
R&B artist Frank Ocean posted on his Tumblr to reveal that he is homosexual.
The 24-year-old “Thinking Bout You” singer posted in his open letter that his first love was a man.
“Four summers ago, I met somebody, Ocean wrote. “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,” he wrote.
Ocean is best known as a member of Odd Future. His single “Thinking Bout You” is currently receiving heavy rotation on the radio.
Read Ocean’s Open Letter Below:
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.
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I support it. I’m happy for him
omg he likes penis. im so happy for him! GTFOH with that shit
Nicca fucc dat sh!t. Mufuccas out here claiming dey bisexual. Nicca you’s gay. U can’t be indecisive on that shit ma nicca
this nigga atheist. im not surprised
i guess we all know what he was really thinking about in his song :/
i’m not surprised. im pretty sure 75% of these rb singers are homosexual
As long as he continues making good r&b i can care less
that is really brave of you sir and i commend you for that. I honestly didnt know of your music until now and i can honestly say that i am a fan after listening to a few of your tracks … i know the struggle and the challenges you experienced because I went through the same thing… but now I am proud of who i am and what i have become now that i am true to myself
i am a bit surprised by this. never saw that coming
is he high. what in the hell is he talking about in his letter
Hopefully, more ppl follow Frank Ocean’s lead and come out
I dont understand this letter…. sigh. This is too much, doing the most
I’m cool with his decision and all, but i had to think about it like he was singing about another nigga in “thinking bout you” lol
i can care less who he sleeps with because its not my business but he said he had a girlfriend and his lover had a girlfriend. is that right for them to do that to them?
ok and who is he?
i just recently found out about him too
fag azz niga was gettin plugged in the dookie hole by tyler the creator
Its so hard to find a straight man these days..
people need to leave frank ocean alone. i love his music. as a gay woman myself, i respect him for coming out as bi.
ha! chris brown was beefin wit dis nigga