T-Pain: rappers will not work with Frank Ocean because he is gay

The rapper has spoken out about homophobia in the urban music scene, suggesting some artists will not work with the R&B singer

T-Pain has spoken out about his opposition to homophobia in the rap world, and claims that certain rappers will not work with Frank Ocean because of the R&B singer’s sexuality.

Speaking to Vlad TV, the US rapper described his concerns for the rap industry’s perception of gay artists, expressing his thoughts that “radio is getting more gay-friendly,” but that there was still a great deal of homophobia left in “urban music” in general: “I don’t think urban music is getting more gay-friendly because if that was the case, Frank Ocean would be on a lot more songs,” he said.

“I know niggas that will not do a song with Frank Ocean just because he gay, but they need him on the fucking song and that’s so terrible to me, man... What I do ain’t going to affect nothing that you got going on.”

In 2012, Frank Ocean caused a media stir when he posted a statement on Tumblr in which he told the story of falling in love for the first time, with a man. “I don’t know what happens now, and that’s alrite,” he wrote.

Watch the full footage from T-Pain’s interview below:

Meanwhile in other news, recording label TufAmerica has alleged that Frank Ocean’s track Super Rich Kids incorporates an unauthorised sample of Mary J Blige’s Real Love.

Super Rich Kids features rapper Earl Sweatshirt and appears on Ocean’s acclaimed 2012 album Channel Orange. Vivendi and Universal Music Group, who released the track, have been accused by TufAmerica over the alleged sample of Blige’s 1992 hit, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, TufAmerica does not claim to own the sample itself – the label owns 3.15% of the copyright to Blige’s original song due to a sample within a sample: Real Love features an extract of the Honeydrippers’ 1973 track Impeach the President, which TufAmerica owns. It’s that 3.15% of royalties that it is attempting to take back from Ocean’s label.

“Defendants have failed and refused to secure a license from TufAmerica for its share of the rights to use ‘Real Love’ in ‘Super Rich Kids’,” reads the complaint.

The Guardian has attempted to obtain a comment from Universal Music Group about the matter.

Listen to the following tracks by Frank Ocean, Mary J Blige and Honeydrippers here:

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