Frankly Speaking: Ocean Tried to Save Ye From the MAGA Abyss
Long before Ye was dressing like a mid-level boss in a Tarantino film and throwing lyrical Molotovs at half the industry, Blonde architect Frank Ocean tried to stage an intervention — political edition.
When Frank Ocean Became a One-Man Political PAC
In a recently streamed Tokyo session with producer Digital Nas, Kanye West recounted a house visit from Ocean shortly after Trump‘s 2016 win. According to Ye, the Channel Orange singer came bearing no guitars or hooks, just a strong distaste for Donald Trump and, apparently, a faint hope that Ye might listen to reason.
“Frank Ocean’s pussy ass came over to my house talking about Trump all day,” Ye ranted. “N-gga, fuck you know about politics?!”
Now, sure, it wasn’t a West Wing-level debate, but credit where it’s due — Frank showed up. He didn’t tweet subtweets or pen a moody op-ed in The New Yorker. He walked into Ye’s lion’s den of luxury furniture and unchecked ego and attempted to drop some civic sense. That’s either bravery or an acute underestimation of Kanye’s ability to turn everything into performance art.
Ye, in typical form, wasn’t feeling the outreach. “None of you n-ggas can tell me about politics,” he fumed. “I’m the greatest muthafucking artist that ever existed.” He also suggested that no one — including Frank — is on his level unless they’re winning Grammys in their sleep while simultaneously redesigning the human genome. Or something.
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Ocean’s Still Waters Run Deep (And Quiet)
Ocean has yet to respond, keeping with his status as R&B’s James Baldwin-meets-Banksy. Still, it’s worth remembering that the man who sang “We all try” did, in fact, try — and tried in person. That deserves a slow clap and a standing ovation from at least one NPR podcast.
Ye vs. The World (Again)
Of course, Frank wasn’t the only artist to catch strays. In his DJ Akademiks sit-down — while wearing what can only be described as a canceled Halloween costume — Ye also took aim at JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and even his own wedding guest list. He blamed “Moon,” his Donda track, for ending Frank Ocean’s career, saying Frank heard it and “never made another album again.” Because apparently, making music after Kanye drops a song is now forbidden?
Moral of the Story?
Frank Ocean may not have changed Ye’s mind, but he gets a gold star for effort. He walked into a fire and tried to talk climate change. That’s courage — or at least, the kind of civil disobedience that deserves its own Blonde 2 interlude. For a palate cleanser may I suggest a great Frank song:
