With all the controversy surrounding his sexuality
Frank Ocean finally revels the thing that's most dear to him...his artwork! He may
NEVER gets the public's full acceptance now that he's prematurely outed himself due to a
"him" mentioned in a lyric. But he's probably want you to accept his music. Dude is
TALENTED!
Frank takes Musiq's vocal styling,
Prince's detailed story telling,
Stevie's vision, but his own makes them all
HIS own! He'll never be remembered as the great vocalist of our time, but he's a
BEAST with his lyrics! I wished...I'm sorry
PRAY that more artist take is lead and create something outside of
"stripper slow jams." The album sorta reminds me of when I first heard
Andre' 3000's (do does a guest spot on the album)
Love Below release, but not as funky.
Channel plays out like a sonic journal/diary that you happen to come across and read.
OR a laid back part two to his
Nostalgia, Ultra joint. I.E. it'll be a while maybe on a road trip /airplane cross country listen that you get the canvas
Ocean is painting. You may have to stand further back to see the bigger picture. Allow me to breakdown what you're expected to hear. [
SPOILER ALERT]
1.
START -no lyrically album intro of him starting up a
Playstation3 as his
iPhone message alert goes off in the background. I can't make out what game he was playing though...
SORRY!
2.
THINKING OF YOU -Now
COME ON! I know you've heard this one before right? Any respectable
Frank Ocean fans should have this on there
iPod by now! Even
Bieber covered this song! You
DO know who
THAT is right?
DOPE song by the way,
Youtube heavy!
3.
FERTILIZER -10 seconds of channel surfing then a happy go 70's style song kicks in about using the sh** life hands you as well...fertilizer. Hey, it's only 40 sec. long, so bear it.
4.
SIERRA LEONE -Young teenage parents dealing with a new born basically. Short as well.
5.
SWEET LIFE -Again I know you've heard this one...like
LAST week even! Awesome
Stevie Wonder vibe on this one with the assistance of
Pharrell on production. Not sure if this is a "second single" (
Pyramids being the 1st), but I f**ks with it.
6.
NOT JUST MONEY -Eavesdropped convo from a
"mom" sounding female about finding happiness in things other than money. A perfect set up for...
7.
SUPER RICH KIDS -The
"white people with money problems" anthem. I can see the
Kardashians bumping this
HARD!
8.
PILOT JONES -The get high cut of the bunch (get it "pilot" ) more interlude than full song. It ends with a plane landing right into...
9.
CRACK ROCK -Yep another druggie song, but a precautionary one!
DOPE! No pun intended (well maybe) This is like a modern
Sly & the Family Stone joint to me. It's the drum track probably, but I'm not mad at it at all.
10.
PYRAMIDS -One of my favs off the album so far! Kinda sounds like a
Watch The Throne leftover (which
ISN'T a bad thing). It's
LONG but great from start to finish. Been singing this one in my head since it came out (...like him
LOL!) Part two of the song is dope how the flips how women went from queens living
IN pyramids to strippers
WORKING in a club called the Pyramid!
GENIUS!
11.
LOST -
Ocean's attention to detail on this would outshine any of your favorite rapper out right now! Not a stand out track to me (maybe on a second or third listen) but again...his lyrics are it!
12.
WHITE -Straight instrumental Ocean track, with
John Mayer's guitar styling on top of it basically, Nothing to see...here move along. Though I did find it funny that he would put a guy who openly said quote
"My dick is sort of like a white supremacist. I've got a Benetton heart
and a fuckin' David Duke cock. I'm going to start dating separately from
my dick." unquote, on a song titled
"WHITE" LOL. Ironic huh?
13.
MONKS -A
Frank Ocean version of a
Janelle Monae' song I feel coming from this. Again not a banger banger but I'm not hating on it. I'd rather listen to...
14.
BAD RELIGION -His
"Purple Rain" of the album. Listen for the "
I could never make HIM love me" line that started all the gay whispers. It's really short, but it's there to serve the exact purpose that it did. BTW I wonder if the "
If I'm on my knees, it's s bad religion" was a gayer line then the
"him" reference. I'm just sayin'
15.
PINK MATTER -
DOPE quiet track with a
DOPE verse from
"Mr. 3 Stacks" himself! On here he questions his sexual choices
"...pink used to be my favorite color, now its just grey matter" queer but awesome lyrical line. I even dig the duet crooning that he and Dre' do towards the end...brilliant!
16
.FORREST GUMP - the last to his bi-sexual clue dropping comes with his most blunt lyric of them all.
"Boy you forever running through my mind" If that isn't an all out declaration then you my friend have a closeted mind. I dig the sound bites of
"Run Forrest, run!" thrown in in the background...nice touch!
17.
END -Just a car radio version of
"VOODOO" (one of) my favorite
Frank Ocean tracks. which i wish was longer (hmmmph). Ending with a hazy conversation and a
"it is what it is" break up.
So ummm yeah that's it folks. That pretty much sums things up over here. I think the album is his
"emo" release like '
Ye had with
808 Heartbreak and now that "
it's" off his chest, it's be back to biz as usual. He's already proven himself twice over with his short body of work that's out there in the world. But like every
TRUE artist the music message matters first before the sale that
HOPE to get. S**t the controversy may even help him sell
MORE!
Sunday September 23rd 
Seems like lately a NEW song comes out from a current artist EVERY
Have you seen this man? If not, try looking up! He's probably 11,000 feet over your head, flying SOMEWHERE exotic, with a NICE foreign young lady, who's only 5 English speaking words are "Make love to me Mr. Hall" (well technically that's six, but who's really counting). Acadia tax man, head of the Stylistics Agency, co-founding member of the Block Association , accountant TO the accountants...He STAY collecting titles & numbers (he works well with numbers, just ask your girl)! Anyways point I was trying to make is, he's taking time from jet setting to celebrate his upcoming B'day state side...on the East coast...IN NYC this year. And would love for you to come witness in this once in a few experience. Humbly speaking. But never one to settle, it's NOT your average get together ya'll. Fashion photographer Kwesi Abbensetts has been hired to capture all fashionable attending guests that night. AND the Block Association has the honorable duty of hosting it! DJ Trauma "Your girl's favorite DJ" and Frei (of the Ahficionados) are handling the musical responsibility of making your ass move, so you know, WE WILL PARTY! The buzz is heavy on this, questions like "What car is he gonna show up in?" "Did I just see him clean his shoes with an Egyptian silk pocket square?" "He knows I was waiting for the bathroom, why this ni**er ain't flush?" These and many more questions will all be answered Saturday (April 24th). Just be there to ask! Fashion, penthouse, good music, liquor, & pictures be taken is a DEADLY combo! But if you're willing to dress up and take the risk then... RSVP:theMreport@gmail.com subject / "Paparazzi"
I KNOW it's a bit early for Black Music Month but I got a hold of a couple of goodies the I'm DYING to share with you that's on heavy rotation on my iTouch! Finally...the KING is dead Long live the King (of Neo-Soul), D'Angelo has some long awaited "leaked" tune, then Badu's dude Jay Eletronica has some heat melting yo ear wax type ish! Lastly Badu, Bilal, and LIL' WAYNE (!?) come together for her new joint...
Tonight Wax Poetics, Raw Fusion, Great Weekend, Fusicology, and Halcyon, present "I Love Vinyl", an all-vinyl oasis at the Gallery Bar at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC, featuring a dream team of "vinyl romantics".
Alright, you know EXACTLY what this is right? And if you DON'T know then you have no friends that love you enough to tell you. Anyways tonight is a night that's been a year in the making. And even if you're just NOW finding your way to this blog, I still wanna celebrate like you been in the know. I've lined up EVERY taste maker I love and respect to play host, so that you can meet the inspiration that drives me to keep this "Minority" thang moving. 'Nuff said, now let's PARTY!
Also you HAVE to make it your business to come through and pay your respect to one of the torch bearers of keepin' good music alive...DJ Spinna is having a B'day too, that I'm sure will be talked about for months long after. This is a MUST ATTEND event!
As promised I've got two GREAT choices for you to select from to plan your New Year's Eve festivities accordingly. And both are at pocket conscience prices cause we don't want you starting the New Year off broke (AND drunk)! Here's the haps;
