His first performance was in collaboration with Odd Future at the 2011 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where he later joined them for their first tour across the east coast of the United States. Ocean first appeared in Tyler, the Creator's music video for the single " She", from Tyler's debut studio album Goblin (2011). The mixtape made Ocean widely known and led to his collaborations with rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West. In April 2011, Ocean stated that his relationship with Def Jam had strengthened since the release of the Nostalgia, Ultra. Rolling Stone magazine's Jonah Weiner wrote that Ocean was a "gifted avant-R&B smoothie". NPR's Andrew Noz said Ocean's songwriting is "smart and tting him apart from the pack". The mixtape focuses on interpersonal relationships, personal reflection and social commentary. On February 16, 2011, Ocean self-released the resulting mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra online for free. Ocean felt neglected by the label, and began working on a mixtape on his own without their input. In late 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped him sign a writing contract with Def Jam Recordings. His friendship with Odd Future member Tyler, the Creator reinvigorated Ocean's songwriting. He adopted the stage name Frank Ocean and joined Los Angeles-based hip hop collective Odd Future, whom he had met in 2009. But that's not why I moved away from school and away from family." 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. After getting a songwriting deal, Ocean wrote songs for artists including Justin Bieber, Beyonce, John Legend, and Brandy. In less than three years, he established himself as a songwriter under the name Lonny Breaux. In 2006, Ocean moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career, working at various fast-food and service jobs to support himself. Career 2006–2011: Career beginnings, Odd Future and Nostalgia, Ultra He stayed there for a brief time before dropping out to focus on his music career. However, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005, destroying his home and personal recording facility and forcing him to transfer to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. After graduating from John Ehret High School in New Orleans in 2005, Ocean enrolled in the University of New Orleans to study English. When he was five years old, he and his family relocated to New Orleans. Ocean was born on October 28, 1987, in Long Beach, California.
Encompassing experimental, soul, and psychedelic music, the album received widespread critical success. Blonde debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was nominated for Album of the Year and won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards, while the album's hit single " Thinkin Bout You" garnered Ocean a nomination for Record of the Year.Īfter a four-year hiatus, Ocean released the visual project Endless (2016) to fulfill contractual obligations with Def Jam, before self-releasing his highly anticipated second album Blonde (2016) a day later.
Drawing on electro-funk, pop-soul, jazz-funk, and psychedelia, Ocean's debut album Channel Orange (2012) was one of the most acclaimed albums of 2012. In 2011, Ocean released his critically successful debut mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra and subsequently secured a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings. Ocean began his musical career as a ghostwriter, prior to joining the hip hop collective Odd Future in 2010. Ocean is credited with pioneering and popularizing alternative R&B, and is known for his intermittent and experimental musical approach. He has been described as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, and is recognized for his idiosyncratic musical style, introspective and elliptical lyrics, and wide vocal range. Christopher Breaux (born October 28, 1987), known professionally as Frank Ocean, is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper.