‘Nigga’..not a paradigm shift in cultural/racial power but an abusive equalization of what is and is not allowed.

No country is free of social class systems based on nationality, colour, income etc. If Rawanda was/is an example of black culture in the homeland and if men like Idi Amin could and can rise to power, how do these events seperate one peoples from another. Are these instances of Black History part of the ’struggle’ or will the focus of the ’struggle’ only be directed where social conscience can be guilted into submission, especially where history is being written to the constant beat of… ‘it’s your fault’…?

When European slavers were plying their “trade”, Zanzibar was one of the largest slave ports in the world, country men selling country men to the highest bidder - European, African, Asian….

The opinion expressed by KRS-1 has validity, such as ‘f*** you’ has become the mainstay threat of angry grade school children. Shocking, but neither unifying nor representive of their struggle against, well - eveyone.

Klaatu defines the linguistic history - KRS-1 tries to define modern times. “Brother” had the same impact during the 60′-70’s but defined a unifying aspect to the struggle against white vs black and social justice without invoking some aspect of hatred associated with the word.

Hip-hop and rap may be sitting at the table of brotherhood, as long as they are on the East or West coast, or elsewhere.

As cultural shifts evolve, there will be those who defend and those who criticize.

A Nigga is a Nigga is a Nigga by any other name. But in reading between the lines it appears to me that regardless of language, culture or history, the struggle remains the same- respect and love for each other is paramount.

ps Ishmael not so much the love for the Beatles, but in how they portray the “escape clause” of our lives…

pps Ice Water although I wear gloves to protect my knuckles - it it not “what is best” for Others I seek, but what recourse can come from the wolf crying “wolf”???

The reality is hip-hop is worldwide. Usage of the word is now world wide. But calling any non black person a racist who says it is just a “chip on the shoulder” tactic. Its baiting the racism issue and will not do anything to end it.
Racism is not a whote on black issue. Racism is a human issue, travel outside your first world countries and see for yourself. Where is the human slave trade still occuring?!?…Africa.
The difference is North America and Europe have actual equality laws. How many other countries give a legal recourse for racism?
Lets get a perspective.
Respectability comes with responsibility. This will be something humans will continue to battle (as we should) for a long time.
Keeping the “n” word around is nothing more than the attitude of
“I can beat my children, but nobody else can beat my children.”

i think the winner of the rollingstone reality show wrote this article

You know,coincidently Monie Love had an idea about this on her morning show(on 100.3 The Beat Philly last February)and it seemed like a strategic move.I thought this would be the deathnail in the Black community-more so MY Black community and ebonics,but yet my everyday Black people continued to frequently use it like if were a casual expression(what a shame).If you ask me,in the words of Monie and her former morning co hosts Liyiah(sp?) and Pooch,they’re just “Killing The Black Community”.Regarding this issue,who knows if this will actually become a reality.Michael Richards already manhandled the word like if he time traveled into a 1940’s club(tangled haired trick)so it had to make EVERY Black entertainer,entrpreneur,athlet e,and RAPPER cringe.Times like these makes me wish the Black Panthers were reorganized(shakes head).

Holy cow. I clicked on this post with the twisted hope of reading some racist, redneck replies. Instead I get to read some very intelligent arguments. This may be an RS first. Bravo to all the great, intelligent posts. We’re not doomed after all.

Hip Hop

I kind of like the idea of identifying with those who are poor, oppressed and downtrodden. I am white, but I would be happy to be called “nigga” if that’s what it means.

However, I think I would still be very afraid to use it.

When I did college radio in 2003 I got the opportunity to interview KRS-1 an icon in Hip-Hop, here’s what he had to say on this very topic:
“When u keep saying words over and over and over again it loses its connotation or power. Words change. What nigga meant in the 1600’s is not what it means today. By saying nigga, N-I-G-G-A over n over again u actually defeat the racist power of the word, that’s the upside of it. Its not like nigga is a magic word that when u say it u are automatically degraded. U have to say words and they have to have meaning, matter fact every word u say has a graphic description in your mind. Now what is the graphic depiction of a nigga, this is now the downside, what do u visualize when u say that word? What is a nigga to u? I would say Yo Jesus thas mah niggah! When Im talkin to my niggaz. Now see somebody else might be like what did he just say??? This leads me to my other point. We in Hip hop speak in code we take the most offensive words that we know piss off the mainstream and we use them REGULARLY. When we speak to each other we are not talking the way white racists talked we’re not saying Nigger with an E-R. We are using the term the way we visualize it in our head. Nigga meaning I’m not better than you, you’re not better than me, we the same in this, we both struggling in this we both niggaz at the end of the day.
White people have become niggaz. Because of this need to be part of the common struggle…to call a person a nigga today in America means that person is part of the common struggle. That’s what a nigga is - a person part of the common struggle. It’s not a disrespectful term toward black people. To assume that when we say nigga we are disrespecting ourselves, is really to disrespect our intelligence, it assumes that we don’t know what we are talking about, it assumes that we don’t have control over the definitions of our own words. Look at words period, there are other words that Hip-Hop has used out of standard context like Fresh or Fly or Dope these words were used just like nigga. This is the confusion. They think that we are using the word nigga according to the old definition of it and were not. We are speaking in code to our people who understand our language. The Hip-Hop language. But speak the whole language don’t try to speak like and attorney and then say nigga…that’s not gonna work. I’ve had whites call me nigga, I’ve had Eminem call me nigga “Yo KRS…thas mah nigga!” Mc Serch, Beastie Boys…why??? Because they’re niggaz! J-lo’s a nigga! And they have the right to use the word because they use the whole Hip Hop language. If I say yo them niggaz was dope - they say - how can a person be a drug??? That’s the confusion, that no one knows our language and right fully so, you SHOULD think we’re speaking this because we DON’T want u to know our codes, we WANT TO speak the most offensive language we possibly can because that’s our rebelliousness and we’re not gonna give that up. We are being censored , let us speak our whole language and the word nigga will not be offensive. Hip-Hop doesn’t front, the way we talk in our house is the way we talk in the street. What the damage of the word nigga does is that it degrades u when u speak to others who don’t know the code and to constantly use the word nigga you are playing yourself because in THEIR minds nigga is something to be looked down upon. When you’re amongst fam its all good. We have to be bilingual even tri-lingual no multi-lingual. Be mindful of who u are speaking to because if the person doesn’t understand what you are saying, you are not getting the point across and that goes for all words. Choose the words that evoke understanding, nigga doesn’t evoke understanding in mainstream America, why??? because mainstream America is racist. And every time u say nigga they get guilty because they still look at us like niggaz, and so when u say nigga they cringe because in their heart nigga is still that. So those white people in particular that cringe at the word nigga, they need to check themselves. White people that say that’s mah niggah, those mah niggaz, they’ve joined the common struggle. Eminem is a nigga! He has defeated racism. Look what Hip-Hop did! Look at the brilliance of our community! Dr. Martin Luther king said I have a dream, that one day the sons of former slaves and sons of former slave owners will sit together at the table of brotherhood, no where in the world do u see that but in Hip-Hop!
NO WHERE IN THE WORLD DO U SEE THE UNITY OF RACES THE WAY DR. KING SPOKE ABOUT IT BUT IN HIP-HOP!”

Terms for black people: a chronology:

First encounter with Europeans - Negro, pronounced Nay-grow. Latin for dark or black.

During Slavery - Negro pronounced Nee-grow, a mispronunciation of the Latin term

Late 19th Century - Nig*er a mispronunciation of “Negro”

Mid 20th Century - Negro

1950’s - Colored People

late 60’s - Black or Afro American

70’s - Black

80’s - African American

90’s - People of Color

00’s - If you are Black, “Nigga,” otherwise use “African American” because it takes the most effort and thereby shows the most sensitivity

(never mind that two of my African American friends are white)

I have severe PC fatigue.

what about “that niggardly nigger”

WASPs have controlled American society for the last 400+ years, and I believe that the controversy surrounding the “N-word” is just a reflection of the fact that many of them are terrified by what they see as the imminent end of that period of control. Now there are things they cannot say, things they cannot do. For almost 400 years, things were exactly the opposite. There were things minorities couldn’t say, couldn’t do, even places they couldn’t go, especially African-Americans. But now, many white people begrudge black people for taking a word that whites themselves invented as a means of hate and societal control and turning it into a badge of cultural survival. I also imagine that if it became a sudden trend among Jewish teenagers to wear paper Stars of David on their shirts, WASPs would want to know why they couldn’t do that, too. But it’s obvious that the balence of power in this country is starting to shift, and that’s what has so many white people obsessed over something as essentially inconsequential as a single word. It’s not the word itself, but the fact that it represents a new paradigm of potential societal inequality. And it’s funny to me that so many of the people who claim to not be racist, asking questions like, “Just because something happened 200 years ago, why should I be held responsible when I’ve only been here ___ years?” claim to be religious Christians, when the Bible clearly explains that the sins of the father will visit the next nine generations of his children. If black people’s freedom to use the word nigga/nigger is the worst of that cultural payback, white people should consider themselves very lucky indeed.

P.S. Can somebody explain to me why so many of these people are Beatles fans?

P.P.S. To anyone who isn’t racist but is simply misinformed about Hip-Hop (i.e. thinking that it’s all violent, racist, sexist, homophobic, nihilistic, lowbrow, etc.), rent Dave Chappelle’s Block Party and watch it (never mind whether or not you like the Chappelle Show; there’s no correlation). You still might not like the sound of Hip-Hop, but you’ll have a different perspective on what it is.

What’s a jigger?

A F A G G OT UNLES HE WAS A CHINK!

Are we using the N-word to open up discussions about race? Great, then maybe one day we’ll get to the lesser issues of poverty, high school dropout rates, booming prison populations, infant mortality and teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol addiction, HIV, unemployment, and lack of access to adequate health care.

Have a nice day, America.

We have the facts and the votes are in:
Only white people go to rs online. And (whether they over intellectualize the Other’s proprietary use of denigrating language or are knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing playa hating closet racists) they, apparently, still know what’s best for everyone!

This word only holds the meaning we assign to it. And we assign this word a TON of a meaning.

If African Americans (or whiggers [GASP]) would prefer to consider themselves niggers [GASP}, niggas [GASP], or niggaz [GASP], then let them. It will just lead to them being considered those things by other races, though, and that’s where I think the danger lies. Sure, they own their blackness, but now that their blackness is owned maybe they could find a more constructive way to use it? But, what do I know? I’m just a white devil cracker ([GASP] - with an ‘er’ not an ‘a’!).

See how stupid that is? I don’t even feel any better about “owning my whiteness” after “empowering” myself with using that word. What a bummer…

I agree with someone else on here…and only white people can call them selves…crackers!

A complete lack of creativity, worldliness and self-control are all prevential of the phasing out of the n-word in speech. People abuse it terribly whether in a negative or positive connotation. The students in my classes use the word almost as a pausal device, kind of like saying um or like or you know. It seems to have become so comfortable that it is used without any real thought or identifiable expression. It’s essentially a word that promotes exclusion, revisits negativity and takes comfort in irresponsible and reckless philosophies on human interaction. Almost as if to say, I have the freedom to speak however I would like, but not necessarily the sense to speak however I truly should. It is dangerous to generalize the use of this word though. That only promotes blunt resistance and distance from intraspection.

I have heard this ‘argument’ goig on since I was a young lad and still am of the same opinion I always had. Since African-Americans have appropriated a word and said quite literally that no one besides other non-whites can use the word, why is it that they picked any variation of such a derogatory and nasty one? How is saying we can use it but not you-not in itself a racist attitude? Since to them (African-Americans) there is no tolerance, WHY THAT WORD? Seems to me it was almost a polarizing, concious decision. If you want the word-or anything that sounds like it- not to be used, STOP using it. Not even the most bigoted person I know is insensative enough use it to someones face and you’ll never be able to police people’s thoughts. But- if a word falls out of use completely, eventualy the very definition will as well. P.S. Whassup my po-locks?!? (and no- I don’t want you saying it, no matter how you spell it!

Who cares? The people who are being called N . . . . care.

Wow, Rolling Stone really shouldn’t attempt talking politics. It’s a non-binding resolution, that “asks”, not demands. Yet Rolling Stone tries to sell to give themselves ‘cred’ to the anti-authotiry types by making it sound like it’s leading to bloody 1984. The man was trying to make a statement on community empowerment, not repression. It was a message for people to regard themselves and their people with dignity, not an attempt to repress a community through speech acts. God RS, picking up an intro to poli-sci text book.
You’re whole example of a little kid getting an NWA album is that whole point. Here you are more concerned with some fictious hypothosis of children getting the alphabet wrong from bands rather than the perpetuation of what that album embodies. I have no problem with rap artists expressing the realities of life in the hood, but some of the bigger artists that have to realize that they can stand for something more than keeping black people believing that they’re socially less and that if they try to be more that they’re an ‘Uncle Tom’. On top of that councilman’s challange for artists to stop using the word nigger, he should have also made a challange for rap artists to show respect to women in the lyrics.

Satan made me laugh out loud from the belly. camry99 voted for bush.

Lets change nigger to the word Nword from now on…
“Shame on a Nword who try to run game on an Nword.”

“You Bitch Ass Nword, as high as Wu Tang Get…”

If rappers quit using the word nigger 1/8th of there vocabulary would be gone… and what’s really funny is how many Hip Hop songs rhyme Nigger with Nigger? 83% of all rap songs do!

Hey Tony,

Did you hear The Grey Album?

Fucking brilliant.

I think they should only use the N word in a historical sense, like in such TV series as Roots. If they were to issue it on DVD with the N words removed, it would almost be like changing history and we just can’t pretend that the N word never existed. Yes it’s offensive, but it is also part of history.

when i saw Cornel West speak he dropped knowledge. He essentially said that he’d be fine with the n word if love and friendly sentiments were behind it…but he felt that most of the time when it was used (by BLACKS) he heard the hatred of one’s self and one’s people.

I don’t people can stop using the n word its just their way of using their own language on how they talk to each other and not just african americans use it.Its every race. And i do agree that its wrong that when other people use the n word besides african americans they get mad

Since when is rap art, last time I checked it was some crack head reading words off a peice of paper over top of someone elses music while being simaltaniously shot in the face 9 times and smoking weed while holding his balls, if thats art than the homeless man in the YMCA locker room needs a record deal, where’s Jay-Z when you need him.

I think RS wants to keep the word because they want black people to keep using the word, the more they say it, the worse they look. Whenever I hear them call each other with that word so casually it automatically rings a bell in my head that tells me they are uneduacated with no self respect and they want a welfare check from the government and pat on the back for all the slavery they went through(yeah right). I believe that they have to start respecting themselves, become a positive role model for an up and coming generation, I work with an african american girl everyday, and nigga comes out of her mouth every other word. She must think it’s how she should speak, but you know what? she learned it somewhere(mtv,rap/hip hop/tu pac,jay-z). They see these rappers drinkin’ 40’s, hitting women, driving fast cars and partying, who wouldn’t want that Dawg(j/k), but where do we draw the line, I would personally love to stop hearing that word, I think all humans were created equall, and I’m sick and tired of this garbage language known as ebonics. Let’s say no to stupidity and ignorance, I know they don’t like to hear it, but they are using that word like it means nothing, than they are ignorant. I am not a racist, I just feel like we should take pride our selves and stop with all these hateful words and acts of violence that come attatched to these words. If I have said anything offending anyone, than I apologize, I just feel like this needed to be said.

The word itself has been given import by those who would “own” language. The question I ask: What does it imply within the community that claims ownership? Rejection of other cultural norms to
“embrace & represent” a darker aspect of social censure - discrimination/racism within that very same community… ‘blacker than thou’ = ‘holier than thou’ = ‘hipper than thou’= the emtiness that follows any word or “cult-of-me”. Children at the wheel of a speeding car….

ps the beatles did not need to invoke such BS attitude to reach the world…Love is all you need, Sparky.

Although the two comparisons are quite different, Rap music and the music of the Beatles, a line can be drawn to one institution-the government. We all know that the “N word” isn’t a nice one, but it is unfortunately part of this country’s giant dictionary of words. It would be a completely absurd idea to eliminate it for ONE day. Change takes generations. Not saying the word for one day in one location will not change anything. It will continue to be a part of this country. Onto my actual point…the United State’s government has gained too much control. When they get to the point of telling artists (Rolling Stone is a music magazine, so I will use music as a reference)that they can no longer use certain words (the “N word”) or certain ideas, or certain connotations, or even objects (such as the cigarette on the album cover/poster), they’ve completely taken the point of music away. Music is meant to express the artist’s feelings. There’s meant to be emotion and feeling. That’s what music is. If music/artists is/are limited to the things or ideas they can use to show that emotion, we’ve lost the true meaning of what they were trying to say in the first place. At that point the music means nothing. Plus, this country was founded on the basis of the First Amendment. There were no exclusions given, so say whatever it is you want!

Yeah and only white people can call eachother Crackers!

The resolution is not going to stop the use of the word. I sat on a train the day after this resolution was introduced and two Latino kids could not stop calling each other the word. It was ‘n…. this’ ‘ n….’ that.. At the end of it all the resolution seemed like a joke to me.

People should not take the word (N) to heart because Nigger can mean anyone!I am a Jamaican and proud to be black!that does not mean that I’m a Nigger I’m a humanbeen and a person so please ignore their ignorance for calling blacks niggers

So… you’re AGAINST it and FOR it. And people wonder why the word just won’t go away. “Let’s keep it, but only black people can use it.” Ummm… yeah. That’ll work. And to compare Abbey Road to this… they were airbrushing out a cigarette… ONCE. Rappers use the “N” all the time. You CAN change this now. You can’t change Abbey Road. Dumb, dumb comparison. (Of course, mentioning Abbey Road to anything involving rap is also dumb… no rap is worth being mentioned in the same book, much less the same paragraph as anything the Beatles did.)

what the hell? since when did rolling stone OPPOSE meaningless government gestures? allowing the n-word is an issue of tolerance? try the other way around, dumbass. note that the defense rolling stone provides here amounts to: ‘but we’re already using the n-word!’ the klan couldn’t have said it better.

My bands name is N Words 4 Life