Frank Ocean reappeared on Calvin Harris’ new song (and future summer smash) “Slide” last night, but that’s not all. Earlier this afternoon, Frank debuted his surprise new show blonded RADIO on Beats 1.
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Joined by guest hosts Vegyn, Roof Access and Federico Aliprandi, Frank played a bunch of his own music, as well as songs from Prince, Future, Migos and many more. Oh, and he interviewed Jay Z, too.
In excerpts aired from a recent conversation, Frank and Hov spoke about the state of modern radio, technology and hip-hop clubs.
Take radio for instance. It’s pretty much an advertisement model. You take these pop stations, they’re reaching 18-34 young white females. So they’re playing music based on those tastes. And then they’re taking those numbers and they’re going to advertising agencies and people are paying numbers based on the audience that they have. So these places are not even based on music. Their playlist isn’t based on music. If you think a person like Bob Marley right now probably wouldn’t play on a pop station. Which is crazy. It’s not even about the DJ discovering what music is best. You know, music is music. The line’s just been separated so much that we’re lost at this point in time.
They have to revolutionize that thing, you know, be more progressive. I think with all the technology and where we are today, it’s definitely a more efficient way to get music out. Because it’s the whole idea behind having a festival that played all sorts of music. Because no one listens to music like that – you just listen to music more than ever. Back in the days there used to be hip-hop clubs. Like, specific hip-hop clubs. Now every club is a hip-hop club. Every club is a music club. You go in there, you’re liable to hear EDM, hip-hop, you’re gonna hear some soul, you’re definitely going to hear “Poison” around 2-3 in the morning.
It’s unfortunate because with, you know, technology and everything moving forward, we should, it should be a better way that the music, the musicians, radio, and these things that are supposed to be instruments for the arts, should exist. And it shouldn’t be about advertisement. And it shouldn’t be about—so the more times, you know, someone like yourself can bypass that, it’s better for the, for the arts. And it’s better for the audience ‘cause you have to have, like, a level of discipline and just a belief to put music out in this place where not everyone can. You know, people, like, they wanna shoot for that, and then they’re making music that’s not really conditioned to who they are [Frank says “right”], who they are so they can reach a certain platform.
It’s unclear whether blonded RADIO will be a regular thing or it was just a one-off. Also a mystery is why Jay Z, majority owner of TIDAL, decided to appear on Apple Music, especially considering how he’s kept a portion of his catalog off competing streaming services.
Listen to an excerpt of Frank and Jay Z’s interview below and click here for the full blonded RADIO episode.
Playlist:
Frank Ocean – Nights
Kodak Black – Tunnel Vision
Future – I’m So Groovy
Migos – Get Right Witcha
Calvin Harris / Frank Ocean / Migos – Slide
NAO – Bad Blood
Oukast – Humble Mumble (w/ Erykah Badu)
Celine Dion – All By Myself
The Isley Brothers – The Highways of My Life
Prince – Adore
Prince – When You Were Mine
Prince & The Revolution – The Beautiful Ones
Miles Davis & Robert Glasper – Song for Selim (feat. King)
Sade – Love Is Stronger Than Pride
Yussef Kamaal – Yo Chavez
Esperanza Spalding – Judas
The Notorious B.I.G. – I Got a Story to Tell
Ty Dolla $ign – Back Up (feat. 24hrs)
Federico – Skit 1
DJ Rashad & Traxman – Lost Worlds
Frank Ocean – Pink + White
Air – Alone in Kyoto
Pixies – Hey
Dirty Projectors – Cool Your Heart
Stevie Wonder – Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away
Michael Jackson – I Can’t Help It
Nina Simone – Mr. Bojangles
Clams Casino – 32 Levels (feat. Lil B & Joe Newman)
Teen Suicide – Wild Thing Runs Free
Skit 3 – Vegyn & Driver
Aphex Twin – Flim
Frank Ocean – Self Control
Ola Pang – Glimmer
Related: JAY Z the First Rapper to Be Inducted Into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
