R&B star Frank Ocean's highly-anticipated second album is reportedly due out on Friday (05Aug16).
The Thinkin Bout You singer, who hasn't released an album since 2012, has been hinting at a new record since last year (15), but has yet to deliver fresh material. He gave fans real hope of its release in the beginning of July (16), when he hinted that Boys Don't Cry would be out before the end of the month.
After there was no sight of Ocean's new effort on Sunday (31Jul16), frustrated fans stormed social media alleging the star had falsely led them on once again.
But on Monday (01Aug16), Ocean assured fans new music was on the way by posting a cryptic live video stream on his website, showing an Apple Music-sponsored black-and-white video feed of a warehouse.
While Ocean gave no further detail on the mysterious post, sources tell The New York Times that Apple bosses have secured rights to his Boys Don't Cry album, which will exclusively be released via Apple Music on Friday.
In addition, insiders tell the newspaper the digital record will also include a "major video", while a print publication, also named Boys Don't Cry, will be available at Apple stores.
Fans without a subscription to Apple Music will have to wait two weeks before his album becomes more widely available.
Although Frank has been privately working on his new sounds, a few of his close associates have had the opportunity to listen to some of the unreleased tunes, and Ocean's good friend Chance the Rapper thinks people will be blown away by the tracks on Boys Don't Cry.
“I am good friends with Frank. His new album is amazing,” Chance The Rapper told Complex in a video interview published in May (16). “No-one is really able to find Frank when Frank goes away, literally no-one, not just publications. I know he’s away making a masterpiece."
Ocean's debut effort, Channel Orange, was critically acclaimed and nominated for six Grammys, landing one win for best urban contemporary album.
