Frank Ocean's Blonde is projected to sell 225 to 250 thousand units in its first week. He's doing it as an independent artist.
A source close to Ocean has informed Pitchfork that his Endless visual album “fulfills Frank’s obligations to Def Jam and Universal." The source confirmed that Blonde was self-released.
This appears to be a savvy move on the part of Ocean, who has both immense popularity and the trust of the public. The release of Blonde came less than 24 hours after that Endless. While Def Jam was listed in the credits of Endless, the Blonde credits merely mentioned Boys Don't Cry.
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Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean No Longer Signed To Def Jam, Self-Released "Blonde"