Frank Ocean

Chris Brown’s Biggest Scandals: From Frank Ocean To Rihanna

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Controversy swirled around Chris Brown this week, with reports of violence at his 34th birthday bash. It’s claimed that the R&B artist and his entourage attacked Usher, despite their close ties. No confirmation or video evidence has yet been made available as to what happened, though many stories exist. Most are left wondering what truly transpired, but rumors claim the altercation may have been sparked by a defense of another person reportedly wronged by Brown: Teyana Taylor.

Once an adored R&B teen superstar likened to Michael Jackson, Chris Brown’s public persona changed drastically when he committed a battery charge against his then-girlfriend Rihanna. In the years since, charges of assault and battery against women have severely tarnished his image. Here are some of Chris Brown’s scandals.

6.  Parking Space Altercation With Frank Ocean

For any rational individual, it is inconceivable that Chris Brown would resort to violence over something as trivial as a parking space. Yet, that was said to be the circumstance between him and Frank Ocean. The feud reportedly began when Brown attempted to leave the recording studio and found his car blocked. In response, Ocean took to Twitter to allege he had been “jumped” by Brown and his entourage. As a result, he reportedly sustained an injury to his finger, impacting his Grammy performance. Moreover, reports allege that Brown also resorted to homophobic language during the altercation.

5. Karreuche Tran’s Abuse Allegations

HOLLYWOOD, CA – OCTOBER 20: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Recording artist Chris Brown (L) and model Karrueche Tran attend Teyana Taylor’s VII listening event presented by Def Jam, GOOD Music and MVD Inc at Siren Studios on October 20, 2014 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/WireImage)

Court papers reveal that Karreuche had accused Brown of threatening and having inflicted physical abuse while they were romantically involved. In response, a judge issued an order requiring Brown to stay 100 yards away from Tran, her mother, and her younger brother. Furthermore, he was not allowed to contact Tran. Additionally, she reportedly provided text messages dating back to 2016 demonstrating his threats, including promises to ‘beat her up’ and make her life a living hell. Furthermore, she attested that Brown once punched her in her stomach twice “years ago” and pushed her down a flight of stairs. The pair had been engaged in a turbulent on-off relationship since 2011.

4. Getting Kicked Out of Rehab

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 15: Singer Chris Brown attends a progress hearing at Los Angeles Superior Court on January 15, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Brown was first placed on probation after the 2009 domestic violence case in which he plead guilty to assaulting his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson – Pool/Getty Images)

Chris Brown’s stint in rehabilitation for anger management issues came as a surprise to many. Nonetheless, the singer saw it as an opportunity to avoid prison time. Though, he allegedly lacked the discipline to adhere to the conditions of his stay. Not only was he said to have been subjected to a two-foot rule separating him from all women, but he was also found to have left the premises without permission and initially refused to submit to a drug test upon his return.

3. Accused of Threatening a Woman With a Firearm

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 30: Chris Brown is interviewed backstage at Power 105.1’s Powerhouse 2014 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on October 30, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for Power 105.1)

As the saga of Chris Brown scandals continues, the status of his current case remains uncertain. One of his scandals involved an alleged assault with a deadly weapon against a woman in his home. In a misguided attempt to defend himself, Brown posted a now-deleted video on Instagram, where it was clear that he was far from sober. This did little to ameliorate the situation. He denied the accusation, stating that “every three months y’all come up with something.” Yet, one could argue that it is his own behavior has caused so much uproar. It is difficult to say what will come of Brown’s current predicament. However, at this point, it is certain that he needs a legal team standing by at all times.

2. Phone Snatching

Chris Brown has been accused of “robbery by sudden snatching” following an altercation with a fan. Reports suggest that upon exiting the club, Christal Shanae Spann attempted to take a photograph of Brown through his car window. In response, he purportedly yelled, “B*tch, you not gonna put this up on no website,” wrenching her phone away and driving off. An arrest concerning this incident could have resulted in a probation violation and jail time.

1. Rihanna’s Abuse

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 10: Chris Brown and Rihanna attend the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)

It’s no secret that Chris Brown and Rihanna were once a beloved couple in the music industry. However, their relationship quickly took a dark turn when Brown physically assaulted Rihanna. Reports state that he punched her multiple times, bit her, and choked her, leaving her bruised and bloodied. Then, pictures of her injuries circulated online, prompting uproar.

Despite being the victim of this heinous incident, Rihanna’s personal and professional life hasn’t been tarnished. However, she has had to constantly face the repercussions of social conversations. Brown’s fans continue to defend him, stating he has grown since that time. Of all Chris Brown scandals, this one has to be the one with far-reaching consequences on his career.

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Kanye West Throws YZY Free Show w/ Frank Ocean’s Music Blaring

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Kanye West George Floyd

Kanye West continues to break down barriers and create history in the worlds of music and fashion. Earlier this week, on Monday, Ye hosted a private, super low-key fashion show for his Yeezy Season 10 collection. The event was called “YZY FREE,” and what transpired was not what you’d expect.

According to Highsnobiety, the Chicago native didn’t reveal any clothing or new fashion designs, as expected from his previous fashion shows. Instead, the spotlight was a group of skinhead models wearing skin-tight white t-shirts paired with black pants.

Deemed a “free exhibit,” the festivities were held inside an empty warehouse on Melrose Ave in West Hollywood, California. Rare footage shows some models holding candles as “Self Control” by Frank Ocean blared through the speakers.

While Kanye himself wasn’t present for the show, a photo was seen of himself and his wife, Bianca Censori, preparing for the event earlier that day. Ye was rocking a throwback Umbro Manchester United jacket paired with black leggings (interesting).

While no clear details have surfaced about the YZY FREE being the actual YEEZY SEASON 10 fashion show, this seems to be a good enough teaser to hold fans over. Information on the event was shared to Kanye’s fan pages. This follows Kanye’s previous Yeezy Season 9 fashion show that took place in Paris at the end of last year, where he got dragged for wearing a t-shirt that read White Lives Matter.

The post Kanye West Throws YZY Free Show w/ Frank Ocean’s Music Blaring appeared first on The Source.

Revisiting Odd Future’s Members And Their Influence

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Odd Future and its eclectic members arrived at the perfect time. The iconic LA-based group’s rise coincided with a tidal wave of internet counterculture that begin to seep through the younger generations. The hip-hop collective formed in 2007 around its leader, Tyler, The Creator. Deciding to forego his jobs at Starbucks and FedEx, his rebellious attitude quickly propelled the collective to stardom. Sporting ski masks while strolling down the left side of sidewalks, the group’s image was primarily associated with a steadfast desire to go against the status quo.

Behind the chaos is a quiet architect who managed to keep it all together. That man was Christian Clancy, Odd Future’s manager. At the time, Clancy had recently departed Interscope Records, where he was working with rappers such as Eminem and The Game. Becoming tired of rinse and repeat nature of major labels, Clancy had planned “to hike the Himalayas, do yoga, chill the f**k out.” However, his inspiration was re-vitalized when he watched the music video of Tyler, the Creator’s “French.” Essentially, the video sees Tyler unleashing mayhem amidst a menacing verse. While the talent was utterly unhinged, Clancy was eventually able to hone in on the potential of Tyler and the collective as a whole.

Odd Future’s Impact Went Beyond Music

Tyler The Creator & Odd Future in 2011.
(Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images)

Music was solely one aspect of the entertainment value of Odd Future’s members. Their empire included Loiter Squad, an online radio station, and an iconic line of street fashion. The collective has grown immensely since their respective teenage days. Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator would blossom into worldwide superstars, each creating genre-defining records such as Blonde and Igor, respectively. Lyrical virtuoso Earl Sweatshirt forged strong ties with budding underground acts from New York, helping spearhead a new wave of East Coast hip-hop. The comedic minds of Yung Taco, Jasper, and Lionel Boyce have had successful careers on the film screen.

Still, the group’s founder, Tyler the Creator, questions the influence of Odd Future. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, he stated, “I still don’t even know the impact we had on a generation. I just lived in it. We were just doing our thing and being us. I don’t think I know how much deeper it goes aside from some people wearing certain shirts.” It’s a fair point to raise, as a glance back into their influence can sometimes feel more like a fever dream rather than a trend-setting revolution, especially when considering the “riots” they supposedly incited.

The Group Spearheaded a Digital Era Of Sound

Odd Future members at SXSW 2011.
(Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images)

The impact of Odd Future’s members went beyond influencing fashion or influencing chaos. The group’s refusal to fall within certain creative boundaries inspired a generation to be fearless, or express themselves in as authentic a manner as possible. The DIY nature of their work inspired a slew of artists that succeeded them. Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Yachty were no longer waiting to sign a deal as they were blowing up on Soundcloud. Clairo and Kali Uchis were recording their songs on cheap mics at home. Odd Future, in essence, made un-polished creative work cool again.

Their influence was heightened by their innate connection with the digital era of sound. This isn’t NWA selling tapes out of the trunk. Rather, this was a technologically sound group of teenagers who had an innate knowledge of how to get their message out to millions. The group was constantly uploading to Tumblr and YouTube, whether producing beats or skateboard videos around Los Angeles. In many ways, Odd Future’s marketing inspired many other creatives to outsource their product in a unique manner. Now, musicians weren’t just releasing a new single. They were armoring their enterprise with a clothing line or an impromptu chain of YouTube videos.

Odd Future Celebrated Self-Expression

Odd Future’s impact challenged surface-level societal interpretations of what Blackness should look like. Each member brought a distinct vibe to the table that managed to be both polarizing and unifying. By being unapologetically themselves, they inspired teenagers and young adults to step out of the societal box they were put in. The group was a prime example of how anyone can still win when they go against the grain.

Similar to many creative ventures, legacy is often the biggest tell of how influential a piece of art really was. In Odd Future’s case, their influence clearly goes beyond what Tyler, the Creator may believe. While the group’s individual members now distance themselves from their teenage personas, they’ve influenced a new generation of creatives who still bump tracks such as “Oldie” and “White” to this day. While the likes of Pharrell Williams and Kanye West inspired them, they laid the creative foundation for a more experimental era of hip hop expression.

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Filmmaker Hit With A Cease-And-Desist By AEG Over Unauthorized Frank Ocean’s Coachella Performance Footage

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Frank Ocean On The Streets Of Los Angeles 2019
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Coachella 2023 was one for the history books. The beloved music festival in the desert had several high points, including Blackpink and Bad Bunny’s record-setting performances. However, the fallout from Frank Ocean’s seemingly disappointing return to the event is far from over.

Although the “Novacane” singer took the stage for the first weekend, he dropped out of his headlining performance set for the second weekend, which reportedly cost the organizers millions in profits. While Ocean admitted that his solo set was “chaotic” because it had been years since he graced the stage and the live stream was pulled at the last minute, those attending the festival took out their phones to record the performance on social media.

Despite not attending Coachella, according to Variety, Los Angeles-based filmmaker Brian Kinnes was hit with a cease-and-desist by AEG, a festival partner, over unauthorized footage from Ocean’s set. “I’m just combining what’s already publicly available,” Kinnes told the outlet.

Supposedly, Kinnes sourced around 450 Ocean videos posted online over 80 hours. Then Kinnes allegedly sent the best audio clips to a sound engineer to create the final audio file.

“Essentially, [AEG’s] claims are pretty frivolous and almost completely baseless,” said Kinnes as he states, “[I] did not plan on making a single penny” from the video.

AEG disagrees. Although the performance was supposed to be streamed live on YouTube for free, it was not. If it was, the exclusive rights to the footage from Coachella belong to AEG. AEG’s notice demanded that Kinnes “remove and destroy all audio and video content of musical performances from the Festival…failure to do would lead to further legal action.” Kinnes’ footage has since been removed.

However, this isn’t the first time Kinnes has pulled videos across social media of festival footage. In 2017, he created a video of Ocean’s 2014 FYF Fest performance, which was also removed from the internet. Kinnes defends his creations, citing legendary hip-hop group Beastie Boys’ fan-shot 2006 concert film Awesome; I F*ckin’ Shot That!

Diplo Is ‘Not A Huge Fan’ Of Frank Ocean And Thinks Coachella ‘Might Be Having A Hard Time Booking Headliners’

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Diplo 2023
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Coachella continues to be the defining music festival of the year, but if you ask Diplo, when it comes to headliners, there’s something to be desired.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said:

“I think they honestly might be having a hard time booking headliners. There’s not much left. We kind of left the era of great superhero acts, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Daft Punk. Their [2006 Coachella set] was the most epic show. Now they book acts like Bad Bunny and Blackpink, who are cool, but they’re just the most Top 40 there is. It’s almost like they’re stadium acts.

[Coachella producers Goldenvoice] have a hard time, because I think there’s not a lot of really culturally relevant new acts. I saw Labrinth. That was amazing. I think that represents real Coachella. He’s part of the zeitgeist. But the rest of it just felt like they had to scramble to find things that were cultural touchstones, but also could bring a big crowd in.”

He then noted that he’s not big on Frank Ocean (but did say he “has one of the best voices I’ve ever heard”) and speculated that “he just doesn’t really care about shows”:

“I don’t think Frank Ocean’s concert needs to be the best or worst anything. It was a show where the ice rink didn’t work and that’s all it needs to be. I didn’t see his show, because I’m not a huge fan. It’s probably a generational thing. I think I was a little older when Frank Ocean came out. I was in my 30s. He has one of the best voices I’ve ever heard. I really think he just doesn’t really care about shows. I think that’s Coachella’s fault. He doesn’t really care about his fans, to give them a concert. I don’t think it matters. He’s just a musician. Some people just don’t care.”

Diplo, meanwhile, is heading into a weekend at Stagecoach, another Goldenvoice festival.

Read the interview here.

Joe Budden Explains Why Frank Ocean Is A “Scammer”

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Joe Budden is one of the biggest names in the hip-hop podcast space. Overall, the former Slaughterhouse rapper has built a massive platform. He is not afraid to speak his mind, and consequently, he is a polarizing figure. That said, he always has some interesting takes that force fans to tune in every week. Subsequently, fans were very excited about what he would say in regard to Frank Ocean. Ocean put on a turbulent performance at Coachella that was ultimately cut short. Furthermore, he ghosted fans for Week 2, which left a sour taste in a lot of people’s mouths.

On a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, the former artist revealed his thoughts on the whole thing. Overall, he believes this is in line with who Ocean has always been. “Frank Ocean is a scammer,” Budden explained. “He’s a scammer for the way he got out of his [Def Jam] Universal contract. I think most of the scams are genius. He’ll always wear the scammer tag for me. That fucked up a lot of artists, he didn’t care. Lost a lot of artist revenue streams, took Apple out the game, he didn’t care.”

Joe Budden Speaks His Mind

Additionally, Joe Budden had quite a bit to say when it comes to Frank Ocean refusing to truly say if a new album is on the way. For the most part, Budden believes a lot of new artists are too arrogant, and it is disrespectful to the fans. “I’d smack the shit out of you!” Budden said. “What the fuck are you talking about, you fucking idiot?! Everybody is here for your stupid ass who ain’t put out music in ages, and you can’t even confirm if there’s new music coming?! The arrogance of these n****s, yo.”

These are some very strong words, however, if you know Budden, then this should come as no surprise. However, we’re sure there are some fans who feel this way. They just wouldn’t say it in such exuberant language. Let us know what you think of Joe’s take on all of this, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sneaker world.

Frank Ocean’s Expensive Coachella Ice Skating Rink Was Used After All During Skrillex, Fred Again.., And Four Tet’s Set

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Skrillex Fred Again Four Tet Coachella 2023
Skrillex

The end of Coachella’s second weekend didn’t look how organizers originally planned. After Frank Ocean pulled out of his second performance after an ill-fated first weekend, Blink-182’s set was moved to Sunday (April 23) and Skrillex, Fred Again.., and Four Tet were brought in to follow them and close out the festival.

Ocean scrapping his second performance reportedly cost the festival millions of dollars, but Goldenvoice and the electronic trio made use of one particularly expensive asset.

Last week, Billboard reported the festival was “trying to make the best out of the millions of dollars spent on building a giant ice pad that was supposed to accommodate over 100 skaters during Ocean’s set last Sunday,” and that “the Goldenvoice team is working out how to incorporate it into another yet-to-be determined performance.” Another report from the publication indicated the trio would use the ice skating rink as a satellite stage of the main stage and perform in it.

Indeed, that is what happened: Skrillex, Fred Again.., and Four Tet made a stage (ice-free) out of the ice skating rink and people loved it.

This stage setup allowed fans to surround the performance area, which drew some SpongeBob Squarepants comparisons:

Check out some clips from the performance below.

Coachella Reportedly Scrap Frank Ocean Ice Rink

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Frank Ocean has loomed large over Coachella 2023, despite only spending about an hour playing at it. After injuring his leg in the week leading up to Weekend 1, Ocean’s bizarre behavior overshadowed the festival’s first weekend. He was late to his own set, only performed for an hour, and didn’t even livestream what little he did perform.

Then came the shocking announcement that just days before the second weekend was due to kick off, Ocean had pulled out. In response, Coachella has been forced to shell out millions to replace his Sunday night performance. Furthermore, they have been left with the dilemma of what to do with the giant ice rink they had built for his set. Due to liability issues, they were unable to open it as a public rink. Instead, Coachella’s organizers hoped that they would be able to incorporate it into another performer’s set. However, as Coachella 2023 reaches its final day, this doesn’t appear to be the case.

Leaked Photos Show Scrapped Rink

According to TMZ, Coachella has chosen to scrap the rink rather than repurpose it. Sources informed the outlet that the 100 skaters hired for the set had been informed Thursday that they would not be performing during Weekend 2. Instead, they would receive payment for rehearsals and their Weekend 1 performance. There is no word of where the ice rink is currently. However, it has likely been moved off-site for a more private dismantling. Coachella has not officially commented on the rink.

TMZ also obtained footage of the ice rink during rehearsals. According to sources, security was incredibly tight as Ocean wanted the ice as pristine as possible for his performance. This may be due to the unverified rumor that the ice would reveal an image of Ocean hidden beneath the surface. This may also explain why Coachella ultimately chose to scrap the prop entirely. It wouldn’t make sense for, say, GloRilla to showcase Ocean’s face. Ocean was replaced by blink-182 as well as a new closing act from Skrillex, Four Tet, and Fred again… Coachella’s final day begins at 12pm PDT, with sets from Eric Sanchez and Minus the Light. Other major performers on the final day include GloRilla, WILLOW, Latto, and Noname.

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