Frank Ocean has come out of the closet. Or, at least, that's what he seems to have done. In an open letter posted on his Tumblr, he reminisces about falling in love with a man when he was 19. The letter follows the first playback of his new album, Channel Orange, on Monday. Those who heard the album reported that several tracks were love songs addressed to a man.
In his post, 24-year-old Ocean – real name Christopher Breaux – wrote: "4 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 realised I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. There was no escaping, no negotiating with the feeling. No choice. It was my first love. It changed my life."
When he shared his feelings with his friend, though, "He patted my back. He said kind things. He did his best, but he wouldn't admit the same."
It is not known whether this means Ocean is gay or, as was suggested after the album playback, bisexual.
However, it certainly further clouds the debate surrounding the supposed homophobia of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, the Los Angeles hip-hop collective with which Ocean is affiliated. Odd Future already have one openly gay member, the female prodicer and DJ Syd tha Kid. Last November, Odd Future were dropped from the bill of the Big Day Out festival in New Zealand because of homophobic lyrics, and the group – especailly Tyler, the Creator – have been widely criticised for lyrics deemed offensive to women and gay people.
In his own way, Tyler, the Creator, offered support to Frank Ocean on Twitter: "My Big Brother Finally Fucking Did That. Proud Of That Nigga Cause I Know That Shit Is Difficult Or Whatever. Anyway. Im A Toilet."
