Frank Ocean Breaks Silence About Coming Out Letter
By Richard Brooks / News / July 22, 2012 / 6673 Views

While we gave you a few excerpts from Frank Ocean's recent article with The Guardian Guide,  today the interview and article are available. Frank not only covers the magazine but gives fans a chance to hear what he has to say about his recently released coming out letter, which was written in December 2011.

"I won't touch on risky, because that's subjective," he says. "People are just afraid of things too much. Afraid of things that don't necessarily merit fear. Me putting Nostalgia out … what's physically going to happen? Me saying what I said on my Tumblr last week? Sure, evil exists, extremism exists. Somebody could commit a hate crime and hurt me. But they could do the same just because I'm black. They could do the same just because I'm American. Do you just not go outside your house? Do you not drive your car because of the statistics? How else are you limiting your life for fear?"

"A lot of people have said that since that news came out. I suppose a percentage of that act was because of altruism; because I was thinking of how I wished at 13 or 14 there was somebody I looked up to who would have said something like that, who would have been transparent in that way. But there's another side of it that's just about my own sanity and my ability to feel like I'm living a life where I'm not just successful on paper, but sure that I'm happy when I wake up in the morning, and not with this freakin' boulder on my chest."

“I knew that I was writing in a way that people would ask questions. I knew that my star was rising, and I knew that if I waited I would always have somebody that I respected be able to encourage me to wait longer, to not say it till who knows when. It was important for me to know that when I go out on the road and I do these things, that I’m looking at people who are applauding because of an appreciation for me. I don’t have many secrets, so if you know that, and you’re still applauding … it may be some sort of sick validation but it was important to me. When I heard people talking about certain, you know, ‘pronouns’ in the writing of the record, I just wanted to – like I said on the post – offer some clarity; clarify, before the fire got too wild and the conversation became too unfocused and murky.”

“When you write a song like "Forrest Gump," the subject can’t be androgynous. It requires an unnecessary amount of effort. I don’t fear anybody... at all. So, to answer your question, yes, I could have easily changed the words. But for what? I just feel like it’s just another time now. I have no interest in contributing to that, especially with my art. It’s the one thing that I know will outlive me and outlive my feelings. It will outlive my depressive seasons.”

Feel free to chime in your thoughts down below. The article can be read in full by clicking here.

 

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  • Hodgy Beatz

    great promotional "Tool" . for all we know he made this shit up ... great singer tho ...

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=505973242 Dwayne Richards

    wise beyond his years

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=15509436 Stefan Haynes

    Good point! After all, there's nothing more popular than bisexual african-american males in the urban music market!

  • Jezebel

    *starts slow clap*

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  • http://twitter.com/JaySprays Jonathan

    His music is great . Let's just forget about this

  • thatnigga

    why does this topic keep getting brought up? im pretty sure most people dont have a problem with him being gay or bi or whatever anyway

  • Hodgy Beatz

    what does his skin color have to do with anything ?

  • your minstrel cycle

    that was sarcasm, you wanker.

  • Sean

    Like gold is tested by fire, it is so human character is purified by humility. We understand how to go Mars yet we cannot understand how love wprks.

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  • dumile_

    i still like Frank Oceans's music, A LOT. i'm not gay or bi or anything but i was a fan and i still am a fan. i feel like if you can't put his coming out aside, then you have serious issues with yourself and you're not a fan of real music.

  • Hodgy Beatz

    what does sarcasm have to with his skin color ?

  • http://www.facebook.com/The.2010.Renaissance.Man Jean-Louis Renaissance Thierry

    Sounds like present day Atlanta....(not hating just saying)

  • NEW BASED GOD FLOW

    money. r u from outer space? nice for you finally chime in on the so called reality.

  • NEW BASED GOD FLOW

    weak. for the sake of all bi's, just stop trying. ain't persuasive at all. u bi and u talk like we give a shit, when you are trying to convey that we shouldn't discriminate.

  • NEW BASED GOD FLOW

    stfu. "like gold is tested by fire". just stop, really.

  • NEW BASED GOD FLOW

    u don't want to be reminded that u r listening to a bi singing, ain't that right lad? well face it, u r. a k w a r d.

  • NEW BASED GOD FLOW

    so liking the music and the artist don't go hand in hand? so like you could like an artist and not like his music? fuking dumbfk

  • NEW BASED GOD FLOW

    that face. definitely something only a bi would do.

  • http://twitter.com/pie_yum payam refalian

    Frank is masterful with his words. I still don't know if he is straight, gay or bisexual. Nonetheless, whatever he is... I don't care, his music stands for itself. A legend in the making.

  • Sean

    You're ignorant of truth I see.

  • Aficion

    Man, you're like a guru. The comments you make are really insightful, and well thought out. How do you do it? Are there some books that you've read that might help us see things as clearly as you do? Keep up the good work.

  • Sean

    TROLL! "a bi", cut that $#!+ out. Dear Waste God, please just stop your labelling, really.

  • MINICH

    so like you could like not like waste my time with your awful Thats So Raven sounding comments

  • MINICH

    so like you could like not like waste my time with your awful Thats So Raven sounding comments

  • Sean’s Mom

    honey, youre using awful cliche saying & being a drama queen again - Your Mother

  • Sean

    Dear friend, you don't have an Identity.