Frank Ocean’s been a popular topic of late—which might help explain why the R&B singer just dropped his new album a week early.
Photo by Karl Walter/Getty Images for Coachella
The Odd Future-affiliated artist, whose recent announcement that he had a romantic relationship with another man created some controversy in rap and R&B circles, released debut album Channel Orange digitally after the 24-year-old appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. While physical copies won’t be in stores until next week, fans are already praising the varied album, which features appearances by John Mayer and Andre 3000.
Ocean, who has written songs for Beyoncé and Justin Bieber, as well as sang with Kanye and Jay-Z, has been hailed as a huge musical talent—and more recently, an artist willing to challenge the stereotypes and prejudices of the genres he works in. Whatever people think of his sexuality, debate might be trumped by Ocean’s album—it’s already looking like a viral hit.
