Frank Ocean
Everything about this young man is cool. His demeanor, his music, and even his name yell controlled cool. He stands out even moreso because of the crew with which he’s affiliated, known for being somewhat out of control. But then there’s Frank Ocean, he of the much talked about EP Nostalgia, Ultra. He of the production credits on the 4 and Watch The Throne projects. He of the laid back, California vibe he gives off both while on stage and with every note he sings.
All of this at the ripe age of 24. Yes. . . 24.
It was the old school vibe of his songs that caught my attention. Layered beats that suggested that he was older than he was. That, combined with his gift of storytelling, would have you believing that he’s a veteran in the game. Alas, he really is that young, and yet his music is that mature.
The maturity made me a fan. He seems to have his head on straight and thus far has made a lot of the right decisions. His full length project should be out early in 2012, and the leaks that have surfaced on the internet suggest that it’ll be chock full of goodness.
One of my favorite songs from Ocean, which didn’t appear on the Nostalgia project, was the much buzzed about “Thinking About You.” Just a dope track that, ironically, has a video. Check it below, and then get familiar with Ocean. He’s a bad boy.
A Few of My Favorite Things 2011
#12–Bandwagon: The Webseries
#11–The Voice
#10–Derek Jeter’s 3,000th Hit
#9–Community–’Paradigms In Human Memory’
#8–Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest
#7–Childish Gambino
#6–KING
#5–Heavy D.’s Performance On The BET Hip Hop Awards
#4–Awkward Black Girl: The Webseries
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