Minneapolis, Minnesota emcee Brother Ali recently spoke to the IllDoctrine’s J Smooth about the relationship white people have with the word “nigga.” As a white man, the Rhymesayers Entertainment emcee spoke personally from his youth. “It’s very, very confusing for white kids who have a lot of black friends are accepted. I can’t stand here and say that when I was nine years old and all my friends were black, and they were tellin’ me, ‘Aw, Ali, you’re basically black,’ that I didn’t believe that.”
Now an adult and highly-successful independent artist, Ali deduced, “I think that’s something a lot of young white kids struggle with: just understanding the different position we have in the world.”
Ali spoke for all white people, but specifically to those immersed in black culture. “We have to own our relationship to the injustice of the world, and we have to own the benefits that we get from it. And for myself, it took a lot of self-love to learn how to do that.” Noting that as a legally blind emcee, he faces oppression in everyday society, he acknowledged, “Racially, I’m still priviledged.”
The full interview is below:
No one should use the word period including black folks. The word is ignorant and has an ugly history I don’t care if folks excuse it as a “term of endearment” how would you like it if other races called you that name? Not cool. What’s wrong w/ say “Whats up ma Brotha”? Anyway if black folks expect others to not use the n-word than we ourselves need to not use it otherwise it just sounds hypocritical to all each other niggas but get mad when a white person calls us that.
Haha! I bet you’re white! Good point though white boy!
Alright. While I do understand and acknowledge your position I have to disagree on most of that. The response to your comment, the first one for this particular topic no less when all types of dumb shit has thouseands of comments, but I digress, will be very loaded.
First, I love my niggas. And when I say that, as a young black man, it means something. The word itself was created as a means of reducing or discounting ones humanity back when white people thought that was acceptable (newsflash: A LOT still do). It was made out of a place of hate during a hateful time. But during that time we came out of it and the fight still continues, though in a more covert ops type capacity now, not having to be lynched (wikipedia that shit kids). We endured all types of cruelties for hundreds of years for which the effects are still be felt to this day in so many different ways, yet we’re discussing why it’s not fair for a group to say a word.
Wait, what?
No, nigga. YOU can’t say that shit. That’s one of the perks of being black. The fact that its totally flipped on it’s head is just an extra sting. We took a term of hate and made it a term of love. When I say I love my niggas, I MEAN that shit. They’re some of my closest friends. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, politicians, musicians, yes, rappers too for you goons. Words all about the feeling you put behind them. I’ve been called a nigga by a white person who hated the fact that I was who I was, and my closest friend. Trust me, there’s a difference. Seriously, said so much, it kinda lost meaning. We were saying shit like, “Yo, look at this white nigga. He looks dumb as shit.”
For empasis, I’m a graduate from an HBCU. If you don’t know what that acronym stands for, you are a racist. It’s funny, but true.
Anyway, we could (and I have) had extremely long, scholarly debates/sonnings about this topic. But let’s keep it simple and follow Chris Rock’s model: It’s only acceptable during songs, and you better not lean into it.
For us, try to gauge it and see. Just don’t go dropping N-bombs all crazy. You’ll know the longer you around people for real. I dare you to try to remove the phrase “Bitch ass nigga” out of the lexicon. You can’t.
That’s it. Or you can censor yourself while rhyming like Gwyneth Paltrow.
Summation: Years of cruelties and oppression that continue to ripple through our communities and culture grants use of this word however however we see fit. I think it literally comes down to that though we could talk forever about it.
Interesting how Black Man made a short comment that made a good point, then Louis Farrahkong wrote an essay that wasn’t really saying anything. Personally I think the current dynamic where certain words are divided by color is bullshit, but just one of those realities we can’t do shit about. The fact it’s so difficult to make the argument for why it should be the way it is should tell you something.
there are too many other problems in the world then to be worrying about this shit, like yo who the fuck cares?why is everybody so sensetive? live life, cracka nigga spik chink, i personally think if we hurled racial slurrs at each other all day wed get over it. im in miami yo we are so racially diverse it doesent even fuckin matter, we just worried bout gettin money feedin our fam and havin a good time. peace
Listen to mah new smooth single “In the Morning”
Featuring So Icy Gang
Produced by me. swag
http://www.myspace.com/soicygangor/music
……………………..shut up
brother ali needs to get off the soap box. this is the same dude that originally claimed to be a black albino. then he got a bunch of attention for his music and his story changed into “white albino raised by black people”. this dude been confused and obsessed over race his whole life. in 2011, kids dont give a fuck what color you are. the problems bigger than that, the moral fiber is coming undone, but strangely enough kids are friends with kids of all different races. the more were reminded how different we are, the divide will stand. its 2011 man, we off the race shit. you’re either good or evil. thats all i see in 2011.
exactly
just don’t say it PERIOD no matter want color you are. people think its cool to say it though. STUPID ASS PEOPLE
I’m white..I don’t say it. I know black people use it, I still don’t say it. I’m from a predominantly black city, I still don’t say it. It isn’t that confusing. The debate within the black community is valid, but white people have no part of that. The End.
only idiots arent racist
Regardless of who white kids hang around they know better. As for our people saying this taking such a hateful word and using it to endear ourselves (thus the spelling to show a difference er to ga). Ppl say it still means the same, it doesnt, in the english language there are many words that sound the same but are spelled differently thus giving it a new definition. So when a black man says Yo my NigGA it is a synonym for the lists of words such as homie brotha dunny (or dunnie idk im not from NY)etc. We as the current generation of African Americans can use the term Nigga whether or not the older generation likes it or not.
Now on to the latino brothas n sistas, it actually kinda pisses me of more when they say than anything becasue is somebody said “of thts my Spic rite there” they wud have a flat out bitch fit. so i see it as if yu dont want other ppl using urs dnt use theirs. Nigga is a CULTURAL thing (Not hip hop culture but African American culture)
Idk man…Imagine the Jewish people going around and saying “Whaddup Kike!” or “Hit me up my Jew” all the time since the end of the holocaust.
Race and religions are two different things, don’t switch that shit up.
i agree. we should have flushed the kykes.
A nigga write nigga in a lyric, expect the white boy to omit it,
The white boy spit it like he spit it,
Recite it to his friends who, by the way, ain’t niggas,
And say nigga, nigga, nigga, my favorite rapper did it,
And non-nigga friends got it with him,
Incorporate this lyric to their everyday living,
Until a black friend kinda hear it, just a tidbit,
He thinks Aw, forget it, its so insignificant and little,
The white boy sees this as a clearance, now its
Nigga, nigga, nigga, every single day,
And that little nigga nigga, thinks its okay,
And he’s the only nigga in this particular grade,
And it begins to phase him more each day,
The things they say went a little too far,
He couldn’t tell the difference between an a or er,
wale – the kramer
Louis said, “That’s one of the perks of being black.” Are you serious? And you said that you were a graduate of a HBCU. I would think that as a graduate of an HBCU that you would, more than some, be a bit more aware of the ignorance that the n-word signifies. There is no “flipping” the word. I think I heard Nas or someone say that shit a few years ago and I thought that that was the dumbest shit that I’d ever heard. Such foolish excuses and reasoning such as that is the reason that black neighborhoods and town are always the shittiest. HBCU graduate. You must have been a ballplayer with those dumbass remarks.
where i’m from, we call white people ‘skin’ and ‘whiteshit’, hispanic people ‘spic’ or ‘loco’ ‘vietnamese ‘dinks’ and black people ‘jig’ or ‘nigga’ and everybody’s cool with it and always have been. Up here we have a multi-cultural society where whites and blacks are by-far a minority, and we benefit by never thinking of racism when these pronouns are given. It’s all love, and nothin’ but.
We the younger generation need to get beyond race already. Shit’s played out. I’m white – I’m proud of being white – I don’t have a single ounce of white guilt because I’ve never done wrong to anybody. So who gives a shit? This is the 21st century, not the 20th century.
co-sign. this whole race issue is really getting old, and it’s even considered bullshit to me. im hispanic, btw 😀
Because you didn`t have a choice in the matter, you`re right for not feeling guilty about being white. With that said, it`s important to acknowledge the injustices done to minorities in the past because the impacts can be felt today.
co sign to above
to say “im proud to be white” just show there is alot of learning to do. im a white man from canada. so not ‘hating’ ( seems to be the go to target now a days) just saying. as a white male aged 25. i can say im white and embaressed for what we have done to our past, and what we are doing to our future.
we have alot of learning to do!
so much in justice, on behalf of this single race, its disgusting.
i agree that race needs to be dropped, everyone is equal, the world has to recognizer this at this point. but it hasnt always. hence. why i cant say im pround to be white.
nuc – which makes you a self-hating white man. Stop letting white guilt weigh you down. We have as much of a right to be proud of being white as others have to be black or hispanic or whatever. There’s nothing hateful in that – as long as we recognize that other cultures besides our own are beautiful too.
I have a lot of black friends, and they constantly tell me “You the blackest white nigga I know.” I don’t know when I started, but I use the word around my friends frequently. They all have no problem with it. I’ve become quite comfortable using the word. It simply replaces words like bro, cuh, son, etc. I prefer not to use the word when I’m in mixed company, because I am unsure of other people’s feelings on this subject and wish to stay respectful to those who are not as accepting as my friends.
If theres ever a moment when ur uncomfortable saying a word then maybe you should drop the word from your vocab?
White people should NEVER say it no matter what!!! thats disrespectful no matter who your around. I dont give a f*ck if malcolm x said it was cool. ONLY black people can say that word. even then thats still disrespectful! idiot!
You know your cool when you can be white say “teh word” around blacks on south beach
that’s me
now if that’s the realest shit i’ve ever smoked right there. he just told the truth a lot of white people don’t like to admit. that’s the truth. and it comes from him loving himself. that’s real cool g.
Not all “white People” owned slaves some Europeans were slaves through out history I.e Irish Catholics, Italians, greeks, any eastern Europeans. Black people should not generalize. It makes you guys sound ignorant. Plus if black people would have been in the “position of power” they would have enslaved the english, spanish, and dutch. As an Irish Catholic i dont hate english people or opressing my people and why should blacks. none of you were personally enslaved. Get over it. This shit is so played out. while racism still exists, black people are successful. We do have a black president. No one gives a shit about what color, religion, ethnicity, or political views any one is. there is one color in this world that matters and that is “green”. And untill black people understand that its bussiness not personal. they will never be sucessful because black ppl take every thing personal and blame there skin color.#FACT
You got it purposely twisted. No other group of people on this planet ever been enslaved like black people. The europeans your talking bout were indentured servants. They did’nt have to pick cotton from sun up to sun down. They wasn’t slaves for most if not all of their lives. They’re not prodminately filling up the jails 500 yrs later or have the c.i.a putting drugs in their communities & not getting loans to open up buisnesses in their communities 500 yrs later…try again devil.
@ F.Rap
You’re an Idiot. There’s one group who have been more enslaved. Jews. BY BLACK PEOPLE. By the Nubians after they took over Egypt. Jews got enslaved by two different groups of people.
@F. Rap
stop pushing your hate agenda
@ yuk, It’s not hate agenda it’s FACT agenda… y could’nt u point out that race was some b.s. made up by whites(germans?) to make themselves appear superior to all other races. Whats your agenda ????????
Ha okay well none of us are slaves so I don’t know why anyone is bitchin
People have been seperating themselves into different groups and classes since the beginning of time. Racism has been used to segregate and oppress people for a long time. But I don’t for one second believe whites are the only group to have use it to create an advantage for themselves.
F Rap
At least do your fuckin’ history man.Eastern Europeans used to replace animals in plowing activities and were constantly whipped during those activities.They weren’t allowed to have religious views or other rights.Western Europeans always enslaved and bullied underdeveloped countries.They still have a colonial-type mentality, but now it’s transposed through corporations, not land occupation.
Well in all this, the only race not getting anywhere is the black race, and this is why right here…
Japan, China, India… All suffered at the had of the European… They all took in and made the most from it. They learned that the best way to get past it is to stick together and MOVE FORWARD…
Nothing will ever change what happened… None of the instigators will ever be charged for their crimes… Owning a slave was actually seen as a normal thing…
In the end, we need to accept what happened and move… If we don’t, we’ll be the ones still crying about it…
REPARATIONS? Please… Grow some nuts, get up off that stool and do something… CHINA closed its borders to foreigners and look at them today… Japan fought hard to retain its cultural ways…
Hate will not get us anywhere, it’ll just darken our hearts and cloud our sight… Move past the hate, past the judging… It is true that one must be always be mindful… Why not love your kind rather than hate another??
Personally, I put my brother before any other.. That, however doesn’t mean that I hate the other.. Does it??
There’s no such thing as race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOH0T3AKnjE
Reks – Mascara (The Ugly Truth)
Realest song out there.
a couple things. first of all south park nailed it in one episode, as a white person, I accept that I simply do not know how it feels for a black person to be called the n-word. a lot of white people love to say “oh its just a word and slavery was so long ago get over it blah blah blah” but thats ignorant. the truth is if youre white you will never know how it feels so leave it alone. second thing EVERY white person gets giddy if a black person calls them “nigga”. its like you feel like youre accepted, youre in the club. but its selfish BS. and we all know the group of white kids saying nigga nigga nigga and then when a black guy walks by they all hush up.
Just glad this type of dialouge was put out there.
Never been a huge Brother Ali fan. But I became one after reading this article.
Needless to say, the white/black hip-hop dynamic can be a touchy subject. Props to Ali for having the nuts to speak on it.
So, you diss white kids for calling each other names like ‘wigger’, claiming they just need to stereotype people…then go on to brag how you call other blacks ‘Uncle Tom’ and ‘Black Devil’…. fool.
Get the fuck out of here with your evil White Devil rhetoric. Talkin loud but ain’t sayin nothing!
@RTruth: Well said my man well said.
@Fuck This Punk: Your an UNCLE TOM to the fullest!! GO GET FUCKED BY A WHITE MAN BITCH!!!!!!
Fuck This Punk is right!
The P:
Ha okay well none of us are slaves so I don’t know why anyone is bitchin
Posted2011-05-30T21:48:20-05:00
^ young white boy logic
I agree w/ you 100 % ! Hater’s (niggas, devils, spics, chinks, wop’s, kikes etc.)are going to respond by saying you hate white people.
Trust me it would be put to rest once we get REPARATIONS as other races have gotten in america. ausrtalia huh ? Those Aboriginies got damn near wiped out .. I know they need REPARATIONS there !!!!!!!!! Do you feel the Aboriginies need to get over it too & stop being sensitive regarding the mass killings that whites are guilty of performing there ?
^ foolish mortal logic because nations go to war over words.
Anthony Smith is a dirty wog.
Nations go to war over actions not words.
^^ Words to bruh.. Does the phrase: “They have weapons of mass destruction” ring a bell?
Might seem ignorant, but whole time I thought Ali was black. As far as da word nigga, it’s really just what you mean by it. If a white person says nigga they’re either saying it because it’s in their vocabulary (which is rare), they’re trying to be cool, or it’s an insult. Then there’s other reasons like discussing the word itself, but basically what is meant means more than what it is. And if you get mad at nigga then you should get mad at idiot, bitch, or any derogatory word despite race.
They don’t know or forgot actions come from words. You have to know the word and it’s meaning in order to react to it.
It’s quite funny that many “hip hop” fans are quick to say words mean nothing when they “listen” to a music genre where wordplay is a forte.
Im black. African. Born & Bred. I think Afro-Americans complaining about being called “nigga” by a white dude should look in the mirror. Y’all call us Africans derogatory shit like “booty scratchers” & “Kinta Kunte” or greet us with cheeky ass lines like “What up Zamunda??”. Laugh at us for being ‘too black’ with hair thats ‘too nappy’. And we’re meant to be ‘brothas’. You’re meant to embrace us as we’re from the Motherland but no, you lot actually think y’all are better than us ‘cos y’all grew up in the White Man’s land. And thats fact. But hey, everyone outside USA knows Americans don’t know shit about shit. I’m me. Bitch. Black as a mo’fo & proud of it. AND Im tired of y’all hypocrites. People hurt people. As far as im concerned, if i have a white friend he can call me whatever the fuck he wants. ‘Cos he’s my FRIEND. Which means, for those who dont know; that our relationship exists regardless of race or colour. I see the human in him, and he in me (No Bruno. Pause.) Y’all cant expect the people who enslaved you to respect you when you dont treat yourselves with respect. Like taking the word ‘they’ made specifically to abuse you & using it on each other, tryna convince yourselves that the meaning’s changed. Look in the dictionary fool. Its still the same definition: “Negro”. It’s not changed, if anything blacks callin’ other that makes the word worse. The fact that ‘ER’ has been replaced with ‘A’ doesnt mean shit but stress the fact that most of y’all over there dont know English to save your asses. But anyways, y’all have been brainwashed so much by the Stars & Stripes y’all forget who you REALLY are. Everyone with melanin in their skin comes from ONE place. Africa. Which happens to be my home. No identity issues for this ‘nigga’…..
Bump
Shut the fuck up. I haven’t called you an “african booty scratcher.” Stop making ad hominem statements. Trying to generalize a whole group of people. Just like Africa has many different countries with different histories and societal issues so do all black people and all people for that matter. Just because you are of the black race doesn’t mean you understand African Americas, Jamaicans, South Africans, etc. This is the division which is rife within black people. All blacks, regardless of their nationality deal with the legacy of racism, why do you think colonialism existed in Africa, look at apartheid in South Africa, yet you rather divide us against each other on some tribal shit. That is why I prefer to be called black, because ignorant people like you don’t even make me feel accepted by my kin across the Atlantic enough to even consider myself “African.” African American’s fought for equal rights in this country, we were the sacrificial lamb and every nonwhite race benefited from our struggle. Go back home if you don’t like it. Might of fact, instead of expressing your grievances with African Americans online approach them personaly with that divisive tribal shit.
Black people, yes black people took the word and made it their own… Chose to use it as a word of endearment, and chose to let go of the chains that held them captive… There are other words like ‘slaving’, which means simply working, which were equally ‘re-branded’ as a step into letting go and stepping out…
Most African Americans, and other Africans that migrated to other countries (France, Spain, Germany, etc) do consider most Africans to be inferior.. Naturally this is because not much has been written in history about the modern african man. Integration has brainwashed our brothers to the point of them forgetting their own skin color…
I have been belittled by African Americans. However, after long discussions about history, they understand that we’re not too different, and no, we didn’t let them just be caught and thrown on those ships!!! I also understood the fact that ignorance was a major factor, and I began educating them about the true african story… We compared Malcolm X to Lumumba, and the end of slavery to the end of apartheid…
I feel our greatest enemy is lack of patience, to learn from one another… Some of you here may call me all sorts of things, but all this culture we the generation of today share is one that can allow us to unite and understand one another… They’ll try to break us with confusion, but if we stick together and communicate through this language of hip hop,in our own special way, then, quoting Nas in ‘Untitled’, ‘No matter how much you try, you can’t stop us now’… Word
Notorious Hater has a point. Cosign 100%. Brother from Africa, we got love for you man, but maybe you don’t fully understand, like we could never fully understand the struggles in Africa. We struggled here, and others have benefit greatly on our behalf, period. This is our reality, so we exist in trying to improve that. You can’t knock the ones that have a mind to reject a derogatory word, and not all African-Americans hate Africa…
You may be right, I don’t fully understand… We all have struggled, true. However, the best way to get over something is to GET OVER IT… People benefit from people… It’s a fact of life…
The Jews were almost exterminated countless times in history… The still managed to be some of the most successful people in the world. Is it because they held on to the past? No, it’s because, in my view, they moved beyond it… I’m not saying we should pretend it never happened, all I’m saying is we should move past it… Deal with everything else going on in our societies today, like illiteracy, like telling our true history, like searching for who we really are…
That a word can cause so much debate is interesting, but also sad… When DOC posted his story, not so many people came out to congratulate him or wish him luck, most called him stoopid for not being more careful (My apologies as I digress)…
The connection however is there… The word is out, we use it, we censor it, we cover it up with words like dawg (dog) (which is an insult in itself), blood (referring to blood gang affiliation), Cuz (referring to crip gang affiliation), bro, bruh, mayne, man… all that… Don’t pretend not to call someone a nigga when you mean to call them that, that would make you a closet uppity negro as Mr X would call them… an Uncle Tom…lols
Existing and trying to improve your reality while dwelling in the same muddy waters that defined reality 120years ago is futile… The only way to move is to redefine you reality by accepting the fact that you were branded, owning up to that, and teach your children to be better than that and accept all as equal, with no pre-judged thoughts of any kind, that, in my opinion is improving on that reality that you live in…
I live in a reality where a mineral (coltan) is mined from MY LAND by MY HANDS then sold for peanuts to Europe… I then have to get a regular job to afford a device (cellphone) that wouldn’t exist without that mineral, but costs a million times more…
You see my American brother, most of my brothers here in Africa live on less that a dollar a day, do not go to school, have to deal with malaria, HIV/AIDS and other ills… That’s our version of the ghetto… Those of us that get out have to migrate to foreign land and suffer some form of xenophobia daily… The European benefits from us daily…
I respect your position on the word, and I’m not encouraging anyone who doesn’t want to use it to use it…
and I didn’t say ALL AFRICAN AMERICANS HATE AFRICA… You said that…
I’m with my african bro here. It’s the other way around Notorious Hater. Afro-americans didn’t accept the africans in america and made fun of them first. Don’t get it twisted. Afro-americans are almost ashamed to be called africans. (Surinam)
Any conscious person who knows where the word came from and it’s bloody legacy, will try not to use it at all. Its about having some awareness, because we are not negroes at all!!
Whites or built their wealth on the backs backs of black slaves all it’s institutions were biult on black slavery. United States and most of all Europe. where the blackman and women toiled day and night so the whiteman could roll with ease. Whites did not gain their wealth through HARDWORK
I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY GAVE YOU NIGGA’S MONEY!!
I’m white..I don’t say it. I know black people use it, I still don’t say it. I’m from a predominantly black city, I still don’t say it. It isn’t that confusing. The debate within the black community is valid, but white people have no part of that. The End.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
At least some white people have sense and respect. That should end this lil argument. White people have no reason to say nigga. I understand that there are many white people who wish to use the word which is why this argument exists. its 2011 and we shouldnt be arguing over race, everyone gets that. But the fact that its 2011 doesnt give other so called “races” the green light!
One World, One Love, One Soul, One Family
If you are using the word “white boy” in your post and get mad over any other racial term you are a hypocrite. “White Boy” implies that somehow I, as a grown white man, somehow am less masculine than a black/latino/asian “Man”. Cant we all just get along and stop using racist terms alltogether, including “nigga”, “white boy”, etc? And if you think I’m being overly sensitive look in the mirror.
cmon folks its JUST A WORD, BUT….it is the intent behind the word that counts, just like any other word
Hey Khordkutta – Black, white, whatever – you’re a cunt. Simple.
People have destructive natures and even if we all had the same colour, probably in a couple of hundred years or so, even then we will still find differences to disagree on and fight. But we were gives intelligence and found ways to travel and migrate. Why you think? To stay at one place all our time here on earth. No, to explore and mix. So we will eventually have less diffences and one colour. It’s inevitable. Mighty people have tried to stop this in the past and present. It’s impossible. Mix. More understanding.
New song…listen & leave feedback.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsXS644RUXg
i’m white trash and i fucking hate this white world. Peace to the Gods and Earths
MOTHER FUCK hiphopdx !!!!! MAY GOD DESTROY YOUR OFFICES & THIS SITE BE SHUT DOWN ! REMOVE THAT !!!!!!
this site must be ran by jews. you zionist fags keep posting “news” about race. but when someone tie in jews w/ in their comments. Comments that you zionists don’t approve of you all remove the comment. FUCK YALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO PURCHASE THE BOOK “THE SECRET RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BLACKS & JEWS”
Worrying about petty verbal racism is a distraction. Can we get ovet this shit and unite against the new world order, folk?