PREP+, MUCH MORE THAN FRANK OCEAN’S NEWEST PARTY

In early October, Frank Ocean made his return, as always, in his own terms: by breaking his silence through a shroud of mystery, never by calling for attention or by giving explanations. Just out of the blue, the artist started releasing songs like DHL or In My Room, which make us think that his album, that will follow the celebrated –and longed for– Blonded, is not that far away. And, on top of that, Ocean celebrated the first edition of his PrEP+ party, that has also seen a second date in which it became a hot topic because of the pictures of Arca and Rosalía painting the town as if there were no tomorrow.

But that’s where the problem lies: this is one of those moments in which you cannot see the wood for the trees. In other words: Rosalía could prevent you from perceiving the true worth of the party. And that’s because, from the beginning, Frank Ocean himself defined its intentions in an assertive manner through an announcement that mentioned that “in a series of nights; an ongoing safe space to bring people together and dance. A homage to what could have been of the 1980s’ NYC club scene if PrEP –which can be taken daily to prevent HIV/AIDS for those who are not infected but are at high risk– had been invented in that era”. The intention couldn’t be more commendable: using the excuse of a party and Ocean’s projection to raise awareness of a reality that many aren’t cognizant of nowadays. PrEP is a pill that, in fact, has been a matter of debate for years now in the LGBTQI community: many believe that if it were fully supported by public health agencies, it would stop an epidemic that continues to affect a whole generation that has lived through the increase in infections because people believed they were invincible and untouchable. It’s the “this will never happen to me” mentality, this is a sad mistake in the general perception that the defenders of PrEP believe that the pill could finally eradicate, once and for all.

But, of course, there are also some voices that are against PrEP+. For starters, the secrecy in both editions (as they didn’t announce their location until the very last moment and safeguarded the guest list, which was incredibly difficult to access) seems to go against this space where everyone can dance and have fun. Not everyone can dance with Rosalía and Justice, who were guests of honour of the first edition held in the basement of the Queens Knockdown Center. If the intention is to integrate, this cannot be done through exclusivity. And then there was the testimony of a great part of the attendees: the party was a great deal of fun, but there was little information on what PrEP is, and there was no dialogue in that respect. Also, the profits (from the party or the merch that is incredibly expensive) aren’t going to any kind of charitable association. And, to conclude, isn’t it a bit patronising to state that there was no club culture in the ‘80s and that this artist is somehow bringing historical justice through hedonistic redemption?

Is this an appropriate measure or a bad move on behalf of Frank Ocean? With only two editions behind him, it’s frankly difficult to say with certainty. But one thing’s clear: the mere fact that there’s a group of people who weren’t aware of the existence of this pill but who suddenly know what it is and have entered the debate can only be seen as a good thing. And also proof of the LGBTQI genius that is Ocean.