When Frank Ocean dropped his single “Provider” this past week, I was, again, reminded why Ocean is an artist like no other and an artist we should all be listening to.
A New Orleans native, Ocean came to prominence with the release of his mixtape nostalgia,ULTRA. He was inspired to create the mixtape after Hurricane Katrina caused so much devastation to his hometown.
The name of the mixtape is fitting, making you long for the past. Along with how the mixtape makes you feel, it also samples songs that are familiar to most. With samples ranging from Coldplay to the Eagles to Mr. Hudson, every genre feels touched, giving the mixtape an almost universal feel.
Channel Orange, Ocean’s debut album, was the follow-up to nostalgia,ULTRA, and Ocean did not disappoint. Topics ranged from unrequited love, sex, drug use, and even police brutality, making no subject matter seem inappropriate. But to the disappointment of many of his fans, it would be another 4 years before we would get more music from Ocean.
It wasn’t until 2016 that Ocean released his second studio album titled Blonde, and many would probably agree that it was well worth the wait. What stood out to me the most about this album was the imagery that Ocean’s lyrics provided and the lasting impression they leave on the listener. To me, these are the things that make Frank Ocean an artist like no other.