The New York City council agreed on a resolution to ban the use of the word “nigger” March 1st.
The ban is purely symbolic, there is no official intent to enforce or police the ban which will inexorably foster debate over its present usage.
Removing the n-word from the public vocabulary – and especially from hip-hop culture – could be troublesome when looking at the historical meaning versus the current manifestations.
No matter what the context, popular culture and hip-hop are central to the debate because song, theatre, film and music have all affected the meaning and use of the word over time. It is certainly telling that its modern blasé usage lies predominantly within the younger generation, not those who came before them.
The n-word originated from history’s days of forced slavery, but changing contexts have given way to new meanings over the years. With hip-hop particularly it has grown as a term of independence or endearment for African-Americans outside of the historical context.
Kari Browne – a BBC reporter with an African American mother and a white father – reported that “Some African-Americans argue that by reclaiming the word, by owning it for themselves, the word can take on whatever meaning they ascribe to it. In other words, they argue it is possible to re-invent the n-word and change its connotation.”
She recalls using “…the n-word among friends, at school, singing along to songs. I used it carelessly without thinking much about it. It wasn't uncommon to hear my Filipino friends say to my Korean friends ‘what's up nigga’. Even among white kids, it was used ironically as a term of respect to one another... a way to fit in or identify with friends of other races.”
The use of the n-word has become more liberal amongst the youth and although this is preferably in reference to hip-hop culture rather than racist agenda, it is glaringly evident that the word still exists to cause deep offence.
This was recently demonstrated by the backlash to Michael Richards’ (aka Kramer from Seinfeld) racist rant which saw the use of the n-word met with a united public outrage.
Regardless of race, context, or whether tones of irony or empowerment are present, the origins of the n-word are still fresh in public memory.
Whether there can ever be a modern, acceptable change of context, or whether the original definition can ever be escaped, will always be a debate of contention.
The councilman Leroy Comrie who sponsored the resolution believes that because origins of the word are based in hate and anger it will never be changed.
"People are using it out of context," Comrie said. "People are also denigrating themselves by using the word, and disrespecting their history, disrespecting the history of a people and a country and also putting themselves in a negative light that we need to correct.''
There are already reports of resistance to the ban, including public criticism from celebrities such as Chris Rock and Jamie Foxx. All news reports published on the day of the ban carried comments from the 17 to 21 year old demographic who also refused to let the move curb their usage.
The BBC’s Kari Browne used a fitting anecdote to highlight the difficulty of certain words and the meanings or preconceptions behind them:
“For all I knew, the term cracker referred to the white colour of saltine crackers we eat. So I always thought we called white people crackers because they were the colour of crackers…Apparently not so. My great-grandmother told me that the term ‘cracker’ was used by slaves to refer to their white slave owners as the man who ‘cracks the whip.’”
The movement to abolish the n-word began less than twelve months ago by husband and wife Kovon and Jil Flowers. To follow up on the ban, Mr. Comrie is requesting that Grammy awards should be denied to artists who use the n-word and have also contacted BET to suggest a ban on music videos which contain the utterance.
Whether this will encourage mainstream hip-hoppers to deliberately adapt the n-word as a newer and more topical anti-establishment tool of defiance is yet to be seen.
As StreetHop, New York and the world all approach the debate with caution, perhaps it is this very caution and consideration the ban is aiming to promote and encourage.
Where this will lead us is unknown, but Councillor Albert Vann's comments are fitting last words:
"This could be the beginning of a movement. I forgive those young people who do not know their history, and I blame myself and my generation for not preparing you. But today we are going to know our history."
The ban is purely symbolic, there is no official intent to enforce or police the ban which will inexorably foster debate over its present usage.
Removing the n-word from the public vocabulary – and especially from hip-hop culture – could be troublesome when looking at the historical meaning versus the current manifestations.
No matter what the context, popular culture and hip-hop are central to the debate because song, theatre, film and music have all affected the meaning and use of the word over time. It is certainly telling that its modern blasé usage lies predominantly within the younger generation, not those who came before them.
The n-word originated from history’s days of forced slavery, but changing contexts have given way to new meanings over the years. With hip-hop particularly it has grown as a term of independence or endearment for African-Americans outside of the historical context.
Kari Browne – a BBC reporter with an African American mother and a white father – reported that “Some African-Americans argue that by reclaiming the word, by owning it for themselves, the word can take on whatever meaning they ascribe to it. In other words, they argue it is possible to re-invent the n-word and change its connotation.”
She recalls using “…the n-word among friends, at school, singing along to songs. I used it carelessly without thinking much about it. It wasn't uncommon to hear my Filipino friends say to my Korean friends ‘what's up nigga’. Even among white kids, it was used ironically as a term of respect to one another... a way to fit in or identify with friends of other races.”
The use of the n-word has become more liberal amongst the youth and although this is preferably in reference to hip-hop culture rather than racist agenda, it is glaringly evident that the word still exists to cause deep offence.
This was recently demonstrated by the backlash to Michael Richards’ (aka Kramer from Seinfeld) racist rant which saw the use of the n-word met with a united public outrage.
Regardless of race, context, or whether tones of irony or empowerment are present, the origins of the n-word are still fresh in public memory.
Whether there can ever be a modern, acceptable change of context, or whether the original definition can ever be escaped, will always be a debate of contention.
The councilman Leroy Comrie who sponsored the resolution believes that because origins of the word are based in hate and anger it will never be changed.
"People are using it out of context," Comrie said. "People are also denigrating themselves by using the word, and disrespecting their history, disrespecting the history of a people and a country and also putting themselves in a negative light that we need to correct.''
There are already reports of resistance to the ban, including public criticism from celebrities such as Chris Rock and Jamie Foxx. All news reports published on the day of the ban carried comments from the 17 to 21 year old demographic who also refused to let the move curb their usage.
The BBC’s Kari Browne used a fitting anecdote to highlight the difficulty of certain words and the meanings or preconceptions behind them:
“For all I knew, the term cracker referred to the white colour of saltine crackers we eat. So I always thought we called white people crackers because they were the colour of crackers…Apparently not so. My great-grandmother told me that the term ‘cracker’ was used by slaves to refer to their white slave owners as the man who ‘cracks the whip.’”
The movement to abolish the n-word began less than twelve months ago by husband and wife Kovon and Jil Flowers. To follow up on the ban, Mr. Comrie is requesting that Grammy awards should be denied to artists who use the n-word and have also contacted BET to suggest a ban on music videos which contain the utterance.
Whether this will encourage mainstream hip-hoppers to deliberately adapt the n-word as a newer and more topical anti-establishment tool of defiance is yet to be seen.
As StreetHop, New York and the world all approach the debate with caution, perhaps it is this very caution and consideration the ban is aiming to promote and encourage.
Where this will lead us is unknown, but Councillor Albert Vann's comments are fitting last words:
"This could be the beginning of a movement. I forgive those young people who do not know their history, and I blame myself and my generation for not preparing you. But today we are going to know our history."
