“Can’t tell my family I’m bi/Can’t tell my mother I’m gay/The hardest part of my day/Is wishing I was fucking straight.”
You would think those lyrics would be from one of Frank Ocean’s two new albums. As transparent and revealing as FO is on Tumblr, you would think he would be just as revealing in his music. Not only are those lyrics not sung by our Black Gay Superhero, nothing as specific and direct about homosexuality as that appears on Blonde or Endless at all.
Those four lines of introspection are actually from “Papercut” featured on 20-year-old rapper Kevin Abstract’s sophomore album, “American Boyfriend.” An album full of welcomed abrasive transparency and emo realness for all LGBT boys and girls to identify with.
Admittedly, Abstract’s style of music will not be everyone’s cup of spilled tea (pun intended), but for me his transparency and frankness (pun intended again) on sexuality drew me in. If I had to be reductive and compare his music to others, I would say his sound is a gumbo pot of Childish Gambino, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and Odd Future.
EMPTY
And I’ll be
Right outside your front door on my 12 speed
I got your emotions tattooed on my sleeve
I think about you all the time
I’ve waited for you all my life
I need you right here by my side
SEVENTEEN
He was everything I dreamed of
Used to ride around in his two seater
Being friends didn’t make it much easier,
Friday night lights stay away from the bleachers,
Showed me obscure bands he was into,
His mom in the dining room, we’re in his bedroom, his girl too,
Had to pretend like I didn’t mind that bitch
Just so I could see his face
MISERABLE AMERICA
My boyfriend saved me
My mother’s homophobic
I’m stuck in the closet
I’m so claustrophobic
I just want help if
My best friend’s racist
My mother’s homophobic
I’m stuck in the closet
I’m so claustrophobic
I just wanna know shit
Why we all love Young Thug?
ECHO
Started smoking cigarettes
I even picked up pot again
Coke ain’t touch my nose yet
I’m afraid I’ll be just like my friend
I’m afraid I ain’t gon’ have no friends
Oh my god, when do my story end?
Tell me God, when do my story end?
I’m locked outside of the DeLorean
Even though I don't necessarily like the music, I like the candid openness of the artist. I also think the interracial aspect will not / would not be appealing to Black gays.
Facts vs Alternative Facts
FRANK OCEAN
Nikes
HE don’t care for me
But HE cares for me
And that’s good enough
We don’t talk much or nothin’
But when we talkin’ about something
We have good discussion
I met HIS friends last week, feels like they’re up to something
That’s good for us
Good Guy
It’s a good guy, he hooked it up
Said if I was in NY I should look you up
I, first time I done saw you
You text nothing like you look
Here’s to the >>>GAY<<>>
Futura Free
>>>I don’t cut bitches no more<<<
Granted it may not be "throw that boy pussy" enough for some ?
Fair observations…But 1) Those are probably the ONLY almost gay lyrics you will find on both albums combined and 2) those are “blink and you will miss them” lyrics on the albums. The way FO mumbles the lyrics on the brief intermission song Good Guy, you could miss that it was about a gay blind date altogether unless you were listening closely with headphones.
Kevin Abstract, on the other hand, is clear and definitive, in just about every song, that he likes boys and has had struggles in his life because of that fact.
LOL @Nick Delmacy you better stop playing with these Frank Ocean fans; they coming with receipts.
Thanks for making the introduction.
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I second this and can I say as of late this site for me has been doing good in the positive aspects of gay black media with the shorts and the music both the article on dazed and now this. Thank you