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14 Years Ago Today, This R&B Icon Released a Stunning Debut That Critics Compared to the Beach Boys’ Genre-Defining Album ‘Pet Sounds’

14 years ago today, Frank Ocean released his masterful debut album, ‘Channel Orange’, after quietly building up his name behind the scenes.

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Frank Ocean was one of the hottest names in music before he even released an album. Behind the scenes, he was a wizard of a songwriter for R&B artists as Lonny Breaux. Everyone from Justin Bieber to Brandy to John Legend to Beyoncé wanted a piece of his artistry. For a while, he was content with being an in-demand composer who could relish the money and the anonymity. But he wanted something more.

Meeting Tyler, the Creator, and Odd Future reinvigorated his passion for music. Meeting legendary producer Tricky Stewart got his foot in the door at Def Jam to become a solo artist. But after years of feeling neglected by the label, Frank Ocean........

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