Should Artists Who Are Not Black Get A Pass For Using The "N" Word?

Should Artists Who Are Not Black Get A Pass For Using The “N” Word?

As much as hip-hop is home to black people & black culture, many other ethnic groups have embraced the hip-hop way of life. From the clothes we wear, the shoes we walk in, the drugs we take, to the liquor we drink – all the way down to the very way we talk. The impact rap music has on our society is huge. In a genre where artists of white, Asian, Latino and middle eastern descents exist, many wonder who is and who isn’t qualified to say the “N” word.

For years, we’ve let artists like Fat Joe (Puerto Rican), French Montana (even though he’s like Moroccan), DJ Khaled (Palestinian) and more recently Nav (Indian) out of Canada, all get a pass for using the “N” word in their music, even though they are not black.

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Should Artists Who Are Not Black Get A Pass For Using The "N" Word?There are three beliefs amongst black folk. One is to get rid of the power that has historically surrounded the word by letting others use it. Others would say only black people should be able to use it. And the third group of black people would say not even black people should use it to completely free ourselves from the word.

What makes it so complicated is that no one is enforcing or regulating the use of the word. Of course, if we’re talking about an NBC or CNN reporter who wasn’t black using the word, they would probably be terminated & lose their job. But in hip-hop, there’s just no enforcement.

I do believe there are guidelines outside of music that apply, but when it comes down to just hip-hop and rap music, pretty much anything goes. Hip-hop is predominantly the only genre where we normalize murder, drug distribution & consumption, as well as misogyny. There’s really no rules; and what is perceived as normal within the genre is the complete opposite of the world’s reality.

So, I’m here to tell you right now, if you’re white, you’re forever DQ’d. But, if you do fall under one of these other brown categories, sadly, the fact of the matter is, as long as you’re saying it over a hot beat and you’re around black people who don’t care… that shit really doesn’t matter.

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Should Artists Who Are Not Black Get A Pass For Using The "N" Word?Part of the complications come from entering such a progressive time, in which artists, when they are performing at shows (mainly made up of white people), they are encouraging their fans to sing the “N” word along with them. Now they feel like because Kanye said it was ok for them to use it at the concert, it should be ok for them to use whenever they’d like.  We’ve entered a time where rappers have so much influence over its listeners, it has people who are not even black saying it to other non-black people! White people saying it to White people, Asians saying it to Asians, Indians saying it to Indians, Mexican’s saying it to Mexicans, Samoans saying it to Samoans – it’s really pretty incredible. On the other hand, I don’t think these groups using the “N” word amongst themselves are channeling the historic sense of the word.

But, this is not to absolve them or say that I don’t have any issues with other ethnic groups using the “N” word. I fall under the group of black people who believe only black people should be able to say it.

My issue with other ethnic groups using the “N” word, and just consuming black culture in general, is when racial tension arises. White, Asian, Latino, Indian – all groups of people are happy to consume our culture and take everything from it as if it was their own. But when it’s time to stand for black people – the people who created this culture they are so happy to take from – when it’s time to stand up to police brutality and be for the Black Lives Matter movement; these people who we give a pass are the same individuals who are no where to be found when a call for action is needed. It’s just something cool for them to say and emulate. This is one of my biggest issues with other ethnic groups using the “N” word.

Definitely get in the comments and let us know what you think. Should non-black artist be able to use the “N” word? Why or why not?

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