Frank Ocean’s irregularity when it comes to releasing content makes him a high demand artist. The two albums he released, Channel Orange and Blonde, have solidified their places as notable releases in the R&B music canon with both releases placing in the top 10 of Pitchfork’s “Best Albums of the 2010s.”  

Dropping off singles here and there to high praise positions him as one of the greatest, yet mysterious, artists of our generation. It’s safe to say that whenever Ocean releases something, everyone goes crazy and he can do no wrong. However, with the opening of his new night club series Prep+, it flaws Ocean’s character and reveals that, he too, makes mistakes.

Story by Miles Eackles

While many of Ocean’s fans were excited and riled to see what the artist was up to next, there was a failure of realization behind the connotations that surrounded the name of the various night clubs; Prep+ is an overarching name for medications such as Truvada that prevent HIV transmission.

More than 100,000 cases of AIDS were reported in the U.S. by the end of the 1980s. Of these cases, the group that was most affected by this epidemic were black and brown homosexual men. During the Reagan Era in which this was taking place, not much was done to combat the illness; as a result, many people lost their lives. 

In comes Gilead Sciences with a drug called Truvada that prevents HIV in unaffected adults by 99%. This strategy is called pre-exposure prophylaxis, otherwise known as PreP. It was not until 2012 that Truvada was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than 20 years after the AIDS crisis. 

Like Ocean’s personality, the details of Prep+ were kept under wraps until the actual opening day. A description by Gayletter stated that it would be “the first in a series of nights; an ongoing safespace made to bring people together and dance.” While this brought excitement to many of the people who planned on attending, the outcome of the event was less than prodigious.

The first nightclub, which opened Oct. 17, had many critics scratching their heads on what was the true intent of naming these events with such a name drenched in tragedy. Many club goers revealed that the space was “disconcertingly white” and “wasn’t all that queer at all,” which is ironic considering who PreP is most beneficial for. It was also revealed that the merch’s proceeds, which included a $60 dollar t-shirt, didn’t go to Truvada manufacturer, Gilead Sciences. The proceeds went to Ocean’s creative brand blonded.

Ocean made it known on his Tumblr page that his intentions were not ill; he just wanted to shed light on identities that have been forgotten over time. “I’m an artist, it’s core to my job to imagine realities that don’t necessarily exist,” he stated in a post. The manifestation of the club as an art piece created a utopian view of what could’ve been; however, more clarity would have benefitted both Ocean and his fans. 

Even though the instances surrounding the nightclub had its downsides, a macro view of the situation gives Ocean’s fans hope for a new era. In a recent interview with W Magazine, Ocean stated that he’s working on a new album and it’s influenced by “Detroit, Chicago, techno house, [and] French electronic” club music. With the release of woozy singles like “DHL” and upbeat romp “In My Room,” the anticipation is unbearable. 

Ocean’s comeback this time around has seen its challenges. This is due to a generation that is more critical. While these challenges will not be forgotten, it should not stamp Ocean as careless. Instead, a bigger conversation surrounding the  AIDS/HIV disease, its history, and the medication should be had to further educate the general public.