Franks Ocean Pens Tribute to Prince

The news of Prince’s passing on Thursday brought tributes from many, including singer, Frank Ocean who posted a lengthy letter to his Tumblr page. 

Prince Dead at 57

“I’m not even gonna say rest in peace because it’s bigger than death,” he began. “I never met the man (I was too nervous the one time I saw him) and I never saw him play live regreattably.”

Like most fans, Frank thought he had time to see the incredible artist take the stage and will now live with the stories of others and the memories of music to carry on the legacy of the “artist formally known as Prince.”

Celebrities React to the Heartbreaking News of Prince’s Death

“I only know the legends I’ve heard from folks and what I’ve heard and seen from his deep catalog of propelland fealess, virturosic work. My assessment is that he learned early on how little value to assign to someone else’s opinion of you. An infectious sentiment that seemed soaked into his clothes, his hair, his walk, his guitar and his primal scream.”

Ocean wrote of his favorite Prince music moment and tells that it will always be a memory to stick with him. 

“He wrote my favorite song of all time, ‘When You Were Mine.'” It’s a simple song with a simple melody that makes you wish you thought of it first, even though you never would have–a flirtatious brand of genius that feels approachable. He was a straight balck man who played his first televised set in bikini bottoms and knee high heeled boots, epic. He made me feel more comfortablet with how I identify sexually simply by his display of freedom from and irreverence for obviously archaic ideas like gender conformity, etc.”

Remembering Prince’s Reign as a True Fashion Icon

With sadness he closed his tribute note.

“He moved me to be more daring and intuitive with my own work by his demonstration–his denial of the prevailing model…his fight for his intellectual property–‘Slave’ written across the forehead, name changed to a symbol…an all out rebellion against exploitation. A van guard and genius by every metric I know of who affected many in a way that will outrun oblivion for a long while. I’m proud to be a Princce fan (stan) for life.”

Us too, Frank, us too.