hi people! what you thing about using "N..." word read this link tell me what do you think? thanks?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071019/ap_en_ot/music_nas_album_title

Answer 1

I grew up listening to Nas' music, but I'm not going to approach this question with any bias towards him.

Contemporary artists, specifically African American artists who choose to use this term are missing a point. When they say the N word, it hasn't got the same punch, or same meaning as it would with an older generation. And I'm talking about an older generation of colored people. His people. Nas' Mother (God Bless her soul. RIP) his father, and other elders. I'm sure these elders would have had their share of poor treatment, through early 1900's to the 70's in America, based on their color.

These people went through sh*t so the young African American / Hispanic (any colored race actually) of today can work and study with anyone of any race.

But Nas is coming strictly from a contemporary 'street' perspective in my opinion. I don't agree with "We're taking power from the word," as he put it. "His intent in naming the album the N-word was to take the sting out of it"... Again I don't agree with this statement.

I don't think by over-using the N word it's will lose its meaning with, for example, white supremacists. It will never lose it's meaning with such ignorant people. It has as much punch as it did back then as now with people like that. Racism buried deep within generations and being taught to kids as I type this.

Nas, if you aim your album with dreams of commercial success, and you do because you're with a commercial label, it's available to everyone. Even those racist fools. You are only talking the power out of the word where the power is already gone: Your target audience. You're just advertising the N word to the rest who don't feel, understand, or appreciate your music.

It's already lost it's meaning within street slang though. It can mean brother depending on who uses it.

You're definitely opening up a debate here so I'll keep it to point.

It's a term that has a bad, negative history. It was a term coined to be an insult to a race of people.

It will always be used: you can never ban a use of a word. But using it should never, ever be mainstream. I listen to music with that term, and to me it's obvious it's not meant to be offensive, because the music artists I have invested in who incorporates the N word do not mean to use it in the lesser, derogative sense. Not only that, the word is within lyrics that you have to listen to. It's not plastered across an album cover advertising itself, to be displayed in shops.

But to some, the effect of the word is still very much alive and it hurts and offends people, and this is what we all have to be aware of. It always will offend, no matter how much "sting" you take out of with album sales.

I hope his lyrics educate, inspire and move me like they have in the past on this album, even if it has got a title I don't really agree on.

Answer 2

Nas notwithstanding, how would you feel if a total stranger felt completely at ease to debate the pros and cons of using a thoroughly hateful, derogatory word to describe you - in a public forum no less with other people who were total and complete strangers themselves? I wonder how you would feel about that? If you're looking for validation to spread hatred you won't get it here but I don't suppose that would stop you anyway. Why bother with the question? Seems as if you're just looking for permission to be a bigot. Is that necessary? There is no debate about using the "N..." word. It has been established as a hate word for centuries. You think that because some random rapper chooses to put it on an album cover that it is therefore somehow okay to put it into general use now? Go ahead you probably wouldn't like the results.

If one man decided he wanted to be called sissy boy would that then mean it would be okay to refer to all men as sissy boys? Hmmm, what do you think?

Answer 3

Nas has had me in his fan club since "one Mic" And i feel like its sticks and stones really. Im white, so I dont call black people ni--- a or er but there is a massive ammount of people who call them selves that. If it offends you dont buy it.. Why limit Nas with the cop out of saying he is hurting others when the KKK, and other raclial groups spout there hate talk.. There not going to stop so why make him? On a diffrent note, The N word means to most a black person who was the white mans slave, ditch digger, or someone other wise yoked with the under class thats lower than low. Some of the people who use that word to dicribe them selves say it almost like a badge of honor because after all the tons of obstcals in there way for the color of there skin they made it. Some may not make it as far as Nas or others who use it, but they made it a lot farter than those who spout that hatefull word with venom ever would have wanted them too.
Peace people Peace

Answer 4

dat boy a straight up foo to be namin his own cd the n-word but it is his cd soo he got a right to name it wat he want