NAS SPEAKS ABOUT HIS Controversial Album TITLE
Friday, October 19, 2007

Nas attending a Prince concert earlier this year. (Wireimage)
In the face of criticism from black leaders and representatives from the NAACP, Nasir Jones better known by his rap name Nas, recently spoke to MTV about the rumors concerning his new album, entitled Nigga.
Nas says that not only is his album coming out, but he’s going to go a step further and call it Nigger.
“I’m a street disciple,” Nas told MTV News. “I’m talking to the streets. Stay out of our business. You ain’t got no business worrying about what the word ‘nigger’ is or acting like you know what my album is about without talking to me. Whether you in the NAACP or you Jesse Jackson. I respect all of them … I just want them to know: Never fall victim to Fox. Never fall victim to the sh—they do. What they do is try to hurry up and get you on the phone and try to get you to talk about something you might not know about yet.
“If Cornell West was making an album called Nigger, they would know he’s got something intellectual to say,” Nas continued. “To think I’m gonna say something that’s not intellectual is calling me a nigger, and to be called a nigger by Jesse Jackson and the NAACP is counterproductive, counter-revolutionary.”
Nas told MTV he was unhappy that the titled had leaked out before he had a chance to explain why he’s using the N-word.
“I wanna make the word easy on muthafuckas’ ears,” he explained. “You see how white boys ain’t mad at ‘cracker’ ‘cause it don’t have the same [sting] as ‘nigger’? I want ‘nigger’ to have less meaning [than] ‘cracker.’ With all the bullsh—that’s going on in the world, racism is at its peak. I wanna do the sh—that’s not being done. I wanna be the artist who ain’t out. I wanna make the music I wanna hear.
“We’re taking power from the word,” he continued. “No disrespect to none of them who were part of the civil-rights movement, but some of my niggas in the streets don’t know who [civil-rights activist] Medgar Evers was. I love Medgar Evers, but some of the niggas in the streets don’t know Medgar Evers, they know who Nas is. And to my older people who don’t now who Nas is and who don’t know what a street disciple is, stay outta this muthafuckin’ conversation. We’ll talk to you when we’re ready. Right now, we’re on a whole new movement. We’re taking power from that word.”
For the full story:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1572287/20071018/nas.jhtml








221 Comments
COMMENT PAGES: [1] 2 3 » Show All
1.
BEAUTY Q.T.
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
That’s what I’m talking about! State your business NAS!
2.
sabby
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
This will make for great publicity….. I need to take up Public Relations 101
3.
HIP HOP FOREVER
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
2nd! It’s about time, he speaks! Tell em Nas!
4.
msfabolous
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Wow…I usually agree with alot of things Nas says…Always thought he was one of the rappers out today that spoke/rap with some sense…But, don’t agree with him on this one…
5.
1prettyb
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Ether the issh that make ya soul…….
6.
M E RENEGADE
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
SO
7.
natural mystique
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
He’s having a weed moment…
8.
SexyQB
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
This is real talk. The world needs to prepare itself for the REVOLUTION!!!
9.
get_me_bodied
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I HEAR U NAS!
10.
No Drama
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Alrighty then
11.
sharonstone
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Just another ignorant “NIGGA”
12.
Aaliyah Muhammad
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I am appalled by Nas’ irresponsibility. He should look at the people who are on his side and the people against him and see that what he is doing isn’t right. I am a true Nas fan - have every album, met him a few times, and support his style - but I draw the line at this title. He will not lessen the effect of the word, he will more and likely hurt more people than he can help. He need to talk to his father about this. That word isn’t something you can just put on a cd as a title and erase hundreds of years of oppression of abuse with it. Like I said before, look at who’s supporting his quest - DON IMUS - need I say more.
Nas, change your mind.
A true fan,
Aaliyah M
13.
nicholelibra
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Do you see white people going around calling themselves Crackers or Honkies? Or the Hispanics calling themselves wetbacks? Then why the hell are black people trying to…excuse me….MAKING it a casual term?
To perpetuate it’s use is only giving power to the word.
14.
shauny
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I don’t care what he has to say, I think he can say it without using that word. There is not excuse, not “talking to his people” or “I’m a street disciple” or what if it were Cornell West or whatever other off the wall excuse he uses. I can’t ride out with Nas on this one. Wake up
15.
ms. bmore
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I don’t agree with Nas on this one either…i am highly disappointed. I was never a hardcore Nas fan anyway (I’m not very street smart..lol)..so I really don’t care…whatever….this will be a field day for Bill O’Reilly and the other white male talk show hosts
16.
ms. bmore
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
btw..is Nas smokin that crackpot……is he hittin the pipe with Kelis?????????????
17.
J-Love
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I’m sorry but he sounds really ignorant!! He needs to keep it real. If white person came up to him and called “nigger”, he would be ready to punch them in the face. Also I think it’s sad that our young people don’t know anything about the civil rights moment. It’s part of our history!! It’s american history!! It’s who we are as a people!!
18.
thickems
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Like I said I will not PURCHASE it. Regardless of his reasons. He would not let another race call him that damn name. Nas WHATEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is a racist name however you want to slice it dice it devour it. It is a damn shame that the name is still be using - to greet your fellow friends come on now. That is just plain ignorant…
19.
BEAUTY Q.T.
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I find it funny that black people have a problem with the word “nigga”, but we go calling each other “nigga” and I’m not speaking in a derogatory sense. Maybe his CD will spit “STRAIGHT KNOWLEDGE”. That’s the reason NAS is upset in the first place. People are sooo quick to judge.
But to each his own…
20.
Parks68110
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I think Nas is trying to gain publicity so his album can SALE… I cant believe how many people are giving him big ups for this shit. He usually sounds very intellectual when he speaks but now he sounds down right dumb. I guess it makes GREAT for record sales. More money in his pocket fuck the community
21.
hallowhat?! BAMMMBOOZLED
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Um, ok, can i say this, he’s an ignorant idiot! Don’t curse people out while trying to make a positive “movement”.
22.
MIKA
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
i didnt know how i felt about this whole naming his cd nigger business until i read this article. he is so right, if cornell west wrote a book or something and called it nigger, we would think we were about to be educated or enlightened, but nas names his cd nigger and we think oh he’s about to say some niggerish things…does nas not always drop knowledge with anything he does, how could we expect anything but greatness from him…now if trick daddy or someone were to make an album entitled nigger, then i would expect ignorance
23.
thickems
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
*used* typos are a b$tch when you are upset about some dumb crap like this.
24.
complexndope
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Wow.
25.
nicholelibra
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
@18, I have a problem with the use of the word Nigga and Nigger. Even if Nigga isn’t the word itself it’s a derivative of the word. If anything it’s not a separate entity, but an updated form of the word Nigger. There’s no distiction; they’re one in the same.
But try explaining that to assholes like Jay-Z and now apparently Nas.
26.
nicholelibra
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
@21, tell me about it. LOL
27.
Anitra
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
My entire opinion on this topic has CHANGED. As a so-called intellectual, degree-d and all of that I am happy I still have an open mind. I am LOVING Nas. Much respect bra.
28.
FINE N MELLOW
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
This is interesting. Im a huge Nas fan. I’ll check the album out and see what he has to say.
29.
Naomi
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
NAS LOOKS SO FUCKIN SEXY IN THAT PHOTO
30.
NeshaNesha
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I completely hear what Nas is saying…and I agree with him.
My only concern is how the hell will this album be advertised.
Lets be real for one mi-nute. Lets think about it.
I agree with number # 2, this will be great publicity…so in all actuality he really wouldn’t
need alot of advertisement because of all the controversy the title will get…I guess that is one way to save money.
31.
Stacy H
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
He is just trying to cause controversy so people will buy his album. think about it, with all the issues in the new lately, Don Imus, Micheal Richards, Jena 6, he is trying to capitalize on the controversy to sell records. simple as that! so tired of these so called “real” people trying to make is seem like they are down, when the bottom line is their pocket book
32.
ocram
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I’m glad to see my man NAS stand his ground. Be prepared for the backlash. Just know that alot of people are gonna have no comment on this one. I hope this isn’t just to start a conversation. This is what hip-hop has lacked since the early 90’s. Someone to push some buttons like P.E. and KRS. Let’s be creative people (the NAACP had a funeral for the word). People want to act like the word never existed. The only thing we can do is what NAS is doing, ADDRESS IT!!!!!!!!! Notice that he said that he wants the word to be easy on the ears (strip it of the ignorant meaning).
33.
Queen_Chrissee
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
That’s what’s up Nas. I’m feeling you on that. My husband and I were just talking about this last night and he said that Nas naming his album such a name, means that he has some intellectual shit to say! He’s just throwing that name out there to hype up the media to make it look and sound all controversial. But in all actuality, this kat, knows what he’s doing. He’s smart as hell.
34.
HIP HOP FOREVER
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I’m not for or against this, partially because I’m for freedom of expression…but I just had to say that this word has been made casual amongst us years ago. People acting like this is new, it’s not. Our great grandparents that had to endure overt racism used this word casually…I think because to them it was used so much toward them that it became commonplace for us. I think we earned the rights to use it, or refuse to use it–and like other words let it be spoken of with it’s own individual set of consequences. If Nas wants to put himself out there like that, let him take up the cost for it.
35.
Yadadamean!!
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
alot of yall females(not all yall) commenting is “ignorant hypocritical niggaz”. How can you NOT know what he means. Yall female niggaz talkin bout “I dont agree”, “so”, “he’s ignorant”. Yall think he just naming his album “Nigga” just because. I bet yall bit@h’s…yeah I called yall bit@h’s are 19-22yo living a sheltered life or livin off a man. No wonder why black guys start to date white women of other races!
36.
JoRo
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
#35, what the hell is “white women of other races”? You don’t make sense. SMH at Nas.
37.
grlnva
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I’m trying to understand, but the word itself will never sit right.
38.
get_me_bodied
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
NAS SAID IT. HE A GANGSTA AND HOW MANY G’S U KNOW DAT DON’T CALL EACH OTHER NIGGA? DATS HIS THANG IF HE WANTS 2 NAME HIS ALBUM THAT, HE IS SMART AND A REALEST. SOME MAY BE OFFENDED AND I FEEL DAT 2. MY MAN DOESNT LET ME CALL HIM NIGGA BUT HIS BOYS CAN..
39.
evelyn
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
i love NAS..im a big fan …i will def. get the new CD…as for the CD title…who cares..life goes on
40.
Nunya
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
i guess we just have to wait and see what hes talking about on the album….
but im shaking my head at him right now.
41.
fashionmess
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
When I first heard that he was calling his album the N-word…I thought the N stood for Nas. But when I heard it was going to be called Nigga, I said, well Nas is intelligent and has to have a really good reason for calling it that. But, now that I’ve heard the reason, and its totally ludicrous. I won’t be supporting!!!!
I think he may have been high when he gave that interview.
42.
lemonhead
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
EXACTLY! Go NAS
43.
parks68110
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Is wondering how can he compare himself to COrnell West?? Thats like comparing Dr martin Luther King to Bobby Brown.. Nas does spit “ETHER” but hes no damn cornell west….
44.
nicholelibra
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
@35. Although I may be 20, I’m no bitch. And no, I’m not living off some man. I worked 3 jobs through high school, I pay my own rent, college tuition, and car note WITHOUT some man helping me out. Just because you throw in some “(not all yall)” doesn’t make it any less of a generalization. Maybe black women give sad excuses for black men like you a hard time because they don’t like for people to go around calling them BITCHES. Just a little food for thought.
45.
tia
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
um #41 he really didnt give a reason he was saying that they went off about it without asking him what it was called but if the other dude had made a album like that they would think it was going to be intellectual but because he’s doing it they want to go off…….him sayin that he was a streep diciple was not his reason,read between the lines people
i’m a fan of nas and if anyone else is they know that nas never has anything ignorant to say and he always makes sense in his music so get off my NIGGA nas’s nuts
46.
T ford
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I know he has something positive or deep to say regarding using the N word. Often the media jumps to conclusions without listening to purpose or content of the lyrics. They really need to wait and see because Nas is one of the only few artist who ‘brings it’ on the mic every time. Trust!
47.
tia
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
street*
48.
bill
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
test
49.
bill
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I have a lot to say, but post has been moderated.
50.
Aaliyah Muhammad
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I believe, no doubt, that Nas will spit science, knowledge and above a lot of people’s heads. But, that still doesn’t justify the title. That word represents lynchings, beatings, rapings, the destruction of African families and heritages. There is no justification for using the full on term n—er. Nas is one that uplifts and I believe that he believes that is what he is doing, but he will destroy a lot more than uplift with one word than the entire album will education or kick knowledge.
Unfortunately he will not lessen the effect of the word. I believe that he will cause a lot of controversy, may or may not sell a lot of albums and the word will still be what it is - a hateful term.
I will still listen to this album, probably bootleg though, to see what he’s talking about. I don’t care what anyone says, HE CAN STILL KICK KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT KICKING OUR ANCESTORS IN THEIR A**es.
51.
Water
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I teach a sociology class in New York and this is a big issue of contention in class discussions. Certainly NAS has the perogative and the constitutional right to express what he wants to say (No question about that) but I do wonder about the implications that it may produce. I do wonder if this is going to give license to other folks that it is okay to say it as we know ( and I know NAS knows) that his biggest paying audience are going to be young white suburban teenagers.
Like others on this board, I often wonder why other races and ethnicities do not subscribe to the same sort of banter that African Americans do: Why don’t Latinos or Jews, or Italians, or Africans for that matter use such words to each other?
52.
bill
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
When I was a little boy, a comedian by the name of RICHARD PRYOR
released an Comedy Album entitled
“That N is Crazy” (1974).
That N’s Crazy was the third official album release by Richard Pryor. It was recorded live at Don Cornelius’ Soul Train nightclub (named after his TV show) in early 1974. This album won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album for 1974.
* Although I don’t agree with NAS use of this particular word (His logic is flawed), this technique HAS been done before.
53.
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
welllll please infrom me of the reason soon ..
54.
Vic Nice
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Well I guess he and his wife,two perfectly good artists,will both be sitting at home with unpromotable and ill-selling cds.Nas should really think this one over.At a certain point,an artist has to sacrifice himself for the industry.There’s only so far that you can go before “individuality” turns around and bites you in the ass!Additionally,if he wants to in fact use the “n word” as his title can he at least have a reason that leaves him personally responsible and not brings so many examples and instances of outside entities into the equation.We as a race have to learn how to think our creativity all the way through.We are the world’s most talented race but sometimes our inability to be rational pigeon-holes us and stops us from achieveing our highest pinnacle of success.
55.
RC
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
**is this thing on? You all got me thinking I was banned or something. lol.
56.
johnosahon
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
there is NO explanation. i don’t care how much sense he thinks he is making NO EXCUSE FOR THIS CRAP.
does this fool know that 80% of those that buy his album are WHITE. he better not complain when 15 years old whites are using the n-word.
LOST 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000% respect for this fool. BUY FOREVER FOOL.
57.
bill
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Commentary: Blacks Who Use the N-Word Should Take a Page from Pryor’s Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2005
By: Gregory Kane, BlackAmericaWeb.com
Richard Pryor, who died this past weekend, vaulted into superstardom with his comedy album called That N***a’s Crazy.
In fact, that N-word figured prominently in Pryor’s comedy routines for years. It’s too bad that so many of us seem to have forgotten that, in the latter part of his career, Pryor rejected the word and came to regret his overuse and abuse of it.
The epiphany came shortly after Pryor visited Africa. He saw black folks in positions of power and authority. He asked himself “Did you see any n there?” When he answered in the negative, he realized that he had been wrong to use the word himself so many years. Pryor resolved never to use that word in reference to another black person ever again.
What’s interesting is that his career seemed to go downhill from that moment. It’s as if, once Pryor rejected the use of the N-word, we no longer had any use for him. But there are some black folks around today who need to drink whatever Pryor was drinking on his trip to Africa.
The use of words like “n” and “sambo” — once routine epithets spewing forth from the mouths of white bigots — now come primarily from the mouths of black folks. And the targets of the epithets are usually other black folks.
Take, for instance, blogger Steve Gilliard, who couldn’t resist recently calling Michael Steele, the first black lieutenant governor of Maryland, a “sambo.”
There are several definitions of “sambo.” Among the first seems to have been a definition that comes from several dictionaries: a black person in Latin America who also had Native American or white blood. Somehow whites in the United States got wind of the word and used it to apply to blacks in a nasty and derogatory manner.
So what do some of us do? Why, the same thing, of course. And the way some of us are throwing the word “sambo” around, we’re clearly trying to out-racist white racists.
The same can be said of the N-word, but with so many black offenders who are determined to keep it in operation, it’s hard to put any one name at the top of the list. But I figure Kanye West — fresh off his “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” gaffe — is as good an offender as any.
At a recent concert in Baltimore, West told whites in the audience that he would “allow” them to use the N-word as they sang along with his hit “Gold Digger.” They only too eagerly agreed. It must have made for quite a scene.
White folks in Maryland — never known as a “friend of the Negro” state — standing in an audience singing “I ain’t sayin’ she’s a gold digger, but she ain’t f—in’ with no broke n—er.”
You know, there are a lot of white folks who are going to get themselves pimp-slapped listening to that goofy Kanye West.
But West isn’t our only goof, just our most prominent one. Other rappers use the word like it’s darn near a religious obligation. And the word figured prominently in what has to be the most degrading piece of stereotypical, racist trash Hollywood has ever put out about black folks.
No, I’m not talking about “Birth of a Nation.” I’m not talking about “Gone With The Wind,” either. I’m not even talking about the abominably racist 1940s cartoon “Scrub Me Mama With a Boogie Beat.”
No, I’m talking about “Soul Plane.”
Remember “Soul Plane?” It “starred” Method Man, Mo’Nique, Brian Hooks, D.L. Hughley and some other black folks you think would have known better. It also starred Snoop Dogg, who probably didn’t.
In fact, it’s Snoop Dogg who proves that using the N-word should be the exception, not the rule. Some black folks use it appropriately. Cartoonist Aaron MacGruder used it to superb satiric effect on the premiere episode of his show “The Boondocks” which is now a Cartoon Network program, as well as a syndicated comic strip.
There is a time and place when black folks should, indeed, use the N-word. But it should be done sparingly. And it should be saved for extremely outrageous instances, like when Snoop stood in front of television cameras and proudly proclaimed that executed Crips co-founder Stanley “Tookie” Williams was “our Martin Luther King.”
Can I get a hearty “N, please” chorus going for that one?
58.
grlnva
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Bill, leave it alone. I know you are probably going to have something intellectual to say, I read and agree with alot that you say, some I don’t but thats neither here nor there.
Is it really worth getting into a cyber argument because you know thats whats gonna happen? Someone always tries to challenge you. Its not worth arguing your point all day. Think about it.
59.
grlnva
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Damn, got it out before I could post
60.
I luv MN
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
EXACTLY. I would be mad too! I’m a black person and I HATE, absolutely HATE, the N-word. Whether it’s the “friendly” kind or any other kind, I still don’t like it because this is how I see it….. white people are trying to make the n-word on the same level and the word, ‘cracker’, so then it would be OKAY for everyone to say it. But who really ever knows what kind of emotion white people have behind that word when they say it….unless you are white, of course. But that’s only my opinion. Good one Nas.
Can’t wait to hear the song and album.
61.
bill
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
RC said:
**is this thing on? You all got me thinking I was banned or something. lol.
Bill Said:
I figured it out….
You can’t spell out the N word on Concreteloop
You have to abbrevate it.
If you attempt to spell out the entire N word, and post your comment, your comment will go into moderation and it will not post
62.
bill
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
grlnva said:
Bill, leave it alone. I know you are probably going to have something intellectual to say, I read and agree with alot that you say, some I don’t but thats neither here nor there.
Is it really worth getting into a cyber argument because you know thats whats gonna happen? Someone always tries to challenge you. Its not worth arguing your point all day. Think about it.
Bill Said:
So..Everyone else has a right to popst THEIR opinion, but I should keep my opinion to myself, huh……
I never get into cyber arguments,
but
I do WELCOME debates (which strengthens my mind….)
Peace
63.
Stacy
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
LMAO @ “stay outta this muthafuckin’ conversation”
64.
RC
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Thanks Bill! I’ve been trying to post this for the last ten minutes. lol
The first quote and the one after the cut contradict each other sooo hard!!! How do you ever expect to be taken seriously as an intellectual when every other word is mutherf**ka!? He definitely gets a straight face on that one.
BUT!!!! with that being said, I don’t have a problem with the album being called N****r. DON IMUS IS A PIMP the way he effectively passed the buck and deflected the attention off of him and onto hip hop. It embarrasses me the way the NAACP, Al, Jesse, Oprah, etc. ate that ish up. Did anybody even care about using N-word or ho until six months ago?
Of course one album won’t undo decades of hate, but I think Nas is trying to present the other side of the coin. Yes, it would be nice if everyone stopped using the word, but realistically that’s as possible as world peace. White people have the power and will continue to use the word as a DOG-WHISTLE to rile us up. This is where the change needs to occur because trust, if some white person calls you the n-word, you can just as easily go through the same bullsh*t as the JENA 6. “Defending” your honor is never worth eight months behind bars.
N****r is no longer a word that evokes fear and humiliation for our people, and I think that is so powerful in itself.
But I guess if I don’t agree with the rest of the talented tenth, I’m ignorant right?
*if this was submitted twice, sry
65.
QTwitDaBootie
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
WHY? WHY? WHY? At age 10, my son already knows what NAS seems not to understand. When anyone uses the N-word in his presence or when referring to another, he asks the question, “Why I gotta be a N___ga!” He knows that this term originated with hateful intent.
Why couldnt the album be called “America’s Worse Nightmare: The Intelligent Black Man!”
Get it together Nas. You should learn to respect those who died for the rights you enjoy and enable you to speak your mind and live in the manner that you do.
66.
nefam
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Never heard of Uncle Cracker then I guess Nicholelibra. Guess what he’s WHITE. I think as long as people get up in arms about a word that doesn’t describe them then it will always have power. The moment we “Let it go” it loses its hold on us. As long as we feed racsism it survives. I don’t pretend to know what his album is about but it should be prolific using that title. Nas is no idiot. He knows what he’s doing and I’m sure he already spoke to Olu Dara about his decissionn. His fathers not gonna lead him astray.
67.
mookie
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
GON HEAD NAS PREACH THAT SHIT
68.
bill
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
The N-Word: Not in My Vocabulary
By Desiree Bailey
(Names have been changed.)
“N, please.”
My friend Jeff and I were having a slight disagreement at school last month when he decided to call me the N-word. Since we’re both black, he somehow thought it was appropriate. But it’s not to me. I hate to be referred to in that way by anyone, no matter what his race.
“Don’t you ever call me a n,” I said. And so our heated discussion began.
To Jeff, using the N-word within the black community is a way to turn the negative word “n” into a positive one. He told me that it’s empowering to be able lessen the effect of a word created to demoralize blacks by changing its meaning. He claims that using the word allows it to roll off his back.
No Way It’s Empowering
I’ve heard Jeff’s argument a million times before from almost everyone who uses the word, in my life and on TV. I understand his point but I don’t agree with it at all. There is no way that the word “n” can be empowering for me. I come from a strict Trinidadian household where pride in oneself and one’s race is strongly encouraged. My parents always taught my brother and me to love and respect ourselves. They would have a heart attack if they heard us referring to people we care about as “n.”
That doesn’t mean I haven’t heard the word used in my house. Unfortunately, I have. But my relatives have only used it during rare moments of extreme frustration to describe a low, shameless character that betrayed them. In my house, the term is meant to degrade. But I don’t approve of its use for that purpose, either.
I appreciated it when the New York City Council passed a resolution in March to discourage the use of the N-word. (A resolution isn’t a law; it’s only intended to raise awareness.) Maybe coverage of the council’s action will get people talking about the word’s painful past.
Intimidating and Belittling
I was curious to learn more about the N-word, its origins and its source of power. I was also interested in the different viewpoints on its usage. So I started reading The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t and Why, a new book by Washington Post deputy book editor Jabari Asim. In his book, which was published in March, Asim dug to the root of the word and chronicled its influence from its emergence in the U.S. to today’s youth culture.
Asim wrote that the word “n” comes from “n,” the Latin word for “black,” noting there is some dispute as to whether the word began as a neutral or derogatory term. One of the earliest written references of the word in the U.S. was in 1619 by colonist John Rolfe. It began as a description for black people. Since black people were scarcely thought about in a positive light, it was never used in a pleasant way.
The word became a way to intimidate and belittle blacks, and that continued into the 20th century, according to the book. In the 1930s there was a city limits sign in Hawthorne, California, that read, “N, Don’t Let the Sun Set on YOU in Hawthorne.” That sounds like a death threat to me.
Asim suggested that the N-word is a metaphor for many low periods in black history. It represents white people’s control over and contempt for blacks in the past. Blacks were once thought of as creatures and specimens. In the 1800s, there was even a false branch of science called “n——–ology,” in which unbelievable claims about blacks were accepted as facts. Blacks were thought of as the scum of society and in some cases, they still are. The N-word is a symbol for that long and horrible history of oppression.
Not an Affectionate Word
That’s why I hate to see the word used as a term of affection or “brotherly love.” I think that calling your friends “n” makes a mockery of the past. How can other races take black people seriously when we use such degrading language to describe ourselves?
These days, kids hear people using the N-word in their community and start using it without stopping to think what the word really means. Black entertainers, many of whom probably heard the word growing up, use it in their work. Sadly, teens I know also hear their favorite artists and celebrities using the word so they think it’s OK to use it.
But black people are still outraged when a white person calls them that name. Why? Because the word remains negative. So how is the “turning negative into positive” plan working there? I told Jeff that lifting ourselves out of the ghetto or any other bad predicament is what’s empowering, not using a word that was created to keep us down.
That’s why I passionately disagreed with Jeff at school that day. I tried to explain why I felt so strongly to him. “When I hear the word ‘n’ or ‘n,’ I see images of men like my father or my brother being hanged from a tree or kicked to death on the ground!” I told him.
While Jeff respected my point of view, he held his ground. I knew I couldn’t change his mind in a matter of minutes, so we agreed to disagree. Trying to change his opinion would be as difficult and time-consuming as trying to de-program someone who’d been brainwashed.
I believe some blacks like Jeff have become desensitized to the word and to the various struggles in our past. When we become desensitized, we run the risk of forgetting. And when we forget, we run the risk of repeating the torment through which blacks suffered.
Fueled By Memory
While I don’t think we should use the word in coversation, it should not be erased from the English language. The word should remain as a reminder of all the suffering blacks endured in the past. Instead of using the language of racists, blacks should use the memory of that word and everything surrounding it as fuel and motivation to get ahead.
They should hear the word and remember the dreams of blacks in the past like Toussaint L’Overture, Harriet Tubman and many others who weren’t honored in all of our history books. They should remember how many blacks risked their lives in slave revolts, the Underground Railroad and the civil rights movement of the 1960s to give us a better future.
The N-word should remind African-Americans to resist racism and prejudice. And young blacks should pay respect to the past by dropping the word from their everyday speech. “N” is not a word to be thrown around lightly.
69.
grlnva
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Bill Said:
So..Everyone else has a right to popst THEIR opinion, but I should keep my opinion to myself, huh……
grlnva said:
Nope, go ahead
70.
Tizzy-T WhistleQueen
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
I knew Nas would have an explanation on his decision for his album title, and it’s funny how we can embrace all these other rappers talking about cars and bitches and hoes, things that are killing us as a people but we lift up because it has a good beat, but we can’t even begin to hear Nas’ explanation before people start calling him ignorant and on the weed.
The N word is freely used among our people because its meaning has changed. It’s been made ordinary usage, and it really only has it’s sting when other races use it against us, whether or not they were meaning any harm at all. So I suppose Nas wants to somewhat neutralize the word, well I commend his attempt, but either way you slice it, we still have a long way to go before we can hear the N word from another race and not want to lay them out, and it’s going to take more than a cd to get us there.
71.
nefam
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
To everyone getting ready to question my race(there we go with that racial seperation again) I’M BLACK. The next time someone tries to call you out of your name try this ignore it and watch there response. Shear confusion it’s so funny to see. Don’t even hear it and after a whie you wont hear it at all.
Strong black woman against racism!
72.
Yadadamean!!
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
36.
JoRo
You so dumb, you cant even read between the lines(what a dumb ass)! So what if i made a mistake…you knew what I meant. As long as you know what i meant…my point is proven…unless your a ignorant nigg@
73.
Kitoyah Miah
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
Until he fully explains himself, i don’t think anyone should comment or jump to conclusions, because knowbody actually knows what he is talking about or what he is tryna do with this whole album, so until then, imma reserve my opinions.
74.
johnosahon
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
70.
Tizzy-T WhistleQueen
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i do not listen to any rapper that uses such words. that’s why i liked Nas because he talked sense and avoided crap. but i guess he has to pay bills so he has REDUCED himself to trash.
oh well, i guess i should move on to common. BYE FOREVER NAS.
75.
Yadadamean!!
Friday, October 19, 2007 /
44.
NICOLELIBRA
I dont call all women bit@hes, but I will call a ignorant female a bit@h. Im a black guy is ignorant, what do you call him…most likely a nigg@. If your out with your girls and a guy keeps tryin to talk to you…I bet you call hi a migg@. Im not sayin you call him that in a bad way, but you likely will say something like: “These nigg@z wont leave me alone”! I highly doubt you’ll say “That black guy” or “that african american dude”. Just because you MAY be a black women doesnt give you the right to refer to a black male weather it be your brother, friend, BF, etc to call them a “nigga” even if you are “jus playin”
And i wasnt refering to you anyway, just because yuo fell within that age range doesnt mean I was talkin bout you…but your too ignorant to exclude yourself from that statement. I glade for you that you have a car, apartment, job, etc and dont have to depend on a man…what you want a cookie for something your supposed to be doin…WTF! See that’s ignotrant…only a nigg@ would be proud of something they are SUPPOSED to be doin. That like me being proud I have a job…nigg@ Im supposed to have a job..WTF!!
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