See, nigga first was used back in the Deep South
Fallin out between the dome of the white man’s mouth
It means that we will never grow, you know the word dummy
Other niggas in the community think it’s crummy
But I don’t, neither does the youth cause we
em-brace adversity it goes right with the race
And being that we use it as a term of endearment
Niggas start to bug to the dome is where the fear went
Now the little shorties say it all of the time
And a whole bunch of niggas throw the word in they rhyme
I really need to stop using this word. We can try to justify its usage (with the acronym I used for the title) as much as we want, but it’s still damaging. What’s the reason for this breakthrough?
I want to clarify this it’s not the word “nigger” I am speaking of but its variation “nigga”. Some say there is a difference, some say there really isn’t, but that’s not what this post is about. I’d also like to point out that I hold no judgement against people that use it casually in everyday conversation. It’s just starting to bother me when I hear it coming out of my own mouth. It’s almost automatic. I feel the same way Q-Tip felt, it’s just hard not to say it at times. I think the main reason for al this is that the word has gone “pop”.
Remember the whole backlash against Jennifer Lopez using it in the “I’m Real” remix? Well, I want to know who’s really at fault for that? We should look at Hip-Hop/R&B over the past few years and how it has become interchangeable with Pop. You’d think we’d be armed with the knowledge that the millions and millions of non-blacks that are listening to this music are likely to sing it, just we all sing any song we know and love. Jay-Z’s song titles conisist of “Nigga Please”, “Jigga My Nigga”, and “Nigga What, Nigga Who.” Let’s say I have a white friend that says his favorite track on The Blueprint is number five. I don’t remember exactly what song that is so I ask him to clarify. He hesitates and says “Jigga That Nigga.” Should I haul off and slap him for saying the n-word? Is it his fault Jay-Z used the word not only in the lyrics but also in the song title?
Sometimes we unwittingly invite non-blacks into our culture. Without speaking, we say “Listen to hip-hop, wear our fashions, you can even date our women but just don’t use the N-WORD.” They have been provided with the foundation to slip up and use it. Then we get mad and call them racist, or ignorant, going into an entire dialogue about “You don’t know the pain that’s associated with that word! You have no right to say it!” My question is, do we?
I think the thing that bothered me most was hearing kids use it. Somehow hearing them say “shit”, “fuck” and the various curses used for the male and female anatomy didn’t seem as bad as hearing “nigga.” So now we’re teaching children and non-blacks to use the word casually. I am still torn over this whole issue. I know when my friends and I say it, it really isn’t a huge deal. But I think we need to be more careful about when and where we use it, so we don’t get upset when the “wrong” person says it.
Yo I start to flinch, as I try not to say it
But my lips is like the oowop as I start to spray it
My lips is like a oowop as I start to spray it
My lips is like a oowop, yo you know the rest
A Tribe Called Quest (http://atcq.com)
“Sucka Nigga” Midnight Marauders
I totally agree with your sentiments regarding the “n-word”…
Very well put!
Well put nOva. I too struggle with this one ocassionaly – its getting rarer and rarer which is a good thing.
I have no idea what a viable solution would be.
I cannot stand to hear this word, especially coming out of the mouths of children. For this reason, coupled with the words “bitch” and “ho”, I have reduced my participation in listening to hip hop music. But you know what really gets me? I have actually heard fathers, even my son’s own father, refer to his toddler as a nigga. My response to him: “Never call him that. He’ll hear that enough in his life time. He doesn’t need to hear it from his own father.” As unfortunate as it is, I don’t see this cycle ending anytime soon.
Recently, my bestfriend who is asian, used this word when she was referring to a group of people and I didn’t know how to respond. I couldn’t be mad at her for using it since it’s so casually used. However, her usage of this word made me very uncomfortable. In the back of my mind I’m thinking, “Maybe she thinks of me in this sense.” On the occasions I have used this word, I have never used it as a term of endearment. There’s nothing endearing about this word.
the new layout is up n0va. i’ll be back to read this post.
take care
Hey nOvito! I hear you on the whole “n-word” thing. I would say I hate hearing it..but I’m guilty of not even realizing when it is said. I use “niggra” “nucca” and all the other ways of “not sayin it”…but it is what it is. Maybe one day I’ll slap myself on the hand and quit. Funny thing is…it actually NEVER comes out of my mouth. Online is a different story. I type it all the time. Weird. I dunno why that is.
i agree with blu, i talk a lot of shit on line that i would never actually say in person. actually i am quite the introvert and antisocial one. online i have used various degrees of the word nigga. a coupla years ago i became a jay-z hater. mainly because this negro, was doing a concert, largely to a white teenage audience and he had the words “my nigga” spelled out on the screen so they could pronounce it right. erm, when did white people ever have a hard time sayin nigga?
Once again Novito, you keep it on the “real” tip.
i’ve been saying that i was gonna stop dropping the n bomb foreva – but it’s so engrained in my vocab, it’s gonna take a serious verbal diuretic to rid me of it and the oddest part of it all – is that i cringe when i hear other folks say it… props for quoting hey sucka n!gga – one of (if not THE) best atcq songs