Frank Ocean's Album Drops a Week Early (BLOG, LINKS)

Frank Ocean seems to be gaining just as much publicity for his personal life as he is for his professional life these days. Just days afte...

Frank Ocean seems to be gaining just as much publicity for his personal life as he is for his professional life these days. Just days after Anderson Cooper casually came out of the closet in a letter to The Daily Beast, the hip-hop artist made some waves of his own after revealing in a letter on his Tumblrthat he had a relationship with a man. Since then, Ocean has received overwhelming praise for his brave declaration among his fellow musicians, including none other than Miss Beyoncé herself.

The pop star recently posted an ode to the 24-year-old singer on her blog, celebrating his decision to open up about the situation to the world. "Be fearless, be honest, be generous," begins Beyoncé's free-verse poem. "Be brave, be poetic, be open, be free, be yourself, be in love, be happy, be inspiration." Not only is it great to see other musicians supporting each other in such a powerful way, but this little number also makes us remember just how much we love this fierce singer and miss her dynamic vocals. Can we see another album in the near future? Please?

Speaking of albums, Beyoncé isn't the only one producing lyrics these days. Aside from his personal publicity, Ocean (in a clever business move) debuted his latest album Channel Orange on iTunes Monday night — one week early from its July 17 hard-copy release. And it's already getting rave reviews. The Huffington Post describes the album, saying: "No two tracks on Channel Orange are the same, but all of them are expertly and fully produced.... As a result, the album rings with maturity — even on tracks where Ocean considers his own insecurities. He knows how to let a song breathe (a la Jay-Z) before approaching the microphone."

Complex states that one of Ocean's tracks "Too Many" recalls "Elton John's 'Bennie and the Jets,'" which is most certainly a compliment if there ever was one. Meanwhile, URB sings Ocean's praises by remarking that "the album stands testament as a clear depiction of what it means to be an artist during the current evolution of hip hop and music in general." Even MTV admitted that the album "has certainly lived up to expectations," making his debut tracks a standout hit.

Click here to listen to the full album on Ocean's Tumblr site.