+the news

Frank Ocean launches angry tirade against Grammys producer and writer

Written by . Published: February 13 2017

Frank Ocean fired back at Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich and show writer David Wild after they panned his 2013 performance.


Ehrlich and Wild told Rolling Stone magazine the rapper’s performance was “not great TV” and “faulty,” and cited it as a reason why Ocean decided to skip the ceremony on Sunday (12Feb17).

“We executed his vision knowing that it was faulty,” Ehrlich said of the rapper's set in 2013. “And we tried to tell him that, we tried to tell his management that, we tried to tell the record label that. So, his feelings about the Grammys right now, I would imagine, probably go back to that in one way. But honestly, it wasn’t us.”

However, Ocean fired back at the duo on Tumblr on Saturday (11Feb17), calling Ehrlich and Wild "old" and slammed Taylor Swift’s victory over Kendrick Lamar in the Album of the Year category last year (16).

"Yea yea, my 2013 performance at the Grammys was absolute sh**. Technical difficulties, blah blah. Thanks for the reminder. Very much appreciated. F*** that performance, though. You think that’s why I kept my work out of the Grammys process this year? Don’t you think I would’ve wanted to play the show to ‘redeem’ myself if I felt that way?" he fired back at the duo.

"In reality, I actually wanted to participate in honoring (sic) Prince on the show but then I figured my best tribute to that man’s legacy would be to continue to be myself out here and to be successful. Winning a TV award doesn’t christen me successful. It took me some time to learn that," he added.

Dragging Taylor Swift into his angry tirade against the Grammys producer and writer, Ocean slammed the Bad Blood singer's success last year (16), when her album 1989 beat Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly to the Grammys top honor.

"You know what’s really not 'great TV’ guys? 1989 getting album of the year over To Pimp A Butterfly. Hands down one of the most 'faulty’ TV moments I’ve seen. Believe the people. Believe the ones who’d rather watch select performances from your program on YouTube the day after because your show puts them to sleep," he quipped.

Ocean concluded his post, "Use the old gramophone to actually listen bro, I’m one of the best alive. And if you’re up for a discussion about the cultural bias and general nerve damage the show you produce suffers from then I’m all for it. Have a good night."

Error! Unable to retrieve any Images!