Nas New Album
In the early to mid 90’s when Hip Hop was in its teens, my friends often knew rap stars like Nas first hand. They knew their family and friends and we would often see them in Jamaica Queens frequenting local businesses. Nas has always been a hero to us. Many consider him a disciple from the streets. Anyone who says they love Hip Hop music should at least know who Nas is.
With so many (including NYC) rallying to prevent the exploitation of racial and sexist epithets in music and other media, and being someone with his social repute, why would Nas want to name his new album “Nigger”?
For as long as I can remember there have been a few racial nicknames for my people (Indo-Guyanese) and other “minority” groups. These words offend few and for most not at all. Every free and able person in the United States has an equal opportunity for a successful life. I’ve been thought to look anyone square in the eye even when I had less. I would never let a racial nickname offend me unless used as an insult.
The extent of offense someone may take from such words largely depends on the context in which it is used. As with many profanities of today, they can be scornful or tasteful.
The negative or positive use of many words can invoke the same emotion as a racial nickname used in a similar manner. Last night on 20/20 they spoke of a girl who committed suicide because a supposed peer used the worst insults to her online, and none were racial. Yet my close friends throw around some of those words with no insult.
Confidence also plays a huge roll in weather or not racial epithets can offend. I mean the confidence of an individual or generally of the people as a whole. I was born into poverty, but only because of political reasons. I can tell you, poverty does not make an individual or group of people any less confident or ambitious than those that are well off. The determining factors that create a difference of confidence in people are control and propaganda. In other words, the influence one group has over another group or person, and the abuse of that influence to instill fear of persecution. Fear of persecution means you are not confident, susceptible to insults and attacks, and especially so when those insults and attacks are public.
African Americans have come a long way towards equalizing the opportunities available to them, relative to their white counterparts. I think it’s time to make strides towards equalizing the degree of offense racial nicknames cause? With respect to ugly history, we must understand where we are now. And old shackles must be broken.
If Nas was a fat guy, and he wanted to call his album “Fat Guy” to make a statement, that it doesn’t make a difference in his value to the world, then no one would question him.
Context and Confidence is what determines the vulgarity of racial epithets; the context in which it is being used and the confidence of the individual or group it is directed at. I think it best if someone tried to insult you, regardless of what words they use or how hard they go at it, if you’re secure, just brush your shoulders off. People should always let that be their position. Remember, you’re better than that.
Besides, isn’t it common in movies to use racial epithets? And no one said you can’t make it boomerang. Also, let us not get into the First Amendment Rights, which might create a reason for litigation.
I want to see them ban “Coolie”. Ha Ha! I would laugh so loud.
In the early to mid 90’s when Hip Hop was in its teens, my friends often knew rap stars like Nas first hand. They knew their family and friends and we would often see them in Jamaica Queens frequenting local businesses. Nas has always been a hero to us. Many consider him a disciple from the streets. Anyone who says they love Hip Hop music should at least know who Nas is.
With so many (including NYC) rallying to prevent the exploitation of racial and sexist epithets in music and other media, and being someone with his social repute, why would Nas want to name his new album “Nigger”?
For as long as I can remember there have been a few racial nicknames for my people (Indo-Guyanese) and other “minority” groups. These words offend few and for most not at all. Every free and able person in the United States has an equal opportunity for a successful life. I’ve been thought to look anyone square in the eye even when I had less. I would never let a racial nickname offend me unless used as an insult.
The extent of offense someone may take from such words largely depends on the context in which it is used. As with many profanities of today, they can be scornful or tasteful.
The negative or positive use of many words can invoke the same emotion as a racial nickname used in a similar manner. Last night on 20/20 they spoke of a girl who committed suicide because a supposed peer used the worst insults to her online, and none were racial. Yet my close friends throw around some of those words with no insult.
Confidence also plays a huge roll in weather or not racial epithets can offend. I mean the confidence of an individual or generally of the people as a whole. I was born into poverty, but only because of political reasons. I can tell you, poverty does not make an individual or group of people any less confident or ambitious than those that are well off. The determining factors that create a difference of confidence in people are control and propaganda. In other words, the influence one group has over another group or person, and the abuse of that influence to instill fear of persecution. Fear of persecution means you are not confident, susceptible to insults and attacks, and especially so when those insults and attacks are public.
African Americans have come a long way towards equalizing the opportunities available to them, relative to their white counterparts. I think it’s time to make strides towards equalizing the degree of offense racial nicknames cause? With respect to ugly history, we must understand where we are now. And old shackles must be broken.
If Nas was a fat guy, and he wanted to call his album “Fat Guy” to make a statement, that it doesn’t make a difference in his value to the world, then no one would question him.
Context and Confidence is what determines the vulgarity of racial epithets; the context in which it is being used and the confidence of the individual or group it is directed at. I think it best if someone tried to insult you, regardless of what words they use or how hard they go at it, if you’re secure, just brush your shoulders off. People should always let that be their position. Remember, you’re better than that.
Besides, isn’t it common in movies to use racial epithets? And no one said you can’t make it boomerang. Also, let us not get into the First Amendment Rights, which might create a reason for litigation.
I want to see them ban “Coolie”. Ha Ha! I would laugh so loud.
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