Do you use the "N" word in your music?

[acidrock]

I'm posting this here becuse I believe it to be the proper forum.

Last night I took my kids to the high school football game and while in line for tickets about five black youths were behind us and must've dropped about fifty N-bombs.Now I've worked with plenty of black guys,some of whom used the word profusely,and while it always bugged me a little bit,it really pissed me off to hear it being said in front of my kids(7 and 9) who to my knowledge have never heard it.

I really didn't know how to handle it,but I must say I'm unwilling to accept it,in music or life. So I'm posting this thread to get some thoughts and feedback on the subject.

 

[JCM900]

What really bugs me is, a black guy can say ni**er all he wants but let a white guy say it, and OMG it racism... but then the same black guy that calls racism on that will turn tight around and call a white guy a "cracker" or "honky"... go figure. Now whos really the racist?

 

[gullyjewelz]

interesting topic - not sure how useful it is, this topic usually hurts more feelings than it helps!!!

there are a vast array of opinions on this topic- especially in the black community

1. its degrading n should never be used by anyone
2. its a way black people can "rob" white people of the power they once had in using this word
3. its a meaningless word, used so generic that it doesnt have any racial or historical context - which means it can be used by anyone and everyone at anytime

Extrapolations of these lines of thought:
1. it is indeed degrading - but only because of its historical context. the older generation of black people (41+ years old) are more inclined to hold this view because they grew up with the word being hurled at them by white racists and klansmen who used it as a rallying cry to initiate any number of dehumanizing activities . . . lynchings, rape, murder-4-sport styled picnics, etc. in this light, the older black community is dead on!

2. especially used by young adult, hip hop oriented members of the black community--(20 - 40 years old). even in this group - if you grew up listening to tribe called quest era em cees, the idea came about that using the word as an emblem of friendship woulld elminate or counter-effect the violent and dehumanizing historical context of the world. it sort of throws the word back into the face of the victimizer, in a way that says - "you cant control me" with that any more. -- as the word was used as a control device- almost like Palov's bells . . . black people knew, when that word is uttered - someone is about to get lynched, etc. black people using it - dared the "racist" society to approach them with that word. In this regard, use of the word is rather rebellious and allows young black people to regain a sense of bravery, after years of survivalistic based strategies, that many felt were moreso acts of cowardice. Thise young-adult in the black community has a meritorious argument!

3. its a meaningless word, used especially by the youth of today who have been taught so very little of America's true history that they do believe racism is extinct. they think that the word's use has no value other than its generic label - its like a NOUN, as far as parts of speech goes. it signifies an "object" or "person" about whom one is discussing. "This nigga is broke" is a statement that can be applied to a black person with no money, a white (or any other racial identity) with no money, but at the same time, this statement could be applied to a piece of equipment that no longer works as it is supposed to. This seems to be the worse use of the word, although it can have somewhat of a positive effect: it could, just maybe, possibly -- be the usage that brings about less tension between the black and white community, as most who use it this way really don't care who says the word. However this usage can easily get non-blacks in trouble - if they use it around a black person who belongs to Line of Thought #1 or #2 - some really bad ish could occur!

I personally belong to #2 yet I strive not to use the word in public areas, as I am aware of all three categories and I am aware of the negative impact it can have on others. Yet, within my own groups of friends - its a well-understood principle how to use it non-threatingly and how to use it in a threatening manner -

 

[acidrock]

3. its a meaningless word, used especially by the youth of today who have been taught so very little of America's true history that they do believe racism is extinct. they think that the word's use has no value other than its generic label - its like a NOUN, as far as parts of speech goes. it signifies an "object" or "person" about whom one is discussing. "This nigga is broke" is a statement that can be applied to a black person with no money, a white (or any other racial identity) with no money, but at the same time, this statement could be applied to a piece of equipment that no longer works as it is supposed to.

Well it's not meaningless if a person can lose their job for uttering it.

I understand how the word is used,just not why.

When you try and raise your kids right and do the right thing and have people just make a mockery of it,you have a tendency to get a little pissed off.It's undeniable that there is a double standard on this subject.

 

[Dogman]

Word shouldn't be used. To say a Black person can use it, to Rob something from a White person, opens up the door that leads to what divided people by color in the first place. Calling someone a fucker, or an asshole, that has no racial boundaries. The N word does. Call me a N, and it don't mean shit to me. Call QQ a N, and it does. Justifying the use of the word is stupid.

 

[Fieva]

I understand all of your concerns. In my opinion it's different strokes for different folks. Now I have a question for you guys....ever heard younger white kids calling each other the N bomb? Ok, watch the episode of Dave Chappelle where he's the Grand Wizard of the KKK, yet doesn't realize that he's black. There's a scene where he and his white supremacist friends are at a stop light and there's a group of teenage white kids listening to rap music, bass and all. Chappelle's character hears it and automatically assumes they're black. In doing so, he calls them the N word and they're like "Cool! A black person just called us a N!"

I usually don't take offense when anybody says it to me. It's just a word. Me taking offense to them saying it means that they won because they got the reaction they wanted. That's why the word was introduced in the first place. Why let the racist white men win by taking offense to that word. Why do you think so many black people use it? Why do you think black comedians do everything that they can to make fun of the word. Listen to Richard Pryor (R.I.P. to a true comedy genius) or Chris Rock and you'll see them make fun of it constantly. I'm more likely to use it in music but not as much outside of it. My reasoning for that is because I see a "nigga or ******" as a person beneath me, that I have no concern for. If I'm talking about friends, I'll use dogg or homies.

Fiev.

 

[JCM900]

Why let the racist white men win
Fiev.

Now explain to me why you only mention "racist white men" but dont point anything out about "racist black men"... why didnt you use the term "racist men" ... that in itself is a deeply racist, although maybe unconscience, statement.

 

[Mo-Kay]

I voted "only if you're black"

and that's that.

 

[fraserhutch]

I voted "only if you're black"

and that's that.

That's bullshit.

You guys say it around my kid, and then you'll turn around and get upset when she uses it.

I won't use the word, but telling my little one that it's a bad word will only encourage her to use it.

And I shouldn't even have to use the expression "you guys", but that is what something like this necessitates.


Fuck that. Anyone who uses the word is an ignorant racist.

 

[DesertEase]

This is stupid, people want you to explain y you use it in your lyrics- if they don't get the message when they listen to your verses then they don't know, thas all i got to say

 

[Crumbles]

Isn't Mo-Kay Asian?

 

[Erion]

i know a white rapper who uses the word N ... and it dosent mean that hes dissin or something... its just the lyrics he use... and hes a great rapper

Milot - Change

 

[whyseye]

It's word born of hatred and ignorance, and carries that baggage no matter who uses it....there are so many other words in our language which are more elegant and descriptive.....
....unless one wishes to use the word to make a racially charged point, I don't see any reason that it should still be used by anybody in any other context...

 

[Fyre]

For me....... I use it a lot in my music but like others said not so much in public or things like that......... as far as the word being used toward me ill be honest if its a black person I dont think twice about it........ but any other race I do and let me tell you why.......

Story 1) I good white friend or mine...... and when i say good friend I mean I would die for this man literally....... one day we're riding and listenin to some music and the "N" word comes up in the lyrics...... he turns the music down and ask me "D how would you feel if I used that word"........ my responce to that was I wouldnt really care cause to me he was like family and skin color didnt matter....... yet to this day not one time did he use that word...... and thats out of respect for me and the meaning of it.......

Story 2) Im at a little club thats in this shopping center setting up for a show...... the DJ pulls up to the door so that we can grap the speakers and DJ equipment out of his car...... now we're getting the stuff out of his car and all four doors are wide open..... leaving little space for other cars to get past........ out of no where a white guy comes out and screems "Dumb ******s"........ now at that point I was ready to slit his fuckin throat........ and why because he ment it as a racist term..... and what did he do after that he ran into a store and made them look the door because he saw about 5 black people approaching him.....

I told these stories to say this...... im not saying its right for blacks to use the word... but because of what its become INSIDE the black community I dont mind it....... but at the same time because of the words histroy no one else should use it or has any reason to use it

 

[Fieva]

Now explain to me why you only mention "racist white men" but dont point anything out about "racist black men"... why didnt you use the term "racist men" ... that in itself is a deeply racist, although maybe unconscience, statement.

That's a good question and deserves an equally good response. Now the reason I said "racist white men" is because that's where the name was originally created. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, I said that because I've been through this conversation before with other men (from different ages) who take offense to the word and that is their take on it. So in truth, I passed that statement along with my own commentary on it.

And don't think I don't know black men (and women) can be racists too....anybody can. I catch quite a bit of it from both sides because I can associate with all races without seeing color in it, and people don't necessarily like that. And in addition to that...I don't think there are many types of races of women that I've NOT dated or seen interest in, so that causes problems too, but to hell with that...Fiev is gonna be Fiev...deal with it.

But since you bring up the term racist men, why would a racist black man (against his own race mind you) use the N bomb on another black man? He knows he's probably not going to get the anger that he would want to get out of that man. Therefore, he has to go about it another way. Whereas a person of a different race (Caucasian, Mexican, Indian, Arab...list goes on) would be more likely to get a response that they intended for in the first place.


I hope that cleared it all up for you, like I said, a good question that deserved an equally good response.

Fiev.

 

[mentalattica]

What really bugs me is, a black guy can say ni**er all he wants but let a white guy say it, and OMG it racism... but then the same black guy that calls racism on that will turn tight around and call a white guy a "cracker" or "honky"... go figure. Now whos really the racist?

You will close to never hear a black man call another black man "Ni**er", to me atleast that word is a degrading racial term. I think the word nigga in my opinion atleast is a word that was derived from Ni**er but is not the same word because of the pronounciation and meaning. Some may debate that and your entitled to do so, however I do believe most of us whether black, white, purple or green who use this word in our vocabulary will agree that they are definitely different words. It makes me cringe to hear the ER pronounced by anyone who says it, but to hear the A pronounced does not have the same effect.

The reason the word "nigga" is so freely used? I'm sure everyone has their own reasons, or lack thereof. I have a few different takes on that which are all opinionated ofcourse. Given America's past, the ones considered by the whites as "Ni**ers" were the ones hanging from tree's, having crosses burned in their yards, having their homes burned down and having their women and children raped etc... They were the ones who couldn't read, were deprived of an education, were forced into slavery a decade or so prior and were never treated as equal. People in my parents generation were part of the civil rights movement, which wasn't THAT long ago. They have a reason to be bitter, to call them racist for using the words "cracker" and "honky" is the right thing to call them, but they were provoked years ago. That anger they have gets passed onto the children whether the parents know it or not, in today's day and age there are still white parents teaching their children that black america are "Ni**ers" and we still have black parents teaching children that white america are "oppressors".

I say all that to say, I think we subconciously use the word nigga to provoke white people, almost like "I can say it, I dare you to say it". Now if you were to turn around and say "will yall niggaz shut up!", not only would they have responded but most likely every black person who heard you would have and as black people we know that, that's why I think it's used publicly. JMO.


Acidrock, I'm sorry your children were exposed to that word just as a child being exposed to any foul language though it was bound to happen. I think you should ask them if they know what the word means, if not, explain the meaning of the word to them and why no one should use that word.


Ahhh, I probably don't make any sense to anyone... oh well
I hate racial issues... why can't we all be orange?
And "Reverse Racism"... Doesn't that mean Not-Racism??? LOL

 

[Noddy301]

Nah it means Racism-Not LoL...but u make ALOT of sense Ment and not only did u state ur opinion, u supported them with details and facts

 

[JCM900]

as far as your take on the word nigga being a derivitive of the word ni**er, I dont feel that the use is any different than say... axe=ask.
bro-brother, I think maybe its called "ebonics"? which i translate into, to lazy to annunciate (sp).

 

[C jOker]

Comin from a bunch of places and being the young cat I am white kids say it, black kids say it, asian kids say it, everyone says it, its become a popular word among "hip" young kids, even though i surrond my self in the hip hop culture and with ppl i chill with at school when ever i hear anyone say it period i cringe, i feel that it is a like the curse words suck as bitch, fuck so on and so fourth. because usually when ppl say it they dont have anything better to say..its usually a filler word in most for most rappers which leads most to speculate that most rappers arent good at writing...which is true and which is why most real hip hop heads (lyrical cats) dont mix with rap (commecial) because what one is sayin is bad, the other glorifies...talib kweli preaches black unity and global unity in some songs, while even though there legends NWA says "fuck the police" or names an album "amerikkkas most wanted"...that just my 2 cents of the ordeal...

ps.

hip hop and rap are growing different everyday as we speak..

 

[fraserhutch]

You see, the problem with this is that other swear words are NOT OK for some people and not others to say. You try explaining that to a child. If it's a bad word, it's a bad word, not that it's a bad word if non-blacks use it.

That's whjy I call bullshit on it. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who uses the word is propogating rascism in the same way I will not tolerate chink, spick, etc. That's just ignorance dressed up as hip, and I DON'T want my child exposed to THAT. Swear words we can talk about.

Acidrock, I'm sorry your children were exposed to that word just as a child being exposed to any foul language though it was bound to happen. I think you should ask them if they know what the word means, if not, explain the meaning of the word to them and why no one should use that word.