You can’t say that, N*gga Please
You may be asking yourself why are we still talking about the N-word in 2015? The real question is why are people so afraid to say, use, spell or even mention the five or six letter word?
Nigger (noun nig•ger \ˈni-gər\)
1. black person
2. a member of an dark-skinned race
3. a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons
Above are three definitions of the N-word according to Merriam-Webster. The meaning of this controversial term has been pinched, pulled and plucked since its first known use in the late seventeenth century. It’s no secret that the N-word was established as a pejorative slur towards Black Africans during the Atlantic Slave Trade. Those same six letters have haunted the African American community for over four hundred years (In present day ‘nigger’ is most commonly spelled and pronounced as ‘nig∙ga’). In past years the black community has made several efforts to bury the N-word, familiar faces like Rev. Al Sharpton and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey all support the abolishment of the derogatory term – most recently the Black Student Union at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. On February 22, 2015 the thriving student organization, which I’m a proud member of, held a funeral service entitled “Death to the N-word” to put the offensive language to rest – it was a personal task of mine not to attend. How can we kill the N-word if hip hop music keeps it on life support? How can we kill the N-word if it’s being shoved down my throat on every media outlet? How can we kill the N-word if it’s been drilled into my daily speech? Exactly, it’s damn near impossible. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer in Philippians 4:13 but what if I don’t want to stop using the N-word. I have, do, and will continue to refer to my closest male friends with the five letter word.
“What’s good my nigga?”
“Nigga, where you at?”
These are the two most commonly used phrases by my peers (myself included). I don’t think twice about using the N-word, especially in this context. To me, the N-word is a term of endearment. My circle of friends, those are my niggas. The people I grew up with, those are my niggas. The ones who picked me up when I was down, those are my niggas. Over time things evolve, it’s apparent that once demeaning words now have positive connotations. In like manner, the B-word has made a complete 180°. During its first use in the fourteenth century, ‘bitch’ was without a doubt a vulgar term used to describe a belligerent or aggressive woman but today it is used to describe a strong and assertive woman, also referred to as a ‘bad bitch’.
In Nicki Minaj’s 2014 smash hit “Only” Chris Brown sings the following two lines as part of the hook:
“Nothing but real niggas only, bad bitches only
Rich niggas only, independent bitches only”
“Only” peaked at number twelve on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song was certified platinum by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Death to the N-word? Last time I checked it seems to be flourishing and in pretty good shape.
2041
