A white DMX fan is suing Verizon after allegedly being fired for using the n-word while discussing the late rapper.
According to documents obtained by AllHipHop on Thursday (December 29), Peter Kelly is claiming wrongful termination after being let go from the company he’d worked at for 21 years.
Kelly claims he was let go in May 2021 after he was heard saying “n-gga” while discussing DMX on a company phone. As a union member, he said the termination was “in violation of the National Labor Relations Act” and he wants to be compensated for damages.
“This action also arises out of the breach by Plaintiff’s union, Defendant Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO (the ‘Union’), of the duty to provide fair representation, and of the breach by Plaintiff’s employer, Defendant Verizon New York Inc. (“Verizon”), of the collective bargaining agreement,” the document reads.
The docs go on to explain that the incident took place in April 2021 – when Kelly took a personal call on his work phone during his lunch break.
“In discussing DMX’s music Plaintiff used the word ‘n####,’ which is a word commonly used by the artist himself in his lyrics,” the docs continue. “Unbeknownst to Plaintiff, he had inadvertently answered a call on his company cellular phone, and a Verizon employee who listened to his private call for approximately forty-five seconds overheard him say the word ‘n-gga.’”
After an investigation, Kelly was fired less than a month later for “violating Verizon’s discrimination and harassment policy.”
Kelly and his attorney feel that the word flies all the time at work and he’s unfairly being singled out.
“Despite this alleged zero-tolerance policy, certain employees routinely use words like ‘b####,’ ‘c###,’ ‘n-gger,’ ‘n-gga’ and ‘s###’ in the workplace,” the docs state. “Such language is used in the presence of management-level employees, yet when it is used by a female employee, an African American employee, and/or a Hispanic employee, none is reprimanded or disciplined in any way.”
This isn’t the first time a white fan has found themselves in hot water for using the n-word in relation to their favorite rapper.
Back in August, a Wu-Tang Clan fan in the UK was fined £500 for using the n-word while rapping the lyrics to the group’s debut single “Protect Ya Neck.”
25-year-old Kyle Siegel was recording himself rapping the 1993 song for TikTok while standing in a women’s bathroom stall – unknowingly with a mixed-race woman in the cubicle next to him who was left “severely shocked” by the incident.
While the defense said there were a few issues surrounding “artistic freedom,” he noted Siegel was not a “person of color.” He added that Siegel accepted “he crossed the line” but didn’t intend to harm anyone with his actions.
This stuff goes to ridiculous lengths. I wonder if he’d get fired for other curse words. Theres a difference in context between a racist using the term and a fan referring to a rap song. Its also disingenuous for rappers to complain about it. White people probably shouldn’t say the word regardless of context, but most likely black people shouldn’t either. People should be adult enough to realize human nature is what it is ‐ that word is overused in a music sold to the great unwashed masses. Not to an elite of empathetic social geniuses, to the masses. And no rapper, intelligent or not wants to take any responsibility for keeping that word alive.
And that’s exactly what I said
DMX Woodstock 99. DMX has literally 200.000 white kids rapping along “my niggas”. He could have picked ANY Song. If thats not the biggest pass in history I dont know what is. Look it up and end this stupid isht.
There is a right time and place to discuss explicit hip hop lyrics. Using a giant corporation’s company phone is clearly not one of those times. He is a liability.
I completely agree, ONLY if it is equally applied across the board, and skin color doesn’t play a factor of what words can or cannot be said.
I actually agree with the lawsuit. I see it in many jobs I’ve had. Management allows certain people to use foul language on a daily basis, but if I were to do it, I’d be canned. The double standard isn’t fair, and as others have pointed out, context is what matters the most obviously. People use these words to describe things and talk, not necessarily to insult people. Nigga, bitch, fucker, mofo, shit, damn… all can be used in “positive” manors, or they can be used to insult people. It’s unfair of some employees get a pass while others don’t, especially if that is based on skin color.
He said it on his work phone.
So because you were dumb enough to give out your work cell and got caught discussing explicit rap lyrics while at work, you’re gonna drag down everybody else whoever said a curse word on the job? The definition of dry snitching…smh
How would you like being terminated with false write ups and having a white co-worker sleeping in a truck for months while the black worker who had to borrow tools from a contractor is fired. Verizon life
How would you like being terminated with false write ups and having a white co-worker sleeping in a truck for months while the black worker who had to borrow tools from a construction contractor is fired… This is the Verizon life
How would you like being terminated with false write ups and having a white co-worker sleeping in a truck for months while the black worker who had to borrow tools from a construction contractor is fired… This is the Verizon life
Absolutely ridiculous! I am black and I think this n-word thing has gone too far. The use of the n word in that way is cultural not racial. I grew up with one white guy on my block. To this day, that’s my n***a. He can call me the same.