Frank Ocean Responds to Father's $14.5 Million Lawsuit

Blonde singer Frank Ocean was sued in February by his father Calvin Cooksey, filing a $14.5 million defamation lawsuit against a Tumblr post Ocean published last summer. The note, penned in response to June's Orlando nightclub shooting, alleged that Cooksey had called their transgender waitress a "faggot" when Ocean was 6 years old. "He dragged me out a neighborhood diner saying we wouldn't be served because she was dirty," the note reads.

Related | Frank Ocean Sued By Own Father in $14.5 Million Defamation Suit

Cooksey claimed his son only posted these "falsehoods" in order to secure the "financial success" of his sophomore album, Blonde, "and to ruin his father." The defamation lawsuit also called Ocean's longtime collaborator Tyler, the Creator a "devil worshiper." Today, TMZ reports that Ocean and his lawyers have formally responded to Cooksey's claims, demanding the court dismiss the case and that his father cover all the court costs.

In his answer, published today by Pitchfork, Ocean said his Tumblr essay "speaks for itself," and claims all elements of his story to be true. Ocean calls Cooksey's allegations "statements of opinion, and thus not the proper subjects of a libel claim," and ultimately argues the lawsuit is barred by applicable statutes of limitations. See Ocean's full legal response, below.