Frank Ocean drops new single "DHL" following controversial PrEP+ party
Click to viewHis sophomore album Blonde was recently named the best album of the decade by Pitchfork, and now Frank Ocean is back with "DHL," his first original song since 2017.
The song, co-produced by Ocean and Boys Noize, comes on the heels of a controversial "club night" called PrEP+ (named for pre-exposure prophylaxis, a prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex) launched by the artist in New York City last Thursday. Advertised as a tribute to the city's queer club scene of the 1980s, the party (held at Basement in Queens) received criticism for its "overwhelmingly white" guest list and scant promotion of HIV/AIDS awareness.
In the wake of the negative press, Ocean posted a statement to his Tumblr defending the event, but made no mention of whether proceeds from $60 shirts with the medication name emblazoned across the chest would go to charity.
A $60 tee with “PrEP” on it.
Sounds familiar to a pharmaceutical company that marks up the price of PrEP to over $2,000/month while it costs $6 to make a month supply. This is not it Frank. https://t.co/TEFhi2UO5O
- ACT UP New York (@actupny) October 19, 2019
Coulda also been thoughtful if all the funds went to service providers, PrEP navigators, and HIV justice and treatment orgs, but who asked us?
- ACT UP New York (@actupny) October 19, 2019
but there’s good news! our tees are $26 and go directly to HIV movement work. check them out here! https://t.co/MxdVFQEypz pic.twitter.com/CPYIYARzOb
- ACT UP New York (@actupny) October 19, 2019
$60 Frank Ocean "PrEP" t-shirt sparks outrage over high cost https://t.co/vx1DVPRdaV pic.twitter.com/Qf4PE7tM0J
- The Hill (@thehill) October 20, 2019
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