When I was introduced to Frank Ocean, it was the imagery of “ Novacane ” that caused the world to briefly stand still. He drew me in from the first Viagra popped and didn’t cease captivation until that final novocaine note. It only took that brief moment for me to see his prowess as a poet, to know his pen was special. The same qualities that attract me to lyricists draw me to songwriters: descriptive, poetic, and a way with words that warms the ears and stirs the soul. Sampha, Sonder, and Syd all dropped albums this year that made me appreciate their ear for music, their strengths as vocalists, and the potency of their pens. R&B has been good to us for the first half of 2017. With that said, the one songwriter that I have looked forward to most is a woman who made the world freeze just like Frank. Since the very first announcement of Ctrl, I have been wanting to hear from SZA . “Child's Play” is my first true memory of SZA, the song that sold me on TDE ’s blossoming