Spotify is now such a big part of the music hitmaking community that it has its own awards show. The inaugural edition of the Spotify Secret Genius Awards went down last week, with billions of streams worth of artist success coming together under one roof to honor some of the industry's biggest and brightest names. Artists like Max Martin, J Kash, Starrah, PARTYNEXTDOOR and others were among those collecting some hardware from the streaming genius on this special night. However, one figure in particular was given an extra-bight spotlight to stand under, accepting the Legendary Genius award from one of R&B music's most unique voices.
Frank Ocean, the enigmatic singer whose last full-length release dropped last year, was on hand to present the first-ever incarnation of this prestigious award to Rick Rubin, the Def Jam co-founder and legendary producer. Keeping his introduction short and sweet, Ocean words to Rubin were excited: “Come get this thang!” The famously bearded exec accepted the honor from Ocean with grace and class, giving the singer a big hug and later took pictures with the blonde singer backstage. You can check out a video clip from the awards ceremony below, courtesy of Spotify.
Rubin not only helped the growth of hip-hop as a commercially viable genre of music through his work with Russell Simmons in the early days of Def Jam, but also later established himself as one of the most respected and trusted producers in the game. His involvement in the Beastie Boys' License To Ill album led to his widespread acclaim in 1986, successfully blending rap vocals with rock-influenced instrumentals and proving to the music consuming public that rap, as a popular style of music, was here to stay.
Ocean recently enjoyed a milestone of his own, ringing in his 30th birthday with the help of his closest friends, which include Tyler, The Creator. The theme, taken from the film Paris Is Burning, was of the "drag queen" variety, with flamboyant costumes on full display, especially during a contest that gave bragging rights to the best dressed men and women who were in attendance.
Congrats to Rick Rubin on the well-deserved award!