Hip Hop Killed The N-Word?

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Hip Hop Killed The N-Word?

Friday, May 30, 2008

Hip-hop artist Nas recently pulled the N-word title from his new album. But he hasn't said anything about changing the controversial lyrics.

Nas, the hip hop artist behind the hit "If I Ruled The World," releases his new album, formerly known as N*gger, in July. The title--which was announced post-Don Imus last year, shocked mainstream and hip hop audiences alike; he had been receiving pressure to change it. While there are no reports on the new title, the album will reportedly feature a slew of racial epithets in efforts to produce "knowledge and understanding for all people."

Friends of momlogic weigh in on the controversial new album:

Mama Noire: "I don't think his album is designed to be racist. I believe Nas created album to highlight issues of race and racism in this country and around the world. I don't think it's different than a historical scholar writing a scathing tome about black history and the injustices that come with it. Nas is simply doing it in his own way ....

"I don't know if this is an effective teaching tool because I don't think teens can fully appreciate the message he is trying to convey. Most teens are too far removed from blatant racism to "get it," so in that regard it's probably counterproductive. If my kids were teenagers I'd probably let them listen to the album as long as I could listen with them and have a discussion about it. I think the name of the album may be more empowering than anything because Nas isn't afraid to use the word to bring out issues of race and racism."

Dr. Gwenn: "Music is powerful and teens are like sponges. The more they hear words in music that are not appropriate to use, the more they will become desensitized and not realize that the words are hurtful," says Dr. Gwenn. "I totally disagree with Nas' opinion--that having a song that utilizes all sorts of racial slurs de-empowers the words."

Counseling Mom: "While Nas' listeners may be desensitized, the society at large is not. The effect of Nas' social experiment will be to create more hate, not less. These words are emotionally charged due to the history they represent, and that history is far greater than the sum of the letters. These words need to be respected for the amount of power to wound that they yield. One cannot simply erase history by repeating words over and over."

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*sigh* It never ceases to amaze me how people STILL subscribe to this crap that using hateful words “disempowers” them. Anyone with an ounce of psychological common sense knows that using words over and over (good or bad) only reinforces them and their associations. Seriously, if you buy this argument, than you must believe telling a child they’re “ugly and stupid” will help them feel smart and pretty, right?

- Miss Artiste

Posted 05/30/08 02:12 PM

i agree with miss Artiste, any terminology that degrades,malignes or stereotypes any group of people is wrong.and those who perpetuate the hurtful term are just as bad. i think if all of our young people born far after the civil rights struggle were able to see, feel, hear what really happen to those that were killed by lynch mobs, shot to death execution style, tortured etc. they would never again use the N-word.

- stinkybrat41

Posted 05/31/08 02:00 PM

I had friends in high school who would listen to hip hop or rap and then use words they heard in this or that album with their friends. They knew these words were bad, but they thought using them made them cool and edgy. The use of a reprehensible word by an “artist” only encourages repeated use of the same word. Musicians are nearly worshiped by teenagers, who use their music to express their own feelings. If we want a certain word to disappear from our vernacular, then *NO ONE* should use that word. Period.

- Julie

Posted 06/13/08 11:00 AM

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