This was a big week for coming out like it ain’t no thing. Frank Ocean is an up and coming r&b/hip-hop singer right on the cusp of mainstream possibility. Which is why it was pretty damn brave of him to reveal that his first true love was a man. Ocean posted what were intended to be some liner notes to his upcoming album on his Tumblr.
“4 summer ago, I met somebody. I was 19 years old. He was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. Everyday almost… Sleep I would often share with him. By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. There was no escaping. I don’t know what happens now, and that’s alrite. I don’t have any secrets I need kept anymore… Thanks to my first love, I’m grateful for you. Grateful that even though it wasn’t what I hoped for and even though it was never enough, it was… I feel like a free man. If I listen closely… I can hear the sky falling too.”
Deep.
It’s no secret that the hip-hop community has never been the most accepting about alternative sexuality (“no homo”), but maybe this is the start of something big. Or just something.
– J. Harvey
This dude is a genius. His album comes out on the 17th, I urge everyone to listen to “nostalgia, ULTRA” and see if you like him.
The Hip Hop community is rife with homophobia so this is a very defining moment. I wish him luck. I know I will be downloading his album when it comes out cause he is going to need every bit of support. He is changing Hip Hop and it is about time.
Well said. I may not be the biggest fan of this style of music, but I love how you worded the need to show this guy support by buying his album. I think I might just do the same. It is indeed about time and bravo to him for being the vanguard within the Hip Hop world.
Hear, hear. Frank’s entire note on his Tumblr is heartfelt and well-written. This is a huge step, I would say bigger than Anderson Cooper’s coming out. Above all, he is an amazing artist. His free mix tape was one of the best albums of 2011 and I can’t wait for his studio debut to drop later this month. Hopefully, the people who have no idea who he is will hear this and check out his music. The outpouring of support that he has received is really encouraging, especially from the hip-hop community.
I know I will be buying his album and I don’t care much for hip hop.
I have no idea who he is.
JHarv — you should embed a song or two. People hear hip hop and think rap. He’s no rapper and has a fantastic voice.
Well then learn who is and support him.
Agreed!! The guy has a fantastic voice! J, possible vid to post…”There will be no tears.” One of my favorite songs!
I’m happy for him. I love his NOSTALGIA album, it’s brilliant. He might be surprised to find that he has a 51 year old fan who’s white and silver-haired. Or maybe I’ll get lucky.
If he were your age and had written this exact same beautiful, heartfelt confession, this blog would sit back as everyone called him a creepy cougar pederast – provided gay spokespeople weren’t doing that themselves.
Frank a great artist period! Good 4 him…Check him out on youtube.com you will be glad you did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpUyyhtNxj0&feature=related
Frank Ocean.
A trailblazer. A journeyman. A true lyricist. An artist. A pioneer. A hero.
I’m so happy he did. A lot of negativity was on twitter about it. Guys were really trying to “assert their dominance.” But I’m bi and black and he’s an inspiration to me already. The only bi person I had was Billy Joel Armstrong and in rock world its way more accepted.
We would?