice. It was my first love. It changed my life."

Ocean continues, explaining how the experience made him think back on his old girlfriends and realize that the "sentimental songs" he tied to those memories felt strange. "I realized they were written in a language I did not yet speak. I realized too much too quickly." Despite admitting his feelings to his companion, his friend wouldn't tell him the same. "He wouldn't tell me the truth about his feelings for me for another 3 years," writes Ocean. "I kept up a peculiar friendship with him because I couldn't imagine keeping up my life without him."

Ocean leaves the fate of his relationship unclear and indicates that although the situation has worn on him over the years, he is thankful for it. "I was never alone, as much as I felt like it ... To my first love, I'm grateful for you. Grateful that even though it wasn't what I hoped for and even though it was never enough, it was. Some things never are ... and we were." Ocean wraps up the post by saying thanks and keeping positive in moving forward. "So thank you. All of you. For everything good. I feel like a free man. If I listen closely ... I can hear the sky falling too."

Tomorrow, we'll discuss the impact of these revelations and of the album itself, the long wait for the next one and finally the arrival of the two new albums.