Frank Ocean Responded To His Father’s $14.5m Lawsuit

In February it was revealed that Frank Ocean's father, Calvin Cooksey, was suing his son for libel. The lawsuit stemmed from an essay Ocean published on Tumblr in 2016 shortly after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. "I was 6 years old when I heard my dad call our transgender waitress a faggot as he dragged me out of a neighborhood diner saying we wouldn't be served because she was dirty," Ocean wrote at the time. Cooksey denied the allegations. He said the accusation "damaged his financial opportunities in film and music" and demanded $14.5 million. Cooksey also referenced his son's relationship with "devil worshiper," Tyler, The Creator.

Yesterday, May 10, TMZ reported that Ocean and his legal team filed their official response to Cooksey's lawsuit. Ocean said his essay “speaks for itself” and denied the majority of Cooksey's allegations, saying they’re “statements of opinion, and thus not the proper subjects of a libel claim.” Ocean asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed and that his father cover all of his legal fees. Ocean's full complaint against Cooksey can be seen here.