This is my thread
- Thread starter S O F I
- Start date
I find it a complete over reaction. I don't really think it was brave. I also don't think many people care in today's society about someone's sexuality. This isn't a Rosa Parks moment.
I also think more people will want to collaborate with Frank Ocean now, because they will want the positive press that comes with it. Although, he will also be the butt of a few witty lines, but nothing too hardcore, except from no-name rappers wanting to make a name. A Chino XL moment.
I also think more people will want to collaborate with Frank Ocean now, because they will want the positive press that comes with it. Although, he will also be the butt of a few witty lines, but nothing too hardcore, except from no-name rappers wanting to make a name. A Chino XL moment.
It was brave. How many out-of-the-closet males are there in contemporary hip-hop and R&B? With Frank and Syd both being openly gay I would say that OFWGKTA are now THE most progressive group in hip-hop. I already thought they were artistically anyway.
In liberal communities like you and I live in, of course we don't care. We understand it doesn't matter, but it isn't like that in all communities. Think about religious communities that are conservative. That's much of the black community in the US - Frank's main fanbase.
And while it may not be a "Rosa Parks moment" as Ocean is hardly the first openly gay black r&b singer, it's certainly considerable that he chose to do so just as his major label debut album launches - there's room to be cynical about that too, but the fact remains that as little as perhaps 10 or 15 years ago it would have almost CERTAINLY had a detrimental effect on sales. People like Luther Vandross and Queen Latifah were never able to come out of the closet because it would have damaged their careers. It's hardly a secret that Luther was gay and Queen Latifah is, but the general opinion of the time didn't allow for them be open about it.
There's some interesting points about artists such as Tracy Chapman and Me'Shell N'Degeocello not being accepted by the black community due them being lesbians. Me'Shell was one of the earliest torchbearers of what became the neosoul movement yet the credit generally gets given to her heterosexual peers - Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, etc. There's some great points about that here.
In many ways, the struggle for gay rights and gay equality IS comparable to the civil rights movement. On a Western level, gay people have less rights and are legally treated as lesser beings. On a global level there are still many countries that kill people who are gay. This is most likely going to go down in history as the defining human rights factor and paradigm shift of our generation.
So whether it's Frank Ocean coming out, Lil B releasing an album called I'm Gay (to show that "words don't mean anything" without context) or even a show like Glee having openly gay characters in the main cast and storylines that deal with their issues as well as those of the straight characters...... these things weren't happening on a mainstream level to such a high degree in previous decades.
So you can't downplay it as not being brave or think that it's not going to be an issue or talking point for people. That's not giving the move the credit it deserves. It may not deserve as much discussion as it is warranting, on it's own..... but it's indicative of a large-scale and long overdue paradigm shift that frankly should be discussed - and heralded - as much as possible, given the fact that the struggle for equal rights for gay people is something that is ongoing. Just as we look down on the people of the mid-20th century for inhumane treatment of minorities, future generations will look down upon THIS society for continued homophobia and discrimination. It's a total indictment on humanity as a whole and hopefully within 15-20 years won't be an issue for anyone.
In liberal communities like you and I live in, of course we don't care. We understand it doesn't matter, but it isn't like that in all communities. Think about religious communities that are conservative. That's much of the black community in the US - Frank's main fanbase.
And while it may not be a "Rosa Parks moment" as Ocean is hardly the first openly gay black r&b singer, it's certainly considerable that he chose to do so just as his major label debut album launches - there's room to be cynical about that too, but the fact remains that as little as perhaps 10 or 15 years ago it would have almost CERTAINLY had a detrimental effect on sales. People like Luther Vandross and Queen Latifah were never able to come out of the closet because it would have damaged their careers. It's hardly a secret that Luther was gay and Queen Latifah is, but the general opinion of the time didn't allow for them be open about it.
There's some interesting points about artists such as Tracy Chapman and Me'Shell N'Degeocello not being accepted by the black community due them being lesbians. Me'Shell was one of the earliest torchbearers of what became the neosoul movement yet the credit generally gets given to her heterosexual peers - Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, etc. There's some great points about that here.
In many ways, the struggle for gay rights and gay equality IS comparable to the civil rights movement. On a Western level, gay people have less rights and are legally treated as lesser beings. On a global level there are still many countries that kill people who are gay. This is most likely going to go down in history as the defining human rights factor and paradigm shift of our generation.
So whether it's Frank Ocean coming out, Lil B releasing an album called I'm Gay (to show that "words don't mean anything" without context) or even a show like Glee having openly gay characters in the main cast and storylines that deal with their issues as well as those of the straight characters...... these things weren't happening on a mainstream level to such a high degree in previous decades.
So you can't downplay it as not being brave or think that it's not going to be an issue or talking point for people. That's not giving the move the credit it deserves. It may not deserve as much discussion as it is warranting, on it's own..... but it's indicative of a large-scale and long overdue paradigm shift that frankly should be discussed - and heralded - as much as possible, given the fact that the struggle for equal rights for gay people is something that is ongoing. Just as we look down on the people of the mid-20th century for inhumane treatment of minorities, future generations will look down upon THIS society for continued homophobia and discrimination. It's a total indictment on humanity as a whole and hopefully within 15-20 years won't be an issue for anyone.
My 14 year old sister loves Odd Future. Gonna have to talk to her about this guy coming out because, like most pre-teens, you don't want to associate yourself with someone that's "weird" or different. Going further, that means I don't want her to abandon something she likes simply because some of her peers do the same when they freak out over listening to music from homosexuals. And face it, it will happen.
Actually just got a text back from my sister after I told her the news and she said "I know, I literally was just reading the article on my ma en I got your text Lool. It doesn't surprise me. They have a lesbian in their group too. So long as they don't rap about gay things (no pun intended) I'm fine with it."
Good. Because Stephen Fry, Jimmy Parsons, and NPH immediately come to mind as actors that are homosexual but I still love their works.
Actually just got a text back from my sister after I told her the news and she said "I know, I literally was just reading the article on my ma en I got your text Lool. It doesn't surprise me. They have a lesbian in their group too. So long as they don't rap about gay things (no pun intended) I'm fine with it."
Good. Because Stephen Fry, Jimmy Parsons, and NPH immediately come to mind as actors that are homosexual but I still love their works.
Donate
Any donations will be used to help pay for the site costs, and anything donated above will be donated to C-Dub's son on behalf of this community.
Members online
No members online now.