Won’t You Please Be My Nigga: Double Standards with a Taboo Word
Alex Alonso for StreetGangs.com
May 30, 2003
Imagine if Mr. Rogers began his show off with the song, won’t you be mine, won’t you be mine, please won’t you be my nigga. He would have been the recipient of a severe backlash that would have had his show off the air in 24 days rather than the 24 years he was on the air in the US (1967-2001). This is partly because the word “nigga” in American vernacular, that goes back several centuries, was originally used exclusively in a derogatory sense to denigrate, psychologically subjugate, and to mentally scar the individual identities of blacks in the United States by white aggressors. It was a word that the European settlers used to dehumanize, demoralize and weaken the spirits of defenseless Africans and their slave families. The word continued to be publicly used after Emancipation, and during the civil rights period in the 20th Century it was popular with Southern Democrats. George Wallace publicly used it as he campaigned on the segregation ticket when he was elected governor of Alabama in 1966.
It was not until the 1970s that whites publicly diminished the use of that word as the political will of the country was telling us that the word “nigga” was unacceptable in any context. Nearly 370 years later the word became unacceptable and offensive in public speech. A successful effort to remove that word from our imaginations took form, but did it?
The word “nigga” not only has never left our vocabulary, but it is becoming increasingly popular in recent years. In addition, other racial denigrations have become popular in mainstream speech. For example, Shaquille O’Neal, the center for the Los Angeles Lakers said, “tell Yao Ming, ching, chinh chong” when asked about playing against him in an upcoming game. Although many from the Asian community were offended, Shaquille O’Neal did not suffer a serious backlash and his endorsement deals were never in jeopardy (Nestle, Burger King, Swatch Watch, Radio Shack, etc). The word “chink” has appeared on T-shirts, and “white boys” has replaced the 1970s word “honky” for white Americans. Maxine Waters, black Congresswoman and Donna Brazile, black Democratic Strategists have both publicly used the word “white boys” with absolutely zero backlash. Waters once said, “I don’t see them slamming young white boys on the hoods of police cars” when referring to a questionable use of force by an Inglewood Police officer in Los Angeles County during 2002.
But for non-blacks using the word “nigga,” one can expect a certain level of backlash regardless of the contexts. Ironically though, elements of our popular culture are bombarded with the word “nigga” everyday and there is no doubt that the word has not escaped the vocabulary of blacks, young and old, from the inner cities to the ivory towers, among the underclass and elite. In what context do blacks use this word today, and do their justifications of the use of the word create a double standard where non-blacks are vilified when the word “slips” from their mouths? How and why has the word become socially acceptable among blacks? Brandi Polk, undergraduate at California State University, Los Angeles said, “blacks should be the only ones that can say that word,” and this view, extremely popular among blacks, has created for others a double standard. If the word is highly distasteful and unpleasant, some believe (mostly non-blacks); the word should not be used by anyone, especially in public settings. Let’s examine the popular uses of the word “nigga” among blacks today.
Common Uses
Casual
The most common use of the word “nigga” is the “term of endearment” a shout out, a greeting to a fellow brother. Sit on the 4, 5, or 6 trains heading uptown, and after you pass 96th Street you might hear a young lad on the train say to a friend, “Hey what’s up my nigga.” This is said among millions of times among inner city blacks and has actually reached the mainstream, when in the movie Rush Hour, Jackie Chan said the exact phrase to Chris Tucker. The line garnered many laughs from black audiences across America and Jackie Chan received no public backlash, partly because Rush Hour is considered Chris Tucker’s movie and as a black comedian he has a “pass” to use that word with little to no backlash. The word “nigga” in this usage can easily be replace by, brother, partner, buddy, homie, dude and homeboy to convey the same point in the above quote.
Comedian Alex Thomas used the word “nigga” in this casual nonchalant manner just over 100 times in a 50-minute comedy performance at the Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles in 2001. His show was entitled ‘Straight Clownin’ and at times he used the word so repetitiously it began to lose its meaning. He said the word more times than Richard Pryor did in his 1974 performance of That Nigga’s Crazy.
Aaron McGruder, cartoonist of The Boon Docks, used the word “nigga” nonchalantly when responding to white guest Michael Graham on Bill Maher’s HBO Reel Time show (April 1, 2003). The discussion was about the validity of the SAT examination used as a college entrance requirement. McGruder was making the case that the exam was racially biased and not a useful way to measure the potential of students, especially blacks. Mr. Graham suggested that the exam was indeed a very effective way for universities to gage a student’s potential, and half the exam is based on the neutrality of mathematics, and this difference of opinion caused McGruder to respond to Graham by stating “nigga please.” Within a few seconds McGruder went from making a strong case against the SAT, by weakening his argument with an unexpected response to Mr. Graham on national television. This extreme casual use is what has created a double standard of the word for many.
Threatening
When blacks assume an aggressive posture with one another, and that exchange gets heated, the word “nigga” will be used in an extremely threatening way that challenges the other to react or respond to some threat. One may tell the other, “What’s up nigga, what you gonna do nigga.” This is commonly said before a fight, or a more serious assault. This is beyond casual use and almost used in a way to demean and belittle the other person who is often Black too. When blacks are in confrontational situations with whites, Hispanics, or other non-Blacks, the word “nigga” is not commonly used to provoke the other. The word is exclusively used in a self-hate method specifically reserved for confronting other blacks. This is true with street confrontations or in prison conflicts.
Snoop Dogg
Self Identification
In this form, blacks proudly use the word to show pride about their ghetto roots and the social problems associated with their inner city lives. Tupac proclaimed himself as a “nigga” and used the word in the title of his second album, Strictly for my N.I.G.G.A.z. (1993). For many male youths you have to be part of the “click” and be known as a rider, or a brother that will not hesitate to commit the ultimate assault if need be. Most people are not murderous thugs, but like most of American youth they are fascinated with depictions of crime and violence, that include movies like the Godfather, Goodfellas, and Scarface. This was Tupac’s audience and they loved the “nigga” identity.
When asked about the west-coast/east-coast beef in rap music, rapper Notorious BIG responded that “I don’t concern myself with that, I am just trying to be a million dollar nigga” (Luke’s Peep Show, 1996). By self-identifying as a “nigga,” Biggie included himself in that category of uneducated thug affiliated youth fascinated with the criminal underworld; a proud association for young insecure brothers trying to gain a reputation.
The rap group NWA also proudly self identified themselves by the word “nigga”, which reflected their “gangster” persona that they glorified and proudly proclaimed. Eric “Eazy E” Wright, the founding member of this group reveled in the nigga identity and it created a large underground following for N.W.A and future artists such as Snoop Dogg, Biggie, Tupac and W.C. Unfortunately many associated with this form of rap expression have followed trouble or have died young and tragically.
Historically
The word “nigga” is almost necessary to use to make a case about the legacy of racism in the United States and the social consequences of the racialized activities of the past such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, Dred Scott ruling, and extreme school and residential segregation that occurred in the United States. Black scholars such as Cornell West, Michael Eric Dyson, and Todd Boyd may say “nigga” to express a point, but this is not to be confused with the casual use.
Some blacks have charged that no matter how successful and educated they are, much of mainstream white society still considers them “niggas.” The significance here is that there is never complete inclusion into the American way of life for blacks and that they will always take the back seat no matter how successful they become. Blacks can become extremely educated, own professional sports team, become billionaires, run television networks, get elected into state and federal positions and perform as the best attorneys (Johnnie Cochran) and doctors (Benjamin Carson) in the world. But many maintain that blacks, no matter how successful “are still niggas” in the eyes of white society. An extreme view of this philosophy is that the state of race relations in America are either the same or worse than in the past.
Elitist/Difference
Some middle and upper middle class blacks have used this word to distinguish themselves from the black underclass that is suffering from many of the social ills that has plagued the black inner city for the last 30 years. Many middle to upper-middle class blacks are usually characterized as the conservative bourgeois class. Some have even taken the extreme to call these blacks “uncle toms.” Blacks that have taken advantage of affirmative action, earned educations, moved into the private sector and created businesses have not for the most part experienced the socials that many blacks in the inner city experience.
For their success and their more moderate and slightly conservative political views, they have been characterized as “uncle toms.” But these blacks have often expressed disdain for the underclass, and their behaviors that include teenage pregnancy, single parent households, drug use, gang activity and concentrated poverty. These lifestyles are viewed as repulsive. Some successful and privileged blacks believe that many blacks do not reach their potential and stigmatize hard working successful blacks. For some upscale blacks these people are considered “low lifes” or “niggas.” Chris Rock has discussed this difference in one of his comedy routines.
Hip Hop
As mentioned earlier, the word “nigga” is heavily used among many of the top rappers and among those that have mainstream audiences. For example, Billboards top 40 included 11 rap songs during the first week of April 2003 and those lyrics had the word “nigga” in the lyrics 17 times. The number one single in the country, In Da Club by 50 Cent, used the word “nigga” 9 times. Not surprisingly though, NAS’s positive song, I Can never used the word, along with Lil Kim’s song, Busta Rhyme’s song and the two Eminem songs that were in the top 11 rap songs. For the other seven rap songs, the word appeared 17 times in the lyrics. Eminem, who has been known for making controversial comments in his lyrics, told Rolling Stone Magazine (November 22, 2002) that he would never use the word “nigga” in his lyrics, but many have suggested that his two underground albums that were circulated regionally did use the word.
In the late 1980s, rap group Niggas With Attitude (NWA) hit the rap scene with their gangster style but the group was more commonly known as NWA. They used the term in a self-identifying manner and an expression of how they viewed themselves. They later released an album entitled, Efil4zaggin (1990) or Niggas 4 Life spelled backwards. They became extremely popular during the 1990s and Ice Cube & Dr. Dre, members of NWA, are still are still very active and successful in the rap game. Using the word “nigga” for NWA never damaged their reputations but actually added to their credibility as ghetto rap stars.
In 1993 Tupac Shakur released his second album entitled, Strictly for my N.I.G.G.A.z, an anthem about the ghetto. This album put Tupac on the hip-hop map for those that were unaware of his first album, Tupacolypse Now or his appearance on Digital Underground’s his first album. Tupac is arguably the most well known rapper in history with his songs still charting nearly seven years after his death.
50 Cent’s debut album, Get Rich or Die Trying (2003), shows how popular the word “nigga” is in the lyrics of rap songs. His album sold 872,000 albums during the first week of release in February 2003 breaking the old record of 803,000 set by Snoop Dogg’s 1993 album, Doggystyle (both albums were produced by Dr. Dre). The new rap sensation from Queens, New York used the word “nigga” a total of 131 times in his debut album, and his hit single In Da Club, which had the word “nigga” in it nine times, was the number one single on Billboard chart during April 2003. Rappers almost always used the word “nigga” in a casual way.
Richard Pryor
During the 1970s, comedian Richard Pryor released a comedy album called That Nigga’s Crazy where he poked fun at his ghetto experiences that included crime and drug use. More recently Chris Rock used the word “nigga” in his comedy routine to distinguish between blacks and underclass blacks. In what can be considered one of the most popular lines of his routine, Chris Rock referred to “niggas” as black folks that you don’t want to encounter and should avoid at all costs. He makes a very clear distinction between “niggas” and black people where he says, “…niggas have got to go…I love black people but I hate niggas.” Niggas for Chris Rock where of the criminal elements of society that break into your house, cause clubs to close down early have low expectations in life.”…when I go to the money machine tonight, I am not looking over my back for the media, I am looking for niggas.” Chris Rock was using the word in the elitist manner that I described above and as a black man he received little backlash for his use of the word “nigga,” of course because he is black.
On June 9, 1997 during a tour to promote his September 13, 1997 bout with Oscar De La Hoya, Hector Camacho was asked his opinion of Mike Tyson after he bit Evander Holyfield’s ear in their 1997 rematch earlier that year. Camacho responded in part by saying, “That’s what Mike’s problem is, he’s got too many ‘niggas’ around him.” For many, that was an unexpected and inappropriate response. Two days later he felt the need to clear up what he said so that there was no misunderstanding, but in his attempt to apologize for what many believed was an inappropriate use of words, he just dug a bigger ditch when stating:
“And I also want to clear up a little thing that the people are repeating around about niggers, OK, when I made the comments about Mike Tyson, they asked me, “What do you think about Mike and what is going to happen to Mike?” I said Mike is a very unhappy character. Instead of having classy African-American people with class who make him look good, he got all these nigger-attitude people around him that make him act the way he does, like a little beast. And he ain’t. I love Mike. He’s a great man.” (June 11, 1997)
His comments made a clear distinction between “classy African-Americans” and low class “niggas”. He stated that if Tyson had surrounded himself with “smart African Americans,” instead of “niggas” he may not have found himself in as much trouble. Camacho was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in el barrio of Spanish Harlem, and he is a straight shooter. So his use of the word “nigga”, offended many people. There was a sizable backlash that Camacho endured for using the word “nigga” in the same way that Chris Rock did but the difference, Camacho is not a comedian and he is not black. If Camacho was something other than a boxer, we would be talking about his comments as the country did then Jennifer Lopez said the word.
Another Puerto Rican, Jennifer Lopez, used the word once in a 2001 remix song “I’m Real.” Immediately the critics surfaced and began to attack her for the use of the word in her song. Hot 97 radio (NYC) program hosts Star and Buckwild had publicly criticized Lopez for using the word, and called to boycott the album until she issued an apology. They also petitioned their listeners to call Lopez’s record label, Epic, to complain. Even though the remix was written by a black rap artist JaRule, and the word was used in the casual form non-maliciously, Lopez continued to receive further criticism from blacks. Not a one criticized Ja Rule for writing the lyrics. The controversial line states:
“People be screamin’ what’s the deal with you and so-and-so / I tell them niggas mind their biz but they don’t hear me, though.”
The “so-and-so” in that line is a reference to Sean “P. Diddy” or “Puff Daddy” Combs, a black man that she had a relationship with for two years. Her relationship with Combs should serve as a clear indication that she herself does not have racist thoughts about blacks, and one could argue that her level of comfort with black people, living in Bronx, led her to feel at ease about using the word in the first place. But many blacks believed that she should have never used the word and the comments on the radio when that occurred was indicative of that opinion. Arthel Nevel, host of Talk Back Live (CNN show now canceled) discussed the controversy around Jennifer Lopez using the word in 2001.
Stephanie Eccles, 22, a Queens College student who is black told the Washington Post, “Her [Jennifer Lopez] using that word shows you that she doesn’t care about black people. She has no right to use it. Children look up to her. She’s saying it’s okay to use it. It’s not okay and it will never be okay. Eminem is the top rapper in the world, and he has never used that word. He has respect for black people.” But what Ms. Eccles is unaware of is that before Eminen became a star rapper, he used the word “nigga” in many of his underground demos.
Jennifer Lopez
The attack against Jennifer Lopez, was completely unwarranted,
especially by those in the music industry, because these same radio personalities played the songs of Christopher “Big Pun” Rios, who said the word “nigga” several times in many of his songs before he died of heart complications in 2000. Not one voice of opposition to Big Pun’s use of the word “nigga”, another Puerto Rican from the same borough that Jennifer Lopez is from, who also became the first Latin rapper to go platinum, but Big Pun does not have nearly the celebrity of J. Lo and those that attacked her but said nothing about Big Pun exposed an obvious double standard that turned criticism of a word into a personal attack against Lopez. These people are nothing but J.Lo haters because for the last several years she has clearly been the most talented all-around artist. I don’t hear anyone hatin’ on Fat Joe, Angie Martinez, or Cuban Link whom have all used the word nigga in their lyrics.
Scholars such as Mike Dyson, professor of African American studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell West from Columbia University have used the word in a more historical sense described above. Todd Boyd, professor in the School of Cinema and Television, in the department of Critical Studies at the University of Southern California wrote in his recent book, The New H.N.I.C.: The Death of the Civil Rights and the Reign of Hip Hop (2003), “I love the word “nigga.” It is my favorite word in the English language because no other word incites more controversy today. To me, hip hop has redefined the word…” Here, Boyd makes a distinction between “niggers” and “nigga” where the latter has been redefined and has a completely different meaning from the negative connotations of “nigger” and “the more you say it, the more you desensitize it.”
At the beginning of the 21st century the word “nigga” remains as popular as ever among Blacks, but also among others living in America whether it be used in music, among politicians, entertainers or used in the privacy of our own home. Comedians such as Richard Pryor and Chris Rock did not hesitate to use the word in performance and Pryor actually entitled his classic comedy album, “That Niggas Crazy.”
One of main issues surrounding the use of the word is whether it is racist, insensitive, and disrespectful when it is used. A double standard has formed from the use of this word, a word that is all around us everyday even on Billboard’s music chart. There is no doubt that our society is cloaked with double standards and they will always exists but these senseless attacks against Jennifer Lopez, Hector Camacho and others such as Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante for saying the word nigger have gone too far because it is not always used maliciously.
Regardless of the long nasty history of the word, it is part of American culture, literature, and music. You will hear this word used in casual conversations, mostly among Blacks, young and old. “Hey, what are you doing today my nigga?” can be heard every day when riding the 4-train from downtown New York to Uptown. Get on the Crenshaw bus in Los Angeles from Adams Blvd to the City of Inglewood and I can assure you that you will hear young Black males and youth using the word as often as one would use a definite article. We need to get to a point where our society gets beyond whining about words and start dealing seriously about problems that exist in our communities. There are far too many other issues we should be consumed with rather than the speech of another person.
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I read your article and I wanted to make a little point about Jennifer Lopez using the word Ni66ah and how it is different than Big Pun using the word or another artist of their descent.
Big Pun never told us that his music was not for a particular group. His music was hip hop and was for everyone who listened to that genre of music. But Miss Lopez, when asked if she would contribute I’m Real to a hip hop compilation CD told the group that her music was not hip hop in nature by any means and she did not contribute her song even though the proceeds went to a childrens cause.
Very good site. Thank you.
Excellent article Mr. Alonso.
Thanks for pointing out the hypocricsy and smartity in the black community. Someone needs to call them out on it.
ITS NOT IN EVERY COMMUNITY, WHILE YOU TALKING…..
thanks for reading the article Harry.
———————–
So long as you call yourselves nigers, people will look at you as nigers. If you expect anything else, you sir are fed!
LEARN HOW TO SPELL……
stop whining kids. grow up. Ni66ah is a word. get over yourself children
YEAH ITS A WORD AND ANY ONE CAN BE A Ni66ah BUT IF YOU KNOW THE HISTROY OF THE WORD THEN YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY SOME OF US GET UPSET. I REFUSE TO CALL ANY OF MY FRIENDS THE WORD AND I HATE WHEN MY FRIENDS USE IT. AND THE SAME TIME I TRY AND TEACH MY YOUNG SISTER@BROTHERS NOT TO USE THE WORD. I ALSO TELL THEM THEY SHOULD NOT USE THE WORD BECAUSE WHEN SOME ONE CALL US THAT YOU WANT TO GET UPSET AND READY TO FIGHT, SO DONT CALL YOUR FRIENDS THAT WORD.
————————————————-
Hmm, and you wonder why they refer to you as an oversexed Ni66ah? It’s oh, so apparent.
aight i got a situation that i would like yall to look at. im 18 yearz old. im white. im from lil village, a mostly hispanic and black neighborhood on the south side of chicago. i grew up using tha word. no one had a problem wit it because everyone knew i waz from tha block and understood dat i waz going thru tha same ish dey waz right there. i waz at my boyz crib watching hiz house while he waz out. he’z a black stud that livez in a white yuppie azz neigborhood, that movedk from tha wild 100’z deep on tha southside. a neigbor called tha police on dude i waz wit who waz drinking a beer out front. he left and tha police came and questioned me and then dey dipped. i waz outside and i seen dude whoz house it waz roll up on hiz bike. i said ayy some Ni66ah called tha police on uz. he said who? i said one of ur neighborz… tha well off hispanic dude from next door came out and said who u calling a Ni66ah? (yes wit tha full extent of tha word) and my boy started talking ish to tha dude next door and i waz like f it i aint gonna deal wit dizz ish and i walked inside the crib. later i waz arrested for “disorderly conduct.” tha d#$k boy dat took me waz talking bout ohh datz a hate crime.. dey only gave me disorderly conduct and i got out on a $75 bond but idk if tha DA’z gonna try to be on bullish wit me. but what i wanna know is how u gonna tell me dat im “hating” or “racist” refering to a mexican dude as a “Ni66ah” if i used tha word talking to a black dude dat i kno like dat. and i might add dat idude waz eavezdropping on a conversation i waznt having wit dude… idk what yall think??
YOU KNOW WHAT. I DON’T CARE IF YOU ARE WHITE OR BLACK OR PURPLE; SPEAK ENGLISH. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE FROM THE GHETTO DOES NOT GIVE YOU ANY RIGHT TO DEFACE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.. JUST AS A QUICK HISTORY LESSON TO YOU, WHITE BOY. EBONICS CAME FROM UNEDUCATED BLACK SLAVES THAT DID NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO GO TO SCHOOL OR READ. YOU ARE NOT ONLY WHITE BUT HAVE A SCHOOL THAT TEACHES YOU BETTER EVERY DAY. DON’T ACT OR TALK OR ESPECIALLY WRITE LIKE A MORON PLEASE. I CAME FROM A GHETTO THAT I AM 100% SURE WAS WORSE THAN YOU WILL EVER SEE, EMINEM, BUT I CAME OUT WITH A STRAIGHT MIND AND AN EDUCATED VOCABULARY. YES I AM WHITE BUT MY WIFE IS BLACK AND FROM THE SAME GHETTO AS ME……………….Ni66ah!!!!!!!!!
CAPS IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL
what dude… speak english man?! Learn how to write and speak, get an education Ni66ah!
Instead of showing pride for this Brederen, for this Love and logic he put together to show us another way we allow ourselves to stay down-pressed ya’ll wanna fight him and everyone else who showing knowledge because when you’re ignorant to the truth of course you’re gonna be right. OneLove Alex, the Lord will shield their hatred. Bless.
I myself, being a white dude, use the term from time to time. I live in the ghetto, and the term flies around freely here. Out of respect, I don’t say Ni66ah when I am around my black friends, although I am sure they wouldn’t care, they call me Ni66ah in a cool way when they talk to me, like “What up Ni66ah”…I laugh and it’s all good. If I see my son doing something smart and we are in my house or somewhere private, I say “Ni66ah, what the f you do that for?” and it’s all in jest…If I see my black friends out on the street I say “What up Ni66ah” replacing the G’s with C’s. I don’t have a racist bone in my body, but I still don’t feel right addressing my black friends as “Ni66ahs” they use it on me. So that the way be, Ni66ahs! :O)
it is smart that black people think and do get away with making fun of other races and nothing happen to them but when we do that blacks wants to start chickin about it
Somone, most of the time we don’t chick! We would just slap the ish out of people like you that like to call us those racist names!!!!
Sure, it’s a double standard. What can ya’ do, though?
My father (black, btw), grew up in a household that dwelt in a community in which the word was used frequently. His mother forebade its use, however. Therefore, he has instilled in his children the same ideal.
What reason imparticular for the non-use? No idea. It always seemed a no-brainer: the word is too offensive. That said, he– and I– are avid Hip Hop/ Rap fans. It’s also a given that ‘the word’ comes up a lot; some of the most popular songs on the radio, before editing, use the word in question.
I’ve sang through such a song and, yeah, I’ve said the word on impulse. What did I feel after? First thoughts: not a big deal, no one cares– why the hell does this word have to be used this much? It’s no novelty. Alright, when I was maybe twelve, it was a novelty. But, to see so many artists use the word with such consistency…damn; give me a break! We get that the they rapper you’re competing against is a n****a! Anything original to say?? I’m sick of such an unenticing, unprovactive (unless you’re arguing about its use and not creativity) title used as a hook for every wanna-rap-er from here to heaven.
Back to the issue at hand— In class (Sociology), the professor asked as to what our interpretation of the apparently appropriate term ‘cracker.’ (Cracker Barrel, the restaurant, for example) The black students believing that the original folks were named for cracking their whips on slaves; the white students associating the term with the expansive cattle drives on which the folks embarked. Who’s more likely to use this word in a negative connotation? Matter of differing opinion, ain’t it?
Conversely, the word n****a reflects more negatively on non-blacks who choose to use it– whether they mean it negatively or not, than a black—regardless of whether its use is non-chalant or threatening (ie: F**k you, you p***y a** n****a!!!!11). And yeah, that’s a typical line in a given Hip Hop tune.
Stalemate, basically. Not all blacks agree on this issue (duh). What is ‘cool’ with one person, is not acceptable by another. It’s a double-standard. What can ya’ do about it, though?
Not a damn thing. Sure, you could try to educate a person on its usage– but really, doesn’t that depend on who those people are? A man who condones the words all-out usage as ‘fair’, versus a woman who condemns the use from anyones tongue.
It’s frustrating. As you can tell (as you screen comments), most folks are clearly mentally unable to carry out any semblance of a stable conversation– much less a educated ARGUEMENT! Uh, matter of opinion.
I don’t think I used the word ‘d#$k’ and ‘chick’ enough to be taken seriously.
<>
The article was very informative, and brought up the good point that the black community too often allows a few ignorant people to ruin the hard work of the majority. Let us remember that ALL races in this country have this problem, though, NOT just blacks. For every Barrack Obama there is a 50 Cent, for every Bill Gates there is a Steve-O, for every Bruce Lee a Bobby Lee, etc. We are all guilty of this problem, so please don’t act as though your race is above another. After all, we have all heard people use the derogatory names of their own people on their own people before. And for the man with the “Big d#$k”, either keep it in your pants, or within a comitted relationship. Enough black men are planting seeds, but only a few REAL men are harvesting crops.
Any one can be a Ni66ah, not just blacks!!! I grew up in N.Y., and the Hispanic’s use that word more than we do.
[…] “Won’t You Please Be My Ni66ah: Double Standards with a Taboo Word”, from the online periodical StreetGangs.com […]
YOU ALL JUST NEED TO SHUT THE HELL UP GOT DAMN YALL DON’T KNOW WAT THE f YALL ARE TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!! SOOOO JUST SHUT THE f UP!!!!!!!!
I laugh at u Ni66ahs..hahaha
Damn, you Ni66ahz be takin this ish too seriously
You don’t have to be a racist or be offended by the word “Ni66ah” in order to want to see 23RIDGEWAY imprisoned or beaten by a gang of black youths. The word I would call this fing moron is “dipish,” or maybe “clown,” but definitely not “Ni66ah.”
Damn. There’s no point in me even replying. This ish came out in 2008? Damn that sucks… Well still very interesting…
[…] in his music. not sure where the song in the above link came from. but according to this article: https://www.streetgangs.com/race/wont…y-Ni66ah-double eminem used the "n-word" in his underground tapes before he made the big time. […]
Honestly, I see your point, but are you asking if you can use the word also, because that’s what I’m hearing. Yes I admit the black community is flawed, but I firmly believe that use of the word is not suddenly okay. I am a young black female and detest that word. That word Ni66ah, Ni66ah, or anything of the like has had a negative past. It has almost always been a word used to degrade another human being. I also believe that every race is flawed, and anyone can point out their short-comings. Black people are one of the strongest races in this world because we’ve been beaten, raped, ked, humiliated, and brutalised against and we still come out on top. The fact that white people, and any other race feels the need to tear us down with these comments and posts and overall the word Ni66ah really shows the advancement of this country….which is no advancement at all.
I teach a college EMT class, and ‘quoted’ a racist guy who called the firefighters I was with on a call “Ni66ahs”, and just telling that story, and using the word Ni66ah in quoting this guy, in a talk about racism and how to react to it, almost got me fired. Two black students complained, and the college threatened to fire me. I’m still getting crap over that incident and have been ordered not to tell that story. The politically correct world has gone WAY overboard with that word. Wow.
[…] it has so many different meanings. The main problem with saying “Ni66ah” is that it has no essential definition. In 1999, Mos Def advocated the use of “Ni66ah” by his Black peers and contemporaries as […]
First of all not not anybody can use that word (niger), we as black peolpe use it to say what’s up to one another ,but we dont say niger we say (Ni66ah) in a loving way and only we can use it peroid , just like mexican’s use( ese) or white people use (trailer trash) it’s only cool when they us it,so dont get ish twisted and feel it’s okay for evrybody to use,especially, non blacks—– Ni66ah( never ignorant getting goals accpomlished) that’s the real meanig we use it for and that’s are love!
Since when do white people greet each other by saying: “What’s going on, trailer trash?”
That’s certainly not a “cool” word to use in those situations.
Oh sure, when we sit around the table at Thanksgiving, my overheard my uncle say to my aunt, “Can you please pass the salt, trailer trash?” In whish she replied “Of course, trailer trash”
You are truly ignorant. You are attempting, to “school” somebody, with your “hood knowledge,” but that’s all it will every be is hood knowledge. Ni66ah is spelled with 2 G’s not 1, you idiot! Whites look at your “input” and just shake their heads, because you’ve displayed Ni66ah-like mistakes. FYI, Ni66ah doesn’t mean what you said it means. It’s a word that Whites gave us, and rather than stop the use of it, you just further the use of the word. You can’t always type how you talk, especially on an issue like this. Get educated!!!
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JLO probably used that word a lot being a puerto rican from the bronx
She is from Spanish/Caucasian/Native American and African descent anyway.
[…] what context do blacks use this word today, and do their justifications of the use of the word create a double standard where non-blacks are vilified when the word […]
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When a person of another race says,”I love and respect black people! I understand them because I too have lived their plight, being from the same neighborhood! I should be able to say “N” whenever I choose!” then, it all becomes clear that they NEITHER LOVE, RESPECT nor UNDERSTAND African Americans. You see, People that do NEVER WANT to say that word! So, you see, by simply asking why you can NOT tells the world YOU DO SAY IT ALL OF THE TIME!!!! Saying it, in fact, is NOT YOUR ISSUE! You want to be able to say it in the company of the people you claim to understand, so you can ENJOY the feeling your Great-great Grand Pappy got as he cloaked himself in WHITE PRIVILEGE, which touches upon the other issue. BLACK PRIVILEGE!…to some extent. An entire community is saying to every individual outside of it,”Do not use this word!” and this, The African American Community being the least respected and at the same time most copied community, how dare they have something we “others” can not use for our own hidden purposes!
I am not sure if America knows the origin of the word “Cowboy”in the 1800’s. Whites who made a living herding and raising cattle were ‘Cow Herders’ while free blacks in the same profession were demeaned with the term “Cowboys”…like the “N” word was a tool to verbally demean an entire race. But, whites began to like the term after seeing it adopted within the community it was meant to insult and took it back for themselves…hence, when you speak of African Americans who ride horses (like Bill Pickett 1871-1932), the redundant term ‘black cowboy’ is used
I see so many things repeating themselves. Outsiders are overtaking the Amazons in the same manner America was and nobody says anything. Rap Music has gotten so far off track and taken over by those individuals who wish to commercialize it beyond it’s original use of informing and uplifting, that the Community may one day abandon it, the same as was done with Rock and Roll, birthed in our own backyard but now has so become so overtaken by outsiders that it is now a foreign form of Music we must be “permitted” to perform then “excepted” by those who now define it and claim ‘ownership’ .
Look at T.V. and appreciate the lose of your ‘flavor’ as non-African Americans Rap and Pop Lock all over the place, and ask yourself if anyone who has to ask why they can not say a term meant to demean you are well- meaning…or ‘Cowboys’? Vanillia Ice isn’t calling his crew “Ninjas” because they have high sks in martial arts, you know. He’s pushing up on something else in public. HOLD ON TO WHAT IS YOURS- BAD OR GREAT!!!
So, NO!!! You can’t say IT to our faces to demean us while smiling!!! And, now we know for a FACT you say it all of the time behind our backs to demean us…because you just told us so!!!
puerto ricans, as well as most latin/hispanic ppl, have black in them. puerto ricans more specifically, generally are a mix of, african, taino, and spanish. salsa, merengue etc, are african mating dances, mofongo, the dish of the island, is an african dish. there are more blacks in latin america, then there are canadians in canada. in every inner city, blacks and latinos use the word side by side, w/o any1 getting offended. that black girl from queens must be from a much nicer (white) part of queens, because queens is another perfect example of this. NORE is from queens, hes puerto rican. he says Ni66ah as much as any other rapper. blacks and puerto ricans, esp in NYC have always stood together, and imo been more socially aware then most other cities, with the exception of chigaco, perfect example being the leaders/founders of the NY Young Lord Party (started in the Chi), which was basically a puerto rican version of the Black Panthers. they were mostly from east harlem, and the bronx, and were hanging out with Black Panthers, when they were encouraged to do the same thing for their oppressed communities. the thing is hair, skin, eye color are hereditary, so i can understand why it might be hard for some to identify whos it ok for and whos it not ok for. but in puerto rico, u can have a person that looks black, with a full blooded sibling that looks white. anyway, i NEVER get mad if i hear a latino saying it, id never be so ignorant as to assume anyones genetic backround. anyone who attacked jlo (and believe me im NOT a fan) for sayin Ni66ah, is an ignorant fool, unaware and so out of touch with the communities where this word is spoken the most (in a friendly way anyway) that they have no place telling anyone whether they can say it or not. god help the new black and brown power movements. they used to stand together.
what?