Back to The Best Albums of 2011

26. Frank Ocean, 'Nostalgia/Ultra'

Amazon

After joining chaos-driven collective OFWGKTA, this New Orleans-born singer changed his name from Christopher Breaux to Frank Ocean, thus embracing his role as the shadowy soul of Odd Future. With his downloadable mixtape 'Nostalgia, Ultra' (later re-released as an EP by Def Jam) this R&B warrior sent a message to the masses that he was not to be ignored. -- C.M.