Tyler Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, The Creator, released his highly anticipated album “CHROMAKOPIA” Oct. 28 after teasing it for weeks on his Instagram. Many fans were expecting a feature from Frank Ocean, a friend and frequent Okonma collaborator, who has been missing from the public eye for years.
Ocean, an American singer-songwriter, is known as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean’s music amassed a cult following; his 2012 album “channel ORANGE” and 2016 album “Blonde” were critically acclaimed and praised for its lyrical genius and stunning melodies, making both instant classics.
Ocean and Okonma have been friends since 2009, after both joined the hip-hop collective “Odd Future.” They have since collaborated on several songs, including popular tracks like “Where This Flower Blooms” and “911 / Mr. Lonely” off Okonma’s 2017 album “Flower Boy.”
Okonma first teased the album by posting a clip of the lead track “St. Chroma” Oct. 16. Fans were quick to notice familiar backing vocals on the track, which was eerily reminiscent of Ocean.
On Oct. 21, these rumors intensified when Okonma posted the music video for “Noid” which pictured a white Ferrari. Many fans thought this was a hint to a surprise collaboration with Ocean, referencing his hit song, “White Ferrari.” On top of that, the album’s release date happened to coincide with Ocean’s 37th birthday.
Because of these rumors and theories, Okonma responded to fans in a comment on one of his posts, teasing that there would be “no features.” Instead, the features were hidden, and fans listened intently, deciphering each uncredited feature.
Many fans anxiously awaited a feature from Ocean but were left disappointed. The mysterious voice from “St. Chroma” belonged to Daniel Caesar, not Ocean as fans had hoped. The rest of the album featured artists such as GloRilla, Sexxy Red, Lil Wayne, Doechii, Teezo Touchdown, Childish Gambino, Lola Young, ScHoolboy Q and Santigold, but there was no sign of Ocean.
Although many fans were disappointed, others were more concerned about Ocean’s whereabouts. Ocean has not been seen publicly since his Coachella headliner performance in 2023, his first live performance in nearly six years.
Before this performance, Ocean had been in and out of the public eye, especially after the death of his 18-year-old brother, Ryan Breaux, in 2020. While dealing with his grief, Ocean took time away from the spotlight but had already agreed to his Coachella performance.
The singer came out over an hour late and was hidden behind a giant screen, barely visible to the audience. Ocean only performed a few of his hits and a couple of covers before abruptly ending his set early due to the festival’s curfew.
Many fans were disappointed and annoyed, some even booing from the audience and yelling that they wanted their money back. Shortly after, Ocean dropped out of the festival for the second weekend, supposedly due to an ankle injury.
Although some fans were frustrated, others were excited after Ocean hinted at new music during his performance. However, Ocean has yet to announce anything. The last additions to his discography were two singles from 2020, “Dear April” and “Cayendo.”
In 2023, Ocean was photographed in London at the recording studio, giving fans some hope a new project would drop in 2024. However, Ocean has yet to announce any music.
His Instagram feed remains empty and his whereabouts are virtually unknown. There were reports that the singer was living in Amsterdam as of June 2023, but nothing was confirmed.
Despite his disappearance, Ocean’s music catalog continues to be streamed by fans, and he still receives 36 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Whether he’s working on a new project or has retired from the industry completely, his fans remain loyal, patiently hoping the singer will drop another album.
