So Frank Ocean Is Gay

[Saluki]

http://frankocean.tumblr.com/post/26473798723

Whoever you are, where ever you are, I’m starting to think we’re a lot alike. Human beings spinning on blackness. All wanting to be seen, touched, heard, paid attention to. My loved ones are everything to me here. In the last year or three, I’ve screamed at my creator, screamed at clouds in the sky for some explanation. Mercy maybe. For peace of mind to rain like Manna somehow.

Four summers ago, I met somebody. I was 19 years old; he was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. Everyday almost. And on the days we were together, time would glide. Most of the day I’d see him and his smile. I’d hear his conversation and his silence until it was time to sleep. Sleep I would often share with him. By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. It was no escaping, no negotiating with the feelings. No choice. It was my first love. It changed my life.

Back then, my mind would wander to the women I had been with, the ones I cared for and thought I was in love with. I reminisced about the sentimental songs I enjoyed when I was a teenager. The ones I played when I experienced a girlfriend for the first time. I realized they were written in a language I did not yet speak. I realized too much too quickly. Imagine being thrown from a plane. I wasn’t in a plane though. I was in a Nissan Maxima, the same car I packed up with bags and drove to Los Angeles in.

I sat there and told my friend how I felt. I wept as the words left my mouth. I grieved for them, knowing I could never take them back for myself. He patted my back. He said kind things. He did his best. But he wouldn’t admit the same.

He had to go back inside soon. It was late and his girlfriend was waiting for him upstairs. He wouldn’t tell me the truth about his feelings for me for another three years. I felt like I only imagined reciprocity for years. Now imagine being thrown from a cliff. No, I wasn’t on a cliff. I was still in my car telling myself it was gonna be fine and to take deep breaths. I took the breaths and carried on. I kept up a peculiar friendship with him because I couldn’t imagine keeping up my life without him. I struggled to master myself and my emotions. I wasn’t always successful.

The dance went on…I kept the rhythm for several summers after. It’s winter now. I’m typing this on a plane back to Los Angeles from New Orleans. I flew home for another marred Christmas. I have a window seat. It’s December 27th, 2011. By now I’ve written two albums. This being the second. I wrote to keep myself busy and sane. I wanted to created worlds that were rosier than mine. I tried to channel overwhelming emotions. I’m surprised at how far all of it has taken me.

Before writing this, I told some people my story. I’m sure these people kept me alive, kept me safe…sincerely, these are the folks I want to thank from the floor of my heart. Everyone of you knows who you are….

Great humans, probably angels. I don’t know what happens now, and that’s alright.

I don’t have any secrets I need kept anymore. There’s probably some small shit still, but you know what I mean. I was never alone, as much as I felt like it. As much as I still do sometimes. I never was. I don’t think I ever could be. 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. Some things never are…and we were. I won’t forget you. I won’t forget the summer. I’ll remember who I was when I met you. I’ll remember who you were and how we’ve both changed and stayed the same. I’ve never had more respect for life and living than I have right now.

Maybe it takes a near death experience to feel alive. Thanks.

To my mother, you raised me strong. I know I’m only brave because you were first, so thank you! All of you, for everything good. I feel like a free man. If I listen closely, I can hear the sky falling too.
-Frank

I was kinda surprised, not so much that he's gay, but that he had the balls to come out so publicly. Mad respect to F.O. on this.

 

[BigBucs]

Fuck that shit, that nigga aint Luther or Sir Elton...... but thats Woys/Rudis/MVPs nigga :kobe: :mvp:

 

[BigBucs]

On the real though, will be interesting to see if a Kanye/Jay or any other rapper with a name collaborates with him. This shit can take his career to new heights or end it. Tevin Campbell was done for when peoples suspicions were confirmed. Seems like unless you are one of the G.O.A.Ts (like the aformentioned Luther/Elton) you not gonna get a pass. You used to have to have some certified classics and a few years under your belt to get that pass. We shall see. More power to the dude.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Luther who?

 

[BigBucs]

Luther Vandross.

 

[BigBucs]

So dude actually sings to dudes in his music? I never listened to him to begin with but if I was a fan I couldnt see myself listening to lyrics singing to a guy.

Frank Ocean's Channel Orange doesn't hit shelves until July 17th, but BBC radio's Max caught a listen and says that Ocean, a ghostwriter for Justin Bieber, Beyonce, John Legend and also a vocal talent in his own right, basically comes out. Instead of using "her" in love songs, he blatantly uses "him".

From The Boombox:

[Ocean] has been holding listening parties all over the world, most recently in London, and after giving Channel Orange a spin, BBC 1 radio personality Max reported back on lyrics that would seemingly out Ocean as gay.

"Frank has also opened up about his sexuality on the album, we think it's brave and admire him for being so honest and sharing such a personal aspect of his life through his music," Max said. "On the songs 'Bad Religion' 'Pink Matter and 'Forrest Gump' you can hear him sing about being in love and their are quite obvious words used like 'him' and not 'her.'


​

The site also notes that Bossip.com recently ran a blind item suggesting Frank Ocean was prepping for a coming out party.


There’s been plenty of speculation about this hot young r&b star’s sexuality, but most of it has been drowned out by the adoration by fans and famous alike. After keeping folks guessing in 2011, this soul singer will answer any questions about which team he’s swinging for with his upcoming musical release.

​

If this is indeed about Ocean and he is coming out, the 24-year old and his many famous friends, like Jay-Z and Kanye West, could become leading figures in combating homophobia in hip-hop. That is if Ocean chose to do so, of course.

http://www.towleroad.com/2012/07/fr...n-new-album-channel-orange.html#ixzz1zdfI56eH
​

 

[MvP]

Veryyyyyyy bold move stating this right before the album release (guess he had no choice though), but with society becoming more accepting of homosexuality as of late, something like this really isn't a big deal in entertainment anymore. I'll still listen to his music. Obviously I would prefer if he keeps it subliminal and doesn't use "he" all the time but that's just being selfish.

I'm convinced most of these r&b dudes are bisexual anyway.

 

[Tailback U]

There's no way people are going to listen to the songs where he is singing to dudes.

Long as he has songs like pyramids referencing females I'll listen, but I can't listen to r&b songs to dudes.

 

[Realist]

There's no way people are going to listen to the songs where he is singing to dudes.

Long as he has songs like pyramids referencing females I'll listen, but I can't listen to r&b songs to dudes.

I commend him for coming out, but I agree. I can't listen to songs singing directly to guys. I would even be ok and he didn't say "him or her" and let us guess. Even though we now know

 

[Woy]

Veryyyyyyy bold move stating this right before the album release (guess he had no choice though), but with society becoming more accepting of homosexuality as of late, something like this really isn't a big deal in entertainment anymore. I'll still listen to his music. Obviously I would prefer if he keeps it subliminal and doesn't use "he" all the time but that's just being selfish.

I'm convinced most of these r&b dudes are bisexual anyway.

Pretty much this.

 

[Matt]

I told y'all he was gay last year when everyone was crazy about him.

I will have to find the song that brought my suspicion.

 

[Goober]

Woy music=gay music. lol.

 

[Fappin Raptor]

This won't change anything for me. His music is still dope.

 

[Saluki]

Apparently he was going to come out on this album anyway, that letter was going to be attached with the album as a thank you letter. He just released it early because there has been a ton of rumors going around yesterday from people who'd heard the album early, supposedly one of the songs on there he throws in a few hims instead of hers and people started talking.

 

[1ke]

SWAG........:shifty:

 

[SHOGUN]

His music is way too good to try and dismiss him over this. I'll just pretend he's writing from a female's POV and keep vibing.

 

[Realist]

His music is way too good to try and dismiss him over this. I'll just pretend he's writing from a female's POV and keep vibing.

I'm still going to listen to him because I think he is very talented and I hope it doesnt' hurt his career. I will be selective about it though.

I remember coming across a Neyo mixtake of unreleased tracks a few years ago and he was singing about guys. At first I was like "WTF is this about?" but I had a female friend of mine listen to some of the songs and I guess he wrote them for the female artist because she was familiar with the song and the words. For awhile, I just couldn't listen to those songs.

 

[NAHSTE]

Not sure why people care. Proud of him for being true to who he is, and anyone who tells you different is a fool.

On the real though, will be interesting to see if a Kanye/Jay or any other rapper with a name collaborates with him.

You mean the same Kanye who has always spoken up against homophobia in the hip-hop community? That Kanye?

 

[Rudi]

Mad props to him for coming out honestly. I wouldn't be surprised like some of you guys said to see more artists come out. It was going to happen eventually.

Does not change anything as far as his music is concerned in my book.

 

[MvP]

During a slow day at work I had some time to think about this situation. I might be exaggerating it in my head a bit but I think this is HUGE for the hip-hop/r&b culture as a whole and also for the Millennial generation. I can't really think of any other artist from my generation that has come out of the closet mid-career. There are always rumors of Ne-Yo, Dr. Dre, etc. being gay but nothing ever comes of it.

I believe Frank Ocean just broke a barrier in the culture. If this does not negatively alter his career, he will have paved the way for other artists to come clean about their sexuality. The fact that Frank is not flamboyantly homosexual certainly helps him here, too. Also, as the older generations, with their old-school, ignorant way of thinking, continue to fade into oblivion, the concept of "coming out of the closet" will not be the type of news headline it is today. Millennials appear to be more acceptive of this lifestyle.

---

In regards to Frank Ocean's music, it's inevitable that every time I listen to a new song of his from this point forward, I'll be listening closely to see if he is talking about a man. That's just the way it's gonna be. This could negatively impact my enjoyment of the songs, but for me, I typically don't listen to R&B for the lyrics or storytelling, I listen more for the vibes, feelings and emotions. Good vocals are more important than good lyrics to me in R&B, as opposed to rap in which the level of importance is about equal. That said, I still expect Channel Orange to be one of the best albums of the year, regardless of lyrical content that I don't necessarily support.