Opinion: Frank Ocean breaks down homophobic barriers in the music community

BY DREW DANIELS

          A radical culture shift on the topic of gay tolerance is taking place throughout the country and the hip-hop community is, unexpectedly, supporting this change in the status quo. The hip-hop community has generally been a homophobic one, but recently the rap game has become more accepting.

         On July 4, R&B artist Frank Ocean posted a letter on his Tumblr publicly stating his homosexuality. Ocean is the first artist to come out in the modern hip-hop scene, and the support among his peers has been overwhelmingly positive. Russell Simmons, a business magnate in hip-hop even wrote an article in Global Grind, an entertainment publication, praising Ocean.

         "Today is a big day for hip-hop. It is a day that will define who we really are,” Simmons said in the article. “Your decision to go public about your sexual orientation gives hope and light to so many young people still living in fear.”

         Ten years ago, careers were ruined if an artist in the hip-hop community was discovered, or rumored, to be gay. Support has been coming from inside the community and out. Artists such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Tyler, The Creator have posted their support of Ocean publicly.

         The results of how this will affect Ocean’s career will not be known until he has gained more popularity from his debut album, Channel Orange, which was released July 10, just days after his announcement. However, the positive uproar his post has sparked is definitely a strong step forward for the gay community to find acceptance in hip-hop, and the music industry as a whole.

         Unfortunately, not everyone has been accepting of Ocean. According to The New York Times, Ocean has received death threats over social networks, and artists including Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne have remained silent on the topic. Stevie Wonder, during an interview, stated a seemingly homophobic comment. However, he quickly apologized in support of Ocean. Most spiteful comments are being drowned out by the support of a majority of hip-hop artists and fans.

         The issue of gay marriage and gay acceptance has been a growing controversy, especially with President Obama’s support of gay marriage and Chick-Fil-A’s activism against it. I praise Ocean for helping the effort of the gay community, and I believe that his announcement will help move this issue in the direction of acceptance.

         Hopefully, this will encourage other artists, in every genre, to be accepting of others’ sexuality, and continue to support quality music regardless of the artist’s sexual preference. Tolerance can easily be reached through the power of music and support of artists from every background and orientation.