Things are not looking up for gospel legend Kim Burrell due to the homophobic rant she delivered to her local church, which has been met with widespread backlash after a recording of the sermon in question went viral last week. Both Pharrell and Janelle Monáe have distanced themselves from the 44-year-old singer. Now Frank Ocean's mother has spoken out against her. Burrell happened to guest on the track "Godspeed," off Ocean's Blonde album. Of course, Ocean is an openly gay man, which makes Burrell's remarks seem all the more hypocritical.
Burrell was set to join Pharrell on "Ellen" on Thursday to perform their collaboration "I See a Victory," off the soundtrack to the new film "Hidden Figures," but Ellen herself has confirmed that Burrell has been booted from the show. Both Pharrell and Janelle Monáe -- whom is also scheduled to appear on "Ellen" in support of "Hidden Figures" -- have posted anti-hate speech messages via social media in seeming response to Burrell's anti-gay preaching.
Many have wondered how the reclusive Frank Ocean feels about Burrell's hateful words. Of course he's offended, but it remains that Burrell is a part of one of the more popular songs on his critically beloved new album. Well there's no word from Frank just yet, but his mother, Katonya Breaux, has made it clear that she wants Burrell off the album. As evidenced by a tweet she sent this afternoon, she apparently asked Frank if there's a way to cut Burrell's voice out of "Godspeed."
She then explained her reasoning: "Hypocrisy and the inciting of hate pisses me off. Opportunistic &?%#€!!" Damn right.
It was thought that Ocean's mother also made an appearance on Blonde, as a voicemail recording of a woman strongly warning her son against the perils of marijuana was used as an interlude on the album, though it turns out that message came from the mother of one of Ocean's friends.
Listen to "Godspeed" below.
