Trina, Busta Rhymes and Boy George are
among the celebrities supporting singer-songwriter Frank Ocean's
coming out.
Ocean, whose real name is Christopher
Francis Ocean, came
out as at least bisexual in a blog post Wednesday on his website.
He is being credited as the first mainstream hip-hop star to come
out.
The 24-year-old Ocean, a member of the
collective Odd Future, said in the post that his “first love” was
another man.
“By the time I realized I was in
love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. There was no escaping, no
negotiating to the women I had been with, the ones I cared for and
thought I was in love with.”
Ocean added that his feelings were not
reciprocated.
Ocean, Miami-based rapper Trina told
TMZ,
is “extremely talented and that's what matters.”
“I don't think [Ocean's] music sales
or the level of support his music obtains should be judged based on
his sexual preference.”
“If you are gay, black & gay or
just cool you should buy Frank Ocean's album and show him that he did
not elevate in vain!! I will!” Boy George tweeted to his more than
214,000 followers.
In an interview with MTV
News, Busta Rhymes said he “respects the dude completely.”
“Whatever that man does in his
personal space is that man's choice and that man's business,” Busta
Rhymes said. “I am an extremely huge fan of Frank Ocean. His
music is impeccable to me, and as far as I'm concerned, I respect the
dude completely.”
“I don't know if it's just hip-hop
being willing to accept [an openly gay or bisexual artist], I think
the whole world is ready to accept whatever people choose to be in
life,” he added.
(Related: Russell
Simmons “profoundly moved” by Frank Ocean's coming out.)