Frank Ocean’s pair of 2016 releases, Blonde and Endless, are not eligible for the 2017 Grammys. The R&B auteur released both albums before the September 30, 2016 cutoff date, but missed the deadline for submission.
Now, a source close to the situation has revealed Ocean intentionally withheld his albums from the nomination process, Billboard reports. Ocean has yet to comment on the situation.
Ocean performed at the 55th Grammy’s after winning best Best Urban Contemporary Album for 2013 landmark album Channel Orange. That same year, he, along with Kanye West and Jay Z, won the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “No Church in the Wild.”
Ocean is currently embroiled in conflict with former label Def Jam. He released Blonde without label consent, claiming the less lucrative Endless satisfied the demands of his contract.
A source close to Ocean claims Def Jam officially released Ocean from his contract prior to Blonde’s debut, the Associated Press reports. Earlier in the summer, Def Jam alleged Ocean purposely released Endless before Blonde to skirt his contract’s requirements. If proven, this would provide Def Jam potentially strong grounds to file suit against Ocean. The label’s relationship with Ocean is notably tumultuous, owing to Ocean’s excruciatingly slow production schedule.
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