Frank Ocean

Lil Uzi Vert Seemingly Confirmed A Fan Theory That ‘Eternal Atake 2’ Was Released To Get Out Of Their Label Deal

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Lil Uzi Vert 2021 Wireless Festival
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Lil Uzi Vert’s latest studio album Eternal Atake 2 wasn’t quite the project fans were expecting (justice for Luv Is Rage 3). But supporters were grateful nonetheless.

However, now that some time as past since Eternal Atake 2 hit streaming platforms, Uzi diehards have begun to overanalyze why the body of work’s arrival. According to a viral fan theory (viewable here), Lil Uzi Vert only dropped Eternal Atake 2 to fulfill their contractual obligations to Atlantic Records. Today (November 11), Lil Uzi Vert seemingly confirmed that online speculations with the help of Frank Ocean.

In their Instagram stories (viewable here courtesy of NFR Podcast), Uzi wrote “CFO” on top of a photograph of Frank Ocean performing at 2017 Parklife Festival in Manchester, UK. The upload wasn’t by happenstance.

Back in 2016, Ocean shook the industry with a groundbreaking Apple Music deal, which allowed him to exit his Def Jam contract and retain creative freedom while becoming eight figures richer (hence the “Chief Financial Office” or “CFO” caption).

Now, Lil Uzi Vert has been known to troll from time to time. So users online have taken their post with a grain of salt. However, Uzi’s previous remarks about their dissatisfaction with their label in the past has made this fan theory hard to ignore.

Eternal Atake 2 is out now via Generation Now/Atlantic Records. Find more information here.

Lil Uzi Vert Sparks Online Speculation After Dubbing Frank Ocean “CFO”

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Lil Uzi Vert has fans on their back foot. The rollout for Eternal Atake 2 was more acclaimed that the album itself. Many felt that the sequel to his 2020 album was massive let down, especially given the hype that it had accrued. Some considered it Uzi Vert’s worst release to date. Now that the dust has settled, though, fans have begun to concoct theories about its release. Lil Uzi Vert compounded these theories on the 11 of November. They posted a photo of Frank Ocean on their Instagram Story.

Frank Ocean is about as elusive as an artist gets. Nobody knows what the singer-songwriter is doing, let alone when he plans to return with a new album. He hasn’t dropped since 2016, and he didn’t even make an appearance on his buddy Tyler, The Creator’s new release. Lil Uzi Vert posting a photo of Ocean is an odd enough move without context, but the context provided made things more intriguing for fans. Over a photo of Ocean read the next: “CFO.” Lil Uzi Vert didn’t expand on how/why Frank Ocean is a “CFO,” also known “Chief Financial Officer,” but fans have concocted a theory.

Read More: Lil Uzi Vert Receives Poor First Week Sales Projections For “Eternal Atake 2”

Lil Uzi Vert Seemingly Cites Ocean As An Influence

The going theory online is that Uzi Vert took a page out of Frank Ocean’s playbook. Fans suspect that the rapper dropped Eternal Atake 2 as a means of fulfilling a record deal. Not because they felt it was a defining piece of work. Ocean employed a similar tactic in 2016, when he released Endless to complete his Def Jam deal, then turned around and dropped Blonde a day later. Uzi Vert’s evocation of Ocean, via the term “CFO,” has led fans to suspect that they are acknowledging Ocean as an influence on their label dealings.

Lil Uzi Vert’s desire to release music more frequently supports this theory. They said as much during a recent interview with Rolling Stone. “Yeah. I’m on go. I’m not even lying,” they explained. “They thought I was lying a few minutes ago. Now the tape is coming, everybody’s like, ‘You weren’t lying.’ They swore I was lying. They were cursing me out.” Time will tell if Uzi Vert decides to sign with another record label and drop, like Frank Ocean did before them.

Read More: JT Congratulates Lil Uzi Vert For “Eternal Atake 2” Despite Negative Fan Reactions

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Frank Ocean To Write New Movie & Direct It For A24

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Frank Ocean is taking his talents to film while fans patiently wait for new music. According to a Discussing Films exclusive, the 37-year-old award-winning singer will write and direct his debut feature film with popular studio A24. The rumored film is untitled, and information about it is vague, but it is reported that Waves actress Taylor Russell is in talks to star in it. A24 is known for its trendsetting films, like Talk to Me (2023), Uncut Gems (2019), and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).

Fans can review Frank Ocean’s film experience with his 2016 effort Endless, which he wrote and directed himself. The visual album was Ocean’s second album and final with Def Jam Recordings. The directing debut will expand on Ocean and A24’s relationship after he wrote a screenplay book for the 2016 film Moonlight, which won “Best Picture” at the Oscars. Frank also wrote two songs for the studio’s Waves in “Godspeed” and “Seigfried.”

Read more: Kendrick Lamar’s Leaked Verse For Frank Ocean’s “Nights” Has Fans Split

Will Frank’s Film Come With A Soundtrack?

Ocean is the latest OFWGKTA alum to join the film industry and the second to partner with A24, following last month’s announcement that Tyler, The Creator, will make his film debut with the studio in 2025. Tyler is set to star alongside Timothee Chalamet (Dune) in the upcoming film Marty Supreme. Many believe Tyler spoke the role into existence, referencing Timothee on the 2018 track “OKRA.” There is no word if Tyler will appear in Ocean’s potential feature film, but both are aligned with A24. Lionel Boyce, known as Odd Future’s L-Boy, stars in the award-winning television series The Bear. New Frank Ocean music has been hinted at throughout 2024 by the artist’s collaborators.

Ocean’s mother mentioned new music in October while celebrating his birthday. She mentioned Ocean working hard in an Instagram photo, captioned: “It’s your birthday! And you are working hard as usual but I’m gonna drag you out for cake one way or another!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY GORGEOUS SONshine.” Before the film news, fans questioned if Frank Ocean appeared on his friend Tyler, The Creator’s new album, CHROMAKOPIA. Will you check out Frank Ocean’s directorial debut when it arrives in theaters? Will we ever receive a new album? Do you want a motion picture soundtrack for the rumored film? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read more: Frank Ocean’s Mom Seemingly Hints At New Music While Celebrating His Birthday

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Frank Ocean’s Directorial Debut: Everything To Know So Far About The Singer’s Rumored A24 Movie

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Frank Ocean
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Since putting out the stunning Nostalgia, Ultra EP in 2011, Frank Ocean has only released two albums: 2012’s Channel Orange and 2016’s Blonde, both stone-cold masterpieces. (There’s also the visual album Endless, but that was mainly an opportunity to f*ck over Def Jam.) Ocean has teased that a new album might be in the works, but like another member of the Odd Future collective, he has other creative passions — including directing a movie?

Here’s everything we know about the rumored Untitled Frank Ocean Movie, as I’m going to call it for lack of an official title, including plot details and the cast.

Plot

Back in 2022, Discussing Film reported that Ocean is “looking to write and direct his own feature film,” and that “indie distributors A24 and 2AM are in talks to make it happen.”

No plot details were provided, but if a Frank Ocean-directed movie is going to end up anywhere, it’s A24. His songs are all over 2019’s Waves (“I was listening to those albums and dreaming about making this movie,” writer and director Trey Edward Shults said), and he wrote the forward to the Moonlight screenplay book. 2AM is less established, having only been founded in 2021, but the production company is building a promising track record: Bodies Bodies Bodies, Past Lives, and the upcoming (and very erotic) Babygirl.

That initial news — which, it’s worth nothing, hasn’t been confirmed by A24 — was the last we heard about Untitled Frank Ocean Movie. Until…

Cast

The InSneider‘s Jeff Sneider reported this week that Taylor Russell is “in talks” to star in Untitled Frank Ocean Movie.

The actress previously starred in Waves, so there is a loose connection to Ocean, although she’s best known for her magnificent performance in Luca Guadagnino’s cannibal romance Bones and All. Russell’s co-star in Bones and All? Timothée Chalamet, who was interviewed by Ocean back in 2018.

You can read the highlights here (the original source, VMan, doesn’t work anymore), but my favorite part is when Ocean brings up Chalamet’s high school alter ego, rapper Timmy T. “Oh, f*ck. I can’t believe you saw the statistics video. That’s embarrassing,” the Dune: Part Two actor said, to which Ocean replied, “I saw it on Ellen. I figured if Ellen’s talking about it, then it’s fair game.” (2018 was only six years ago, but it feels like 60.)

Release Date

No release date has been announced, and as someone on the Frank Ocean subreddit joked (?), “Well once Frank sees this post, he’ll probably scrap the whole project.”

Trailer

I’m thinkin bout the Untitled Frank Ocean Movie trailer… which unfortunately doesn’t exist yet. Hopefully soon!

Frank Ocean Posted A Certified Thirst Trap After Teasing That He’s Been In The Studio

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frank ocean 2019 met gala
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As a (controversial) Coachella 2023 headliner, Frank Ocean vaguely teased a new album but ensured everybody knew that it was not imminent. In November 2023, Ocean teased unreleased music for the first time since December 2021. And this week, Ocean is back to cryptically utilizing his Instagram Story.

On Monday, July 29, Ocean posted a photo showing him playing the guitar in a studio, which was perfectly summed up by someone named Jenski on X (formerly Twitter): “I know Frank Ocean was manically laughing posting that picture of him in the studio knowing damn well he’s not putting out sh*t.”

In other words, anybody still trying to predict if or when Ocean will release his first album since 2016’s Blonde is a masochist. Instead, everyone should enjoy Ocean showing signs of life publicly whatsoever.

On Wednesday, July 31, Ocean posted several times to his Instagram Story. One video showed a suited Ocean swaying back and forth while holding a coffee. The next photo is a certified thirst trap — a shirtless Ocean sticking his tongue out in a mirror selfie. Then, there’s a sunset photo, an unidentified man’s back, a steep staircase that Ocean must have climbed, and a beautiful rainbow over the ocean.

While we all helplessly wait for new Frank Ocean music, check out some of his latest posts below.

Frank Ocean Seemingly Teases New Music With Cryptic Studio Photo

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Frank Ocean is the most elusive man in music. He’s dropped two studio albums since 2012, yet both were so impactful that he still has the world waiting on release number three. Never mind the fact that it’s been eight years since Blonde. Or that his Coachella performance in 2023 was, to put it bluntly, a disaster. Frank Ocean still captivates the minds of fans. And based on his latest string of social media posts, he might be blessing fans with some brand new music.

Frank Ocean took to Instagram on July 29 to post a series of seemingly unrelated photos. The first two feature the singer on a bullet train in Japan. He’s sitting alongside Julian Consuegra, the founder of the brand Stray Rats. Ocean posted a third photo of the outside of the bullet train. Then, minutes later, he posted the photo that fans have been waiting for. Frank Ocean posted a candid shot of him holding a bass guitar and standing inside a recording studio. The pop icon is making it clear that new music is in the works, even if a release date is nowhere in sight.

Read More: Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” Cracks The Top 40 For The First Time Since 2016

Frank Ocean Has Been Teasing New Music Since 2019

Regardless of the lack of details, the IG post marks the first time Frank Ocean has referenced new music in years. The last time the singer talked about his third album was during an interview with W Magazine in 2019. It was during this profile that Ocean teased a new sonic direction. “I’ve been interested in club, and the many different iterations of nightlife for music and songs,” he explained. “And so the things I look at now have a lot to do with those scenes: Detroit, Chicago, techno, house, French electronic.” It’s unclear whether the club influence is still being applied to more recent recording sessions.

The good news, though, is that we recently got confirmation that Frank Ocean is working. The R&B singer’s frequent collaborator, Michael Uzowuru, shed light on the lengthy recording process during a recent profile with the New York Times. Uzowuru didn’t get too specific with Ocean’s master plan (of course), but he did confirm that recording sessions have been going on in Miami, Florida. Frank Ocean failed to provide any captions or context for his Instagram posts, but fans are definitely hopeful that the tease will yield a new album. At the very least, a new single.

Read More: Tyler The Creator Speaks On Frank Ocean’s Elusive Nature During Coachella Set

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Frank Ocean Producer Reveals He’s Working On New Music In Miami

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Is there a more enigmatic man in music than Frank Ocean? It’s rhetorical. No, there isn’t. The R&B icon has continued to defy expectations in ways both impressive and frustrating. He’s kept a low profile since his disastrous Coachella performance in 2023. No new music has materialized since, with many fearing that a long-awaited third album will never come. Well, there’s some good news on the horizon. According to Michael Uzowuru, Ocean’s longtime collaborator, the singer is in fact working on another album.

Uzowuru was recently profiled by the New York Times. His resume is staggering, as he’s worked with the likes of Solange, Kevin Abstract, Beyonce and Vince Staples just to name a few. That being said, his most lauded work may be with Frank Ocean. The two men worked closely on the joint 2016 releases Endless and Blonde. Michael Uzowuru served as a co-writer and producer on several tracks across the albums. If anybody knows anything about new Frank Ocean music, it’s him. And he blessed fans with some exciting info regarding the next album.

Read More: Frank Ocean’s Mother Reacts To “Blonde” Landing On Apple Music’s Best Albums Of All Time List

Frank Ocean’s Next Album Is Inspired By Dance Music

Michael Uzowuru, who also has solo music, did not provide any concrete details. In fact, he isn’t quoted as saying Ocean’s name specifically. The New York Times does note, however, that Uzowuru is working on new music with Ocean as we speak. Both artists are holed up in Miami. That’s all we get. It isn’t much, but it’s the most we’ve gotten since the aforementioned debacle at Coachella. If Frank Ocean’s previous statements are to be trusted, than the music he’s making in Miami is influenced by house.

During a 2019 profile with W Magazine, Frank Ocean shed light on his musical obsessions. He told the outlet that he’d been inspired by time spend in nightclubs. “I’ve been interested in club, and the many different iterations of nightlife for music and songs,” he explained. “And so the things I look at now have a lot to do with those scenes: Detroit, Chicago, techno, house, French electronic.” Electronic influence can be heard on the latest batch of Frank Ocean singles. By latest, of course, we mean “In My Room” and “DHL” from 2019. Hopefully Michael Uzowuru’s update leads to something concrete. The producer’s signature sound, meanwhile, can be heard on the recent Donald Glover show Swarm.

Read More: Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” Cracks The Top 40 For The First Time Since 2016

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The Jay-Z And Kanye West Song In The Epic ‘Gladiator II’ Trailer Is Making People Go ‘Wild’

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paul mescal gladiator
Paramount Pictures

There’s a lot to love about the Gladiator II trailer.

Paul Mescal‘s muscles. Pedro Pascal in a fighting pit. Denzel Washington’s laugh. Director Ridley Scott still killing it at 86 years old. The Roman Colosseum being filled with water (!) and sharks (!!!). And — if you’re a normal person — the anachronistic use of “No Church In The Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West, ft. Frank Ocean and The-Dream.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of not-normal people out there, and they’re having a bit of a meltdown over the Watch The Throne single. There are many good reasons to object to Kanye; this is not one of them.

Here are some comments on the Gladiator II trailer on YouTube:

These are the same people who still think “rap? more like crap” is the peak of comedy (something tells me they didn’t have any issues with the Queen-heavy soundtrack to A Knight’s Tale). But instead of focusing on them, let’s turn our attention to what really matters: a great f*cking trailer.

Here’s more on Gladiator II:

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Gladiator II comes out in theaters on November 22.

Despite Online Pushback, Frank Ocean’s Mother Supports His Placement On Apple Music’s Top 100 Albums Of All Time List

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Frank Ocean 2020
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With the release of any ranked list, backlash is sure to follow. Apple Music’s top 100 albums of all time list is no exception. But, there’s one person that seems to be content with the streaming company’s opinion.

While Lauryn Hill‘s The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill secured the top spot, Frank Ocean’s Blonde wasn’t far off in the fifth slot. Despite users online’s push back, yesterday (May 24), the “Novacane” singer’s mother Katonya Breaux Riley publicly showed her support of his placement.

“This child sure knows how to make his momma proud,” she wrote. “I first said. ‘Wow, son, you are among the greats.’ But quickly retracted and said, ‘No, you are a GREAT!’ Here’s to my Frankie! 🥂🥂 ❤❤❤❤ #Blonde.”

The chart-topping project was revered at the time of its release. However, it appears things have changed in the nearly-decade following. To be clear, users aren’t upset that the body of work was mentioned, most so its ranking.

“Frank Ocean over Stevie Wonder,” wrote one user.

Not everyone disagreed. Many people have begun to rally behind Frank. “If you’re mad cause Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’ is in the top 10 albums ever by Apple Music, you definitely have never listened to the album,” chimed another.

Frank Ocean doesn’t seem to have issued a statement about the recognition.

Apple Music’s Top 10 Albums Of All Time Had Fans Astonished — And, In Some Cases, Appalled

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Apple Music has finished publishing its “100 Best Albums Of All Time” list and in the words of Bonnie Raitt, it certainly gave fans something to talk about. In particular, much of the surprise, anger, disgust, and smugness stems from the top 10, which was published today. Many fans were shocked to learn that The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill had placed higher than Michael Jackson’s Thriller, that Frank Ocean’s second album made the top ten when his first did not, and that albums by fan-favorite icons such as Mariah Carey did not make the list at all.

First off, here are the top ten albums of all time, according to Apple Music:

10. Beyoncé — Lemonade
09. Nirvana — Nevermind
08. Amy Winehouse — Back To Black
07. Kendrick Lamar — Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
06. Stevie Wonder — Songs In The Key Of Life
05. Frank Ocean — Blonde
04. Prince & The Revolution — Purple Rain
03. The Beatles — Abbey Road
02. Michael Jackson — Thriller
01. Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill

Over on Twitter (I tried the “X” thing, y’all, it doesn’t work for me), fans are making their opinions known. From arguing that there is no way Blonde is better than Songs In The Key Of Life to wondering where J. Cole was on the overall 100. Still others questioned the veracity of the entire endeavor. Check out some of the responses to Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums Of All Time top ten below and view the whole list here.