Lil Nas X, Tyler, the Creator lead wave of gay/bisexual rappers - Los Angel Tim

Contents:

• FUSE TV - TYLER, THE CREATOR KNEW FRANK OCEAN WAS GAY BEE OF HIS SNACK PREFERENC
• TYLER, THE CREATOR ON HOW HE KNEW FRANK OCEAN WAS "GAY," AND WHY HE DON'T CARE
• TYLER, THE CREATOR SAYS HE KNEW FRANK OCEAN WAS GAY
• TYLER THE CREATOR 'PROUD OF' FRANK OCEAN FOR DISCSG {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MICBY MTV NEWS STAFFJULY 5, 2012/10:38 AMBY MTV NEWS STAFFJULY 5, 2012 / 10:38 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"TYLER THE CREATOR 'PROUD OF' FRANK OCEAN FOR DISCSG SEXUALY","DATEPUBLISHED":"2012-07-05T14:38:16.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2012-07-05T14:38:16.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"MTV NEWS STAFF","KEYWORDS":"HIP HOP","ARTICLESECTN":"MIC"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BY GIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FRANK OCEAN ED HIS TUMBLR ACUNT TO DISCS HIS SEXUALY WH FANS THIS WEEK, OPENG UP ABOUT A PREV RELATNSHIP WH A MAN. AND WHILE THE CISN CERTALY ULDN'T HAVE BEEN AN EASY ONE TO MAKE, THE TALENTED SGER/SONGWRER HAS SUPPORTERS HIS RNER. HIS ODD FUTURE HORT TYLER, THE CREATOR ADMS THAT HE'S PROUD OF OCEAN, WHILE RSELL SIMMONS NTENDS THAT 'S A FG MOMENT FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DID FRANK OCEAN DROP HTS ABOUT HIS SEXUALY IN OLD LYRICS? {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE OF THE FIRST TO BACK OCEAN UP WAS ODD FUTURE MAJOR DOMO TYLER, THE CREATOR, WHO OFFERED SUPPORT HIS OWN UNIQUE, IRREVERENT WAY. "MY BIG BROTHER FALLY F---G DID THAT," TWEETED TYLER ON WEDNDAY. "PROUD OF THAT N---A E I KNOW THAT SH-- IS DIFFICULT OR WHATEVER. ANYWAY. I'M A TOILET."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DEF JAM RERDS -FOUNR RSELL SIMMONS ALSO HAILED THE BRAVE ACTN BY OCEAN TO DISCS HIS SAME-SEX FIRST LOVE LIGHT OF THE HISTORY OF LATENT HOMOPHOBIA HIP-HOP. IN A POST ENTLED "THE COURAGE OF FRANK OCEAN JT CHANGED THE GAME!" SIMMONS WROTE, "TODAY IS A BIG DAY FOR HIP-HOP. IT IS A DAY THAT WILL FE WHO WE REALLY ARE. HOW PASSNATE WILL WE BE? HOW LOVG N WE BE? HOW CLIVE ARE WE? I AM PROFOUNDLY MOVED BY THE URAGE AND HONTY OF FRANK OCEAN. YOUR CISN TO GO PUBLIC ABOUT YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATN GIV HOPE AND LIGHT TO SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE STILL LIVG FEAR. THE TYP OF SECRETS SHOULD NOT MATTER ANYMORE, BUT WE KNOW THEY DO."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CALLG OCEAN'S TALENT'S "UNNIABLE" AND "ENORMO" AND HIS BRAVERY "CREDIBLE," SIMMONS HOPED THAT THE SGER'S ACTNS WILL, "UPLIFT OUR NSCNS AND ALLOW TO BEE BETTER PEOPLE. EVERY SGLE ONE OF IS BORN WH PEACE AND TRANQUILY OUR HEART. FRANK JT FOUND HIS." OCEAN'S MOTHER, KATONYA BREX RILEY, TWEETED HER PRI HER "BRAVE AND HONT" SON, WRG, "I WISH MORE PEOPLE THE WORLD ULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE WHO THEY REALLY ARE ... THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SHOWN LOVE AND SUPPORT. MY SON IS THE MOST CREDIBLE HUMAN I KNOW. HONT, TE AND LOVG. WE APPRECIATE YOU!" SHE ALSO RE-TWEETED A NOTE OM SOLANGE KNOWL, WHO SAID, "I SALUTE YOU, BRAVE SOUL. INPENNCE DAY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN HIS TUMBLR SAY, OCEAN OPENED UP ABOUT HIS FIRST LOVE, A YOUNG MAN HE SPENT A HANDFUL OF SUMMERS WH BEGNG AT AGE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WHOEVER YOU ARE, WHEREVER YOU ARE ... I'M STARTG TO THK WE'RE A LOT ALIKE," HE BEGAN. "HUMAN BEGS SPNG ON BLACKNS. ALL WANTG TO BE SEEN, TOUCHED, PAID ATTENTN TO." THE LENGTHY LETTER, TLED "THANK YOU'S," TAILS A RELATNSHIP OCEAN HAD WH A MAN, WHO TURNS OUT HAD A GIRLIEND JT AS FRANK HAD HAD, AND THE TUMULTUO EMOTNS THAT FOLLOWED. "HE WOULDN'T TELL ME THE TTH ABOUT HIS FEELGS FOR ME FOR ANOTHER 3 YEARS," OCEAN NTU BEFORE ADDG, "I ULDN'T IMAGE KEEPG UP MY LIFE WHOUT HIM."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEE THE EMOTIVE OCEAN ONLY SANG OVERTLY ABOUT HETEROSEXUAL RELATNSHIPS, HIS SEXUALY HAD NEVER E TO QUTN, UNTIL EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN MORS ABOUT HIS POSSIBLE BISEXUALY BEGAN TO CIRCULATE AFTER A HIP-HOP SE REFERENCED LYRICS OM OCEAN'S UPG ALBUM, CHANNEL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THEN, A BBC 1 XTRA WRER POSTED AN EARLY REVIEW OF THE ALBUM ON HER PERSONAL BLOG, NOTG THAT ON THE SONGS "BAD RELIGN," "PK MATTER" AND "FORRT GUMP," THE SGER ED PRONOUNS LIKE "HIM" STEAD OF "HER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE LOS ANGEL TIM POSTED A STORY SPECULATG ABOUT WHETHER OCEAN'S HONTY ABOUT HIS SEXUALY ULD PH THE MIL BOUNDARI OF HIP-HOP ON THE EVE OF THE RELEASE OF HIS MAJOR-LABEL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THE STRAIGHTFORWARD LETTER ... IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE GLASS CEILG MOMENT FOR MIC," WRER GERRICK D. KENNEDY PREDICTED. "ESPECIALLY BLACK MIC, WHICH HAS LONG BEEN SPERATE NEED OF A VOICE LIKE OCEAN'S TO BREAK THE LAYERS OF HOMOPHOBIA. THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS THIS MOMENT HAS SO MUCH WEIGHT. TOO MANY FOR ANY SGLE ARTICLE TO EXPLORE ... OCEAN HAS NEVER TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE, LEAVG HIS MIC AND S OFTEN-PLEX NARRATIV TO DRIVE THE NVERSATN. BUT A CULTURE WHERE THE GOSSIP CREASGLY AND TRATGLY OUTWEIGHS THE MIC, OCEAN'S SUAL AND NDID APPROACH TO ADDRSG HIS PERSONAL LIFE, AND REVEALG HIS PERSONAL TTH OF HAVG LOVED A MAN, WILL BE SEEN AS GROUNDBREAKG."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON THE HEELS OF CNN ANCHOR ANRSON COOPER'S G OUT OF THE CLOSET, KENNEDY NOTED THAT OCEAN'S REVEAL WAS NOT DONE A MAGAZE VER STORY, THROUGH ANONYMO SOURC OR WH A PUBLIC RELATNS-ORCHTRATED PH. IN FACT, HIS LETTER NEVER ONCE THE TERMS "GAY" OR "BISEXUAL."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"OCEAN TOLD HIS STORY ON HIS TERMS AND HIS OWN WORDS, SOMETHG VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF HIP-HOP AND R&B -- GENR HE HAS ALREADY PHED FORWARD ARTISTILLY WH HIS WORK, AND ULD PH FURTHER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}HIP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

FUSE TV - TYLER, THE CREATOR KNEW FRANK OCEAN WAS GAY BEE OF HIS SNACK PREFERENC

While hip-hop and R&B, had been monly wrten off as herently homophobic, the rponse to Ocean’s emotnal letter was mostly posive, wh many praisg the one-of-a-kd talent for his bravens and honty.

As a young gay Black boy who grew up stgglg to reckon my love for hip-hop, rap, and R&B wh the homophobic sentiments often rattled off, Frank’s g out was a pivotal moment — one that let me know I wasn’t alone and that society uld be ready to accept others like me, too. Apparently, I wasn’t the only young gay Black boy who felt that sense of lmg support followg Ocean’s g out.

Durg a recent holiday episo of Zane Lowe’s #AtHomeWhAppleMic show, Lil Nas X, an openly gay rapper himself, revealed how much Frank Ocean — and his close llaborator Tyler, The Creator, who is also openly queer — has meant for his reer.

TYLER, THE CREATOR ON HOW HE KNEW FRANK OCEAN WAS "GAY," AND WHY HE DON'T CARE

K., took the extraordary step of banng him om her untry bee his lyrics “enurage vlence and tolerance of homosexualy. ” Elsewhere, he search for a lover who looks like Leonardo DiCapr and brags about drivg wh a guy who looks like River Tyler’s now “out, ” ’s a landmark moment: He’d be the hight-profile queer male rapper a genre that, like all pop genr to varyg extents, has long trad homophobia.

TYLER, THE CREATOR SAYS HE KNEW FRANK OCEAN WAS GAY

In 2015, he tweeted, “I tried to e out the damn closet like four days ago and no one red hahahhahaha, ” and he rapped, “How n I be homophobic when my boyiend’s a fag? ” He’s referred to himself wh gay slurs over the years and has joked—or not joked—about havg a thg for eckly whe guys. Then there’s this passage om a 2015 Rollg Stone profile by Ernt Baker:For the past two days I’ve wonred, is Tyler actually gay?

I nnot emphasize how much gay humor plays a role the atmosphere around him. It’s like a ntuo loop of the “You know how I know you’re gay?

“My iends are so ed to me beg gay, ” Tyler says, “they don't even re. ” I fally ask, Why all the gay humor? “Bee I’m gay as fuck, ” he says, whout a flch.

TYLER THE CREATOR 'PROUD OF' FRANK OCEAN FOR DISCSG {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MICBY MTV NEWS STAFFJULY 5, 2012/10:38 AMBY MTV NEWS STAFFJULY 5, 2012 / 10:38 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"TYLER THE CREATOR 'PROUD OF' FRANK OCEAN FOR DISCSG SEXUALY","DATEPUBLISHED":"2012-07-05T14:38:16.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2012-07-05T14:38:16.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"MTV NEWS STAFF","KEYWORDS":"HIP HOP","ARTICLESECTN":"MIC"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BY GIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FRANK OCEAN ED HIS TUMBLR ACUNT TO DISCS HIS SEXUALY WH FANS THIS WEEK, OPENG UP ABOUT A PREV RELATNSHIP WH A MAN. AND WHILE THE CISN CERTALY ULDN'T HAVE BEEN AN EASY ONE TO MAKE, THE TALENTED SGER/SONGWRER HAS SUPPORTERS HIS RNER. HIS ODD FUTURE HORT TYLER, THE CREATOR ADMS THAT HE'S PROUD OF OCEAN, WHILE RSELL SIMMONS NTENDS THAT 'S A FG MOMENT FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DID FRANK OCEAN DROP HTS ABOUT HIS SEXUALY IN OLD LYRICS? {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE OF THE FIRST TO BACK OCEAN UP WAS ODD FUTURE MAJOR DOMO TYLER, THE CREATOR, WHO OFFERED SUPPORT HIS OWN UNIQUE, IRREVERENT WAY. "MY BIG BROTHER FALLY F---G DID THAT," TWEETED TYLER ON WEDNDAY. "PROUD OF THAT N---A E I KNOW THAT SH-- IS DIFFICULT OR WHATEVER. ANYWAY. I'M A TOILET."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DEF JAM RERDS -FOUNR RSELL SIMMONS ALSO HAILED THE BRAVE ACTN BY OCEAN TO DISCS HIS SAME-SEX FIRST LOVE LIGHT OF THE HISTORY OF LATENT HOMOPHOBIA HIP-HOP. IN A POST ENTLED "THE COURAGE OF FRANK OCEAN JT CHANGED THE GAME!" SIMMONS WROTE, "TODAY IS A BIG DAY FOR HIP-HOP. IT IS A DAY THAT WILL FE WHO WE REALLY ARE. HOW PASSNATE WILL WE BE? HOW LOVG N WE BE? HOW CLIVE ARE WE? I AM PROFOUNDLY MOVED BY THE URAGE AND HONTY OF FRANK OCEAN. YOUR CISN TO GO PUBLIC ABOUT YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATN GIV HOPE AND LIGHT TO SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE STILL LIVG FEAR. THE TYP OF SECRETS SHOULD NOT MATTER ANYMORE, BUT WE KNOW THEY DO."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CALLG OCEAN'S TALENT'S "UNNIABLE" AND "ENORMO" AND HIS BRAVERY "CREDIBLE," SIMMONS HOPED THAT THE SGER'S ACTNS WILL, "UPLIFT OUR NSCNS AND ALLOW TO BEE BETTER PEOPLE. EVERY SGLE ONE OF IS BORN WH PEACE AND TRANQUILY OUR HEART. FRANK JT FOUND HIS." OCEAN'S MOTHER, KATONYA BREX RILEY, TWEETED HER PRI HER "BRAVE AND HONT" SON, WRG, "I WISH MORE PEOPLE THE WORLD ULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE WHO THEY REALLY ARE ... THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SHOWN LOVE AND SUPPORT. MY SON IS THE MOST CREDIBLE HUMAN I KNOW. HONT, TE AND LOVG. WE APPRECIATE YOU!" SHE ALSO RE-TWEETED A NOTE OM SOLANGE KNOWL, WHO SAID, "I SALUTE YOU, BRAVE SOUL. INPENNCE DAY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN HIS TUMBLR SAY, OCEAN OPENED UP ABOUT HIS FIRST LOVE, A YOUNG MAN HE SPENT A HANDFUL OF SUMMERS WH BEGNG AT AGE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WHOEVER YOU ARE, WHEREVER YOU ARE ... I'M STARTG TO THK WE'RE A LOT ALIKE," HE BEGAN. "HUMAN BEGS SPNG ON BLACKNS. ALL WANTG TO BE SEEN, TOUCHED, PAID ATTENTN TO." THE LENGTHY LETTER, TLED "THANK YOU'S," TAILS A RELATNSHIP OCEAN HAD WH A MAN, WHO TURNS OUT HAD A GIRLIEND JT AS FRANK HAD HAD, AND THE TUMULTUO EMOTNS THAT FOLLOWED. "HE WOULDN'T TELL ME THE TTH ABOUT HIS FEELGS FOR ME FOR ANOTHER 3 YEARS," OCEAN NTU BEFORE ADDG, "I ULDN'T IMAGE KEEPG UP MY LIFE WHOUT HIM."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEE THE EMOTIVE OCEAN ONLY SANG OVERTLY ABOUT HETEROSEXUAL RELATNSHIPS, HIS SEXUALY HAD NEVER E TO QUTN, UNTIL EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN MORS ABOUT HIS POSSIBLE BISEXUALY BEGAN TO CIRCULATE AFTER A HIP-HOP SE REFERENCED LYRICS OM OCEAN'S UPG ALBUM, CHANNEL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THEN, A BBC 1 XTRA WRER POSTED AN EARLY REVIEW OF THE ALBUM ON HER PERSONAL BLOG, NOTG THAT ON THE SONGS "BAD RELIGN," "PK MATTER" AND "FORRT GUMP," THE SGER ED PRONOUNS LIKE "HIM" STEAD OF "HER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE LOS ANGEL TIM POSTED A STORY SPECULATG ABOUT WHETHER OCEAN'S HONTY ABOUT HIS SEXUALY ULD PH THE MIL BOUNDARI OF HIP-HOP ON THE EVE OF THE RELEASE OF HIS MAJOR-LABEL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THE STRAIGHTFORWARD LETTER ... IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE GLASS CEILG MOMENT FOR MIC," WRER GERRICK D. KENNEDY PREDICTED. "ESPECIALLY BLACK MIC, WHICH HAS LONG BEEN SPERATE NEED OF A VOICE LIKE OCEAN'S TO BREAK THE LAYERS OF HOMOPHOBIA. THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS THIS MOMENT HAS SO MUCH WEIGHT. TOO MANY FOR ANY SGLE ARTICLE TO EXPLORE ... OCEAN HAS NEVER TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE, LEAVG HIS MIC AND S OFTEN-PLEX NARRATIV TO DRIVE THE NVERSATN. BUT A CULTURE WHERE THE GOSSIP CREASGLY AND TRATGLY OUTWEIGHS THE MIC, OCEAN'S SUAL AND NDID APPROACH TO ADDRSG HIS PERSONAL LIFE, AND REVEALG HIS PERSONAL TTH OF HAVG LOVED A MAN, WILL BE SEEN AS GROUNDBREAKG."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON THE HEELS OF CNN ANCHOR ANRSON COOPER'S G OUT OF THE CLOSET, KENNEDY NOTED THAT OCEAN'S REVEAL WAS NOT DONE A MAGAZE VER STORY, THROUGH ANONYMO SOURC OR WH A PUBLIC RELATNS-ORCHTRATED PH. IN FACT, HIS LETTER NEVER ONCE THE TERMS "GAY" OR "BISEXUAL."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"OCEAN TOLD HIS STORY ON HIS TERMS AND HIS OWN WORDS, SOMETHG VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF HIP-HOP AND R&B -- GENR HE HAS ALREADY PHED FORWARD ARTISTILLY WH HIS WORK, AND ULD PH FURTHER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}HIP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Serly, are you gay?