The artist explains why he’s boycotting the music awards with new album Blonde, pointing to shortage of black winners of album of the year category

In his first interview since the release of Blonde, Frank Ocean has clarified his lack of submission to the 2017 Grammys, saying: “The awarding system and the nomination system and screening system is dated.”

The musician, who has previously won two Grammy awards, said that he did not submit his No 1 record for consideration for specific reasons. “That institution certainly has nostalgic importance,” he told the New York Times. “It just doesn’t seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down.”

Frank Ocean: Blonde review – a baffling and brilliant five-star triumph Read more

Ocean noted the racial imbalance among past winners in the album of the year category, with only a handful of black artists, including Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill and Ray Charles, receiving the award in its 58-year history.

In previous years, the Grammys have been criticised for prioritising white artists in various categories. Following the 2016 ceremony, Kanye West – who has said he would boycott the next awards if Ocean were not acknowledged – also questioned the awards’ bias on Twitter. “You like your black people a certain way also,” he said. “I feel the Grammy awarding system is way off and completely out of touch.”

The Grammys reportedly contacted Ocean’s representatives during the submission period, but he never spoke to them about his decision. “I’d rather this be my Colin Kaepernick moment for the Grammys than sit there in the audience,” Ocean said, referring to the American football player who refused to stand for a pre-game national anthem in August, to draw attention to the treatment of African Americans and other minorities, and sparked a wave of similar of protests among US sports stars.

Elsewhere in the NYT piece, Ocean talks about dealing with fame and describes the process of leaving label Def Jam as a “a seven-year chess game”, as well as suggesting he might soon put music aside for other ventures.

“I believe that I’m one of the best in the world at what I do, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to be,” he said. “It’s more interesting for me to figure out how to be superior in areas where I’m naive, where I’m a novice.”