Frank Ocean is like the Avatar— when the world needed him most, he disappears. On July of last year, he boasted that his next studio album was complete and ready to drop; but July came and went…and we still had no album, leaving his fans dumbfounded. No explanations, no press releases—silence.
Since Channel Orange’s release in 2012, Ocean has appeared on Hov’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, Beyoncé’s self-titled album, Kanye’s Yeezus & The Life of Pablo. In Summer 2015, Frank Ocean was scheduled to headline FYF Festival in Los Angeles, but was replaced by Kanye West only a week prior to the event; leaving everyone (including myself) looking for answers. That event (shoulda, coulda) would’ve been Frank’s first time gracing a big stage since his Coachella and Grammy appearances in 2012-2013.
Breaking Down the Build Up to “Boys Don’t Cry”
Sure it’s been four long years since Frank Ocean has released an album, but why is this so significant in comparison to other artists of his caliber? Why have we not given the same attention to Jay Z, who has not put out an album for three years.
The biggest difference is absence. Frank Ocean’s appearances have been few and far between. Aside from the 2014 Met Gala, we have rarely seen the man behind the masterpiece known as Channel Orange. He dropped the first single titled “Memrise” the same year, but the album was continuously pushed back and has only had scattered features on a few albums; begging the question: “Where’s the album, Frank?!”
It’s August 5th– the most recent rumored drop date of Boys Don’t Cry and we still do not have an album. Probably because Frank is still in the woodshop… Will we be forced to continue listening to Channel Orange, Nostalgia/Ultra and Lonnie Breaux much longer, or nah?
