Frank Ocean fired back at Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich and show writer David Wild via Tumblr on Saturday night, calling the duo “old” and branding Taylor Swift’s victory over Kendrick Lamar in the Album of the Year category at last year’s ceremony “hands down one of the most ‘faulty’ TV moments I’ve seen.”
Ocean responded after Ehrlich and Wild told Rolling Stone the rapper’s 2013 Grammys performance was “not great TV” and “faulty,” and cited it as a reason why Ocean decided to skip this year’s ceremony.
“We executed his vision knowing that it was faulty,” Ehrlich said of Ocean’s 2013 showing. “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.”
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Ocean batted away that notion on Saturday, writing, “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 ekpt 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?”
The Blonde artist previously told the New York Times he abstained from this year’s Grammys because “the infrastructure of the awarding system and the nomination system and screening system is dated.” Ocean added, “I’d rather this be my Colin Kaepernick moment for the Grammys than sit there in the audience.”
In his note, Ocean revealed he had considered participating in the Grammys’ planned tribute to Prince, 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.”
Read Ocean’s full Tumblr post below. The Grammys air Sunday night on CBS.
OK KEN (AND DAVID). AS MUCH AS I HATE TO MAKE YOU GUYS FAMOUS OR EVEN RESPOND TO YOU DIRECTLY. WE ALL DIE ONE DAY AND YOU’RE OLD SO F— IT. 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 GRAMMY PROCESS THIS YEAR? DON’T YOU THINK I WOULD’VE WANTED TO PLAY THE SHOW TO ‘REDEEM’ MYSELF IF I FELT THAT WAY? IN REALITY, I ACTUALLY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN HONORING 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. I BOUGHT ALL MY MASTERS BACK LAST YEAR IN THE PRIME OF MY CAREER, THAT’S SUCCESSFUL. BLONDE SOLD A MILLION PLUS WITHOUT A LABEL, THAT’S SUCCESSFUL. I AM YOUNG, BLACK, GIFTED AND INDEPENDENT.. THAT’S MY TRIBUTE. I’VE ACTUALLY BEEN TUNING INTO CBS AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR FOR A WHILE TO SEE WHO GETS THE TOP HONOR AND 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. 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.
