N-Word allowed?
 

As I was driving to work this morning, the radio station that I listen to everyday stated that they would no longer edit out the N-word in any of the music that it plays. According to the DJ, it costs too much money and time to edit each song. He talked about how the N-word is more acceptable and you'll here it on TV shows more often. He also said that other radio stations are doing this as well.

What are your thoughts? After he made the announcement, people started to call into the station. There were several people who called to say that they would no longer listen to the station or let their children listen. One caller, a local rapper, said that he thinks it is a good idea they don't edit the N-word because in his book he feels that the issues of the past don't affect him because he wasn't born in those days. :rolleyes:

well...I hardly listen to the radio...
I knew somehow that this situation would come about one day...
and when that one day would come about...it would all boil down to money
some may argue that is about freedom of speech...that is the right of the artist to say whatever they want...
the only peeps that find it acceptable are those who go get the cds with the explicit lyrics...that is their choice...
but radio play is different...EVERYONE listens to it..
to me its like...giving the ok...to start calling every AA the n word..ok...now i guess it will be ok to call caucasians the k word...
I swear peeps forget the important matters that effect the society...they can make expense videos, buy $5,000 purses own 15 cars...but you know...money makes the world go round...

I am confused...who pays for the music to be edited...the radio station or the artist...?

Just out of curiousity...do you know if this is a locally owned station or if it's owned by one of the big conglomerates like Infinity or Clear Channel?

I think it is locally owned. I can't find any other information on the webpage.

This is just my opinion why are people wanting to boycott the station for not bleeping the word out... but not wanting to boycott the artist for using the word in the first place.:(

Society is toppelin. It's about to be anything goes in a few years.

Good question/point.

I think your point is valid. But just as AngelicWings stated, the artist can say pretty much what he/she wants to and it is up to the individual to decide if he/she wants to purchase the cd. But the radio station has listeners of all types who may not generally purchase music from artist who use that type of language. Many of the people who called felt that the radio station has a responsibility to look out for the best interest of its young audience.

Re: N-Word allowed?
 

I would condone someone mushing him in the forehead. Hopefully, it will wake his brain up. :o

It's the station's job to bleep out the word, most stations do. The artist who used the word is a separate issue. The station is in control of what goes on at the station. People say cuss words and use derogatory phrases everyday on the radio (artists and regular people calling in) and stations have the TASK of bleeping them out.

If these people who would chose to boycott the station would boycott the artist this would force the hand of the artist. Since it all is just a matter of economics the artist would be force to tone it down.............if these people really want to boycott the station they should boycott the station for playing music by artist that needs to have words bleeped out in the first place.

Again, it is the radio station's JOB to be in control of what they disseminate to their audience. The parent companies of these stations hold them to that standard and so should the public. People DO boycott stations for not bleeping out words in music. I also distinctly remember a boycott in VA when a station played Luda's song "You'z a Ho" during the day. The argument was that you can't really bleep out the whole song, so it shouldn't be played during the day. But, these albums have parental advisory stickers and capitalism speaks louder than morality in America, so boycotting the artist is a MUCH LONGER haul than boycotting the stations.

So, boycotting the artist AND the station can occur simultaneously. No one said you have to choose one or the other. Results are simply seen more quickly with the stations than the artists.

I think that people are mainly upset with the station because this station does a lot for the community. They are always broadcasting from some community center and or school. A few months ago, they hosted an event to get African Americans to get tested to become bone marrow donors. They are constantly having informationals for elementary/middle school students to keep them from smoking. They have political commentary every morning (my primary reason for listening). So for the station owners to decide against editing the N-word because it cost too much, made many of its viewers feeling dissappointed.

Re: Re: N-Word allowed?
 

This post was funny.

This is issue is sad, but I saw it coming, just not this soon. Does this station realize that they are about to cause a lot of "non-ethnic" people to get injured because they will feel like it is ok to use that word now?

Re: Re: Re: N-Word allowed?
 

I don't think they even thought about that issue. But then again, whether or not the radio station edits it or not, "non-ethnic" people are the main ones buying the cds. So if they started using the N-word(as far as we know, they could be using it now), I guess we really couldn't blame it on the radio station at all.

Re: Re: Re: Re: N-Word allowed?
 

You're right, we couldn't blame it on the radio station but they would try to. Could you imagine a "non-ethnic" kid testifying on the stand with a black eye and swollen lip saying "I thought it was ok to say it. They say it all the time on the radio."

At least on the cd's they have warnings. People tend to think that radio and public television are "safer", that the censors don't let "bad" things be broadcast. Go figure.

*Not for the quoter, but the persons referred to*

Well, my thing with that is...what music that's "popular" today is really suitable for young listeners anyway? I mean, short of maybe Hillary Duff or somebody, what on the radio does the young audience need to hear in the first place? More than likely, this station is not playing Hillary Duff, but Missy, Jay-Z, Ludacris and the like, so name me ONE song that a young person SHOULD be listening to off of their CDs. So, its ok to play the song about "da life", hoes, and materialism as long as you bleep out the n-word???? Is that really more important than the rest of the song?

"If you feelin like a pimp, n---a, gon' brush yo shoulders off", without the n---a bleeped is wrong, but its ok, if you bleep out that one part? What about the middle finger to the law, and the husltin?

I think for a lot of Black people, racial "respect" is more important than perosnal integrity.

I can definitely agree that this issue of the n word will bring about a much larger response than when other 'curse words' were allowed on radio. I think I was the only one who made a fuss about using a** or d*** on the radio. I thought it was completely inappropriate.

However, I do have to say that the n word is a little different. It's like hearing the word spic on a Latin station. They just wouldn't go for it, so why should we?

Sure, the songs on the radio are often of poor moral quality. But how songs get played and artists get exposure is a bigger process than what goes on at the station. So, sometimes the only thing the station can do is bleep out the words, because they have to play the songs.

Playing devil's advocate I feel that if many of these people don't have a problem w/the artist using the word to make money then they shouldn't have a problem w/the station playing the uncensored version of the song to increase ratings and profits. The station in effect is just giving the people what they want.

I'll Bite (sigh)
 

That's the thing. I think someone else said, many people who would never go into a store and purchase a cd with these types of lyrics DO listen to the radio. I think that I can even venture to say that some people tolerate the radio versions because at least those versions are edited. Playing the unedited version on the radio, kind of, "forces" those people (who otherwise would not choose to listen to such lyrics) to have to hear those lyrics. Mind you, I am using the word "forces" quite liberally, as if they don't like the lyrics they can just turn the station.

I hope I made my point clear. I'm tired today.

Re: I'll Bite (sigh)
 

This is so true. I am knocking on 40's door, and I rarely listen to "popular" music these days. If I do it is typically in the morning to get the celeb gossip. Well, I would frequently enjoy the song by (I think) Ludacris "Move, get out the way". The radio station left it at that. Imagine my suprise when I realized that there was a word that was beeped out! I never knew!! I was truly embarassed that I had even "enjoyed" the song on the radio.

I agree that it does not have to be an "either/or" thing in terms of saying that these songs are not acceptable. I'm not going to buy a Ludacris CD, and I don't want to hear him saying the "b" or "n" word if I just happen to be listening to the radio.

It's funny that this is becoming an issue with all of the backlash from the Janet/Justin Superbowl Boobiegate. I thought the FCC was trying to bring decency back to the airwaves!

Re: Re: I'll Bite (sigh)
 

I was thinking the same thing! Which is why I am so surprised that they will be allowed to get away with it. I also listen to a station out of Indiana and they don't edit the word @$$ out of the music. I haven't heard them say anything about not editting the n-word......yet.