they didn’t like the “prep+” club from frank ocean

so someone went to the “prep+” club opening.
it was the secret club that frank ocean opened ( x last week ).
you know i wanted the full scoop of what happened inside.
apparently,
there was a ton of backlash about the “goings ons” inside the party.
well this is what someone had to font who went…

 

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Here’s a not-so-pleasant account of how #FrankOcean’s queer party went earlier this week.

A post shared by the Jasmine BRAND (@thejasminebrand_) on

wow.
honestly,
i expected the turnout to be:

in the original entry,
it said:

“The release notes that the event is called PrEP+ in homage to to New York’s 80s and 90s club scene, and what it could have been if PrEP had been invented in that era.”

…and this was going down in the east village too?
okay.
so with all the backlash,
frank went to his tumblr and released a statement:

Not funded by Gilead Sciences

Funded by Blonded, independently

Let’s just get that out of the way.

Club culture around late 70s and 80s nightlife in NYC was a special, much talked about and written about thing. From the star studded midtown clubs like studio 54 and the first danceteria to the downtown clubs like Mudd + paradise garage. The figures, the music, the looks, the lack of regulation haha. I recognize NY wasn’t all lasers and disco lighting and that simultaneously, there was a lot of crime and poverty and that a huge part of club culture, the gay community, at that time were being wiped out by HIV + AIDS. Now in 2019, there’s a pill you can take every day that will at a better than 90% chance prevent you from contracting HIV. This pill was approved by the FDA in 2012. The pricing strategy behind it is malicious in my opinion and so it’s public perception is marred and rightfully so. But the fact remains that despite price being a very real barrier to this potentially life saving drug for some, the other very real barrier is awareness. I decided to name, what was otherwise going to be a night of lights and music inspired by an era of clubbing that I loved PrEP+ because while designing the club which is inside of an old glass factory basement in Queens (shoutout to The Basement that runs a very awesome techno night on Fridays after us) I started to imagine in an era where so many lives were lost and so much promise was lost forever along with them, what would it have been like if something, anything had existed that in all probability would’ve saved thousands and thousands of lives. I’m an artist, it’s core to my job to imagine realities that don’t necessarily exist and it’s a joy to. A couple days before we threw the party, I was discussing this subject with my team and one of the architects I work with thought that PrEP as a drug had reached ‘100% saturation’ so far as awareness. I thought he was dead wrong so I asked a friend (who I won’t name haha) if he knew what PrEP was and his response was ‘isn’t that some type of viagra or something’. My ex who I was with for several years didn’t know about it when we first met at a gay club in LA. Awareness isn’t always what we’d hope it would be. But anyway, I’m ranting. I’m happy that folks are talking about the subject in the first place. Thank you to everyone who came out and danced with us last night. Y’all were beautiful and the energy was right! Thank you Bouffant Bouffant, Sango, Justice and Sherelle for your sets last night they were soo good man. Oh one more thing, I saw someone say that this was a PR stunt etc etc, pshhh bitch pls come get a drink next time and I’ll put several barstools out so you can have as many seats as you need. All my love everybody really. Stay safe.

i think folks need to understand what “on-brand” means.
frank is being much on-brand to his recent image and that party.
i had no doubt in my mind it would’ve had the turnout it did.
again:

on the positive,
frank dropped a new song tonight called “dhl“:

i like the vibes of this track.
we need some new frank ocean for the winter.

article cc: tumblr

15 thoughts on “they didn’t like the “prep+” club from frank ocean

  1. Quite sad to read this. My initial belief was that it was going to be something different. While, I don’t know much about him or his music & I could understand the attitudes for him shunning away from POC heterosexuals, I’m a bit disappointed it turned out like this.

    Perhaps, since I’m not an active follower of his music or brand, it has led me to be a bit harsher in my judgement of him. I listened to the song & personally, I think the music sounds weird. I like to be sung too, not sound like someone is adding music behind a college report about the woes of millennialism. I do like he has some “rawness to his lyrics” (pun intended). … I never knew he was such a potty mouth. (giggles)

    I honestly don’t like how POC get sidelined and I never fully grasp gay/bisexual black men who follow up behind and chase white men exclusively.

    I go wild for Black Gay/Bi Men, the darker, the more delightful so I think he looks good, however, looks catch my attention but don’t keep me invested alone.

    Not to be shady but this reminds me of when that porn site Noir Male came out & eventually got a backlash.. for reasons we already know (giggles.)

    Also, why do people promote Prep like it’s some super drug when STIs are still out and getting stronger? I used to always tell folks at HIV/STI awarnees to use dental dams or stuff when they eating ass and they look at me like I’m crazy and say they only mess with clean people…and I’m like SMH. Y’all gonna learn the hard way. All it takes is just one good time to slip up and the inside of your mouth ends up looking like a molded tunnel filled with a soggy spiderweb.

    Honestly, people can be pretty nasty, especially men with gay sex. Thinks back on seeing videos of men on the low or whatever have sex under public bathroom stalls and stuff and I just get grossed the f**k out. That whole culture is disgusting. You don’t know what’s on the other side or what they have then you on a dirty floor getting busy in a pissy bathroom. 🤮🤮

  2. All these talented funny Black drag queens out here and he has a White one behind him. Because putting on makeup and a wig makes you a oppressed minority.

    Frank Ocean is the type who produce a show like Pose and be surprised when he tries to make a White gay man’s story comparable to one of a Black gay gets backlash. Just because they look like you, doesn’t mean they want to be around you.

    1. an oppressed minority*

      Frank Ocean is the type who would produce a show like Pose*

      to one of a Black gay and gets backlash(

  3. I enjoy most of his music I like his mom who I follow on IG.I think this was a huge mistep by his team. But like I said before, they are supposed to have more of these parties so hopefully they will invite more LGBTQ+ People of Color. BTW I read Ke Ke Palmer was there. I had forgotten that she is sexually fluid.

    I really hope they donate some of the PREP t shirt profits to charity, he’s also getting backlash for those $60 t shirts. I’m still a fan of his.

    Interesting tidbit.
    I came upon this site in Fall 2012 when I was Googling “Frank Ocean” and one the first articles to pop up was yours talking about him having the gap filled in his teeth😀.So to me, you and Frank are sort of linked.I remember reading the post about his concert you attended.I think I read all the Frank Ocean posts that first day I “discovered” your website❤.

  4. Frank Ocean clearly has no idea what clubs were like in the 80s or 90s, or even early 2000s, especially in NYC, DC, Philly, Chicago, etc. Even the ones that were more racially mixed were caping for the Chads it sounds like he had up in this joint. & people got down hard even without PrEP, which is great for preventing HIV transmission (but should be used only after consultation with a doctor), but does zero for STIs which Jamari Fox pointed out are raging out of control right now. I love Frank’s music and he’s a cutie, but this club night sounds like it was a total snow queen (do people still use that term? LOL) #FAIL.

    1. Meant to type: Even the ones that were more racially mixed were NOT caping for the Chads it sounds like he had up in this joint.

  5. I am good with Frank. His voice is meh, his music is a vibe (also known as too slow for anything) and his lyrics are faux deep. I am good.

  6. i equate it to the same way girls(mostly teens) use the pregnancy pill there’s always choices but condoms are typically last on anyone’s mind …and clearly not our straight counter parts because there’s a show centered around teen moms …so no one is really better off either way you’re gonna wake up with something be it a STD or a Baby… could possibly be both just be careful in these streets/forest

  7. Both Frank and his friend Tyler seem very very white centered, so I am not surprised at the turnout. Anyway Jamari, have you seen Azealia Banks’s opinion on PrEP? I low-key agree with what she said. Folks are using it for the wrong reasons. I have also been seeing a lot people ending up with kidney problems after having been on it.

    1. ^ive talked about my hesitations about prep.
      doesn’t that fuck up your health?
      i feel like folks use prep as an excuse to have raw sex.

      hot boy/girl summer?

  8. Never cared for him as a singer. Great songwriter but vocally i just feel he is okay, average even lol. Also not surprised about the setup hes following Hollywood’s prototype for Gay Black men

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