J. Lo and the "N" word

[DELTAQTE]

Hey Ivy,

We have all heard the saying two wrongs do not make a right, and if we are trying to get our own people to quit saying it, then we shouldn't let other races do it either.


I am offended because nigga is a word used to insult black people, so if black people using the word offends you, then it should with j.lo also.

Has J.Lo responded to this yet?

[luvsong1913]

Originally posted by lovelyivy84:

I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY with a lot of what you say, but I just have to say that ain't no white person CONVINCE US that the word nigger was somehow positive, or that we should use it. Every white person who has ever used it has known exactly what they meant, just like the people they saiud it too, and I GUARANTEE none of them were thinking it meant "my fine upstanding African-AMerican citizen". I think that's something we need to take the blame for, and now it's biting us in the butt because how in the Hell are we going to protest over J-Lo when some of us use it every other word to NO COMMENT from the rest of us? I didn't see any campaigns started when R. kelly used that word damn near 100 times in the remix of I Wish, so why are we so hot and bothered about J. Lo?

I have to agree with lovelyivy84. The N-word is offensive...PERIOD. Whether used by African-Americans or non-African-Americans, the word is by definition negative and shouldn't be used by (of ALL people) our OWN. If we're going to start a campaign against the use of the N-word, it should be across the board (meaning against everyone who uses the word), not directed towards one person in particular (b/c I'm sure she wasn't the first and won't be the last). We can't assume that every use of this term by African-Americans is meant to have a positive conotation, just like we can't assume that every use of this term by non-African-Americans is meant to have a negative conotation. If we have a problem with the use of N-word by J-Lo before we've even heard her side of the story on what she means by it, then we should have a problem with it's use by anyone. Let's not be hypocritical.

That's just my $19.13 worth and I'm out!



------------------
S.H.A.D.E.
10-Lambda-SP00
Memphis Alumnae Chapter
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Lady of DSTinction

"Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change."

[Kimmie1913]

Originally posted by DELTAQTE:
Hey Ivy,

We have all heard the saying two wrongs do not make a right, and if we are trying to get our own people to quit saying it, then we shouldn't let other races do it either.


I am offended because nigga is a word used to insult black people, so if black people using the word offends you, then it should with j.lo also.

Has J.Lo responded to this yet?

I think the hard part is so many of those outraged are perceived as being hypocritical on the subject. I mean Big Pun is okay but J-Lo is not? I f it bothers you to come out of a non-Black person's mouth than he is as wrong as she is. And if the word is so offensive to you than it should be offensive when Jay-Z or R. Kelly or whoever says it.

And I also feel that everyone who is outraged over J-Lo is not bothered by Foxy Borwn or Puffy saying it. They are of a "this is our word to use" mentlity.

Personally I think that there is a distinction betweena black person and a person of nother race using the word. BOth are wrong but for differnt reasons. When a peson outside of my race says it it carries with it a layer of oppressiona dn history that I do not perceive when it comes from a Black person. When a Black person says it it reflects internalization of that hatred and history and an ignorance to the depth of the matter. Both are out of line to me but for different reasons.

[DSTPRL]

Hi soror:

See now you opened a can of worms..."what is black"! I figure if you have an ounce of African blood flowing through your veins you are BLACK regardless of what your exterior covering may portray (light skin, straightish hair, keen features...etc.) Black is both what is in your heart and veins. But I digress.

I think the "N" word is deplorable regardless of who uses it and that is why I am working on moving away from using the word. It doesn't sound cute coming out of your mouth anyway. As far as listening to it in music.. until black folks stop using it who are we to dictate who can or can not use it?

We will be major hypocrites.

Originally posted by SweetestDiva:
J. Lo ain't black. Not to me, anyway.

What do I think? I think it's wrong. But I think that a rush of letters or calls from African-American listeners would only reinforce how hypocritical some of us are, because I also think it's wrong when I hear it from anybody's mouth, black or otherwise. I haven't noticed another huge letter-writing campaign against the numerous black artists who use the word... so truthfully, why should J. Lo or her record company execs listen to what we have to say?

[This message has been edited by SweetestDiva (edited July 03, 2001).]

[Reds6]

Originally posted by ChaosDST:

Yeah, I think if Mariah Carey used the N word, her white fans would feel alienated and her black fans would feel uncomfortable. I would definitely feel uncomfortable if Mariah used the term b/c I don't think she identifies with the black community outside of her music career.
Nonetheless, it can appear a bit hypocritical if we have rappers running around "nigga this nigga that," and telling J-Lo the word is unacceptable. Afterall, is it supposed to be a "black thing," or an ignorance thing.

I think Marey does identify with her black culture. I have seen her in may interviews embracing it. I think we have to be careful about what is marketed to us as an audience and what the true personality is of the artist. I think the image Marey is showing now is her true self. Again I hate the N word, but lets face it it does get used and is accepted in Black, PR and Dominican communities. Many Lations identify themselves as being black. Also when the Klan come with the rope, they are stringing Marey and JLo up with the rest of us.

[The Original Ape]

Have yall ever heard a white person say: What's up my cracka? or a Latin-American greet a friend or relative like: What's up my spic? Why then should we continue to call each other nigga? Cause so many other people do it? Cause the Rappers do it?

Think yall.

[ChaosDST]

Originally posted by The Original Ape:
Have yall ever heard a white person say: What's up my cracka? or a Latin-American greet a friend or relative like: What's up my spic? Why then should we continue to call each other nigga? Cause so many other people do it? Cause the Rappers do it?

Think yall.

Actually, I do occasionally hear other ethnic groups use racial "slurs" in referrence to one another. I have heard white people call eachother "honkie" and hispanics call eachother "spic" and "wetback." It doesn't make it right, but I thought I might share that with you.

[Reds6]

I must say regardless of the word, I like the song.

[MaMaBuddha]

as usual i am late repsonding to this.

i dislike the word so much myself and i admit i have used it in my time.

people (my black folxs) use it when guards are down and the situation is relaxed. we use to for comaradry (sp?) i am not saying that this is right. i was talking to one of my friend who as he says is str8 from the streets... as he taxed the word nigga as "never ignorant getting goals accomplished"

see how black folxs turn some negative in some postive.

my whole thing is...don't jump on one person jump on them all. what makes her (j-lo) so dfferent then say nwa, tru, the whole wu-tang clan, i don't know one rapper that doesn't use the word nigga beside will smith.

[Elevated1]

J. Lo Takes Heat For Use Of The 'N' Word


Superstar actress-singer Jennifer Lopez is under fire for the usage of the word "n--ga" in her latest song, "I'm Real" featuring Ja Rule. The song is currently Number 26 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican decent, was called out for her use of the word by New York radio hosts Star and Buc Wild of WQHT-FM, who are planning to protest during Lopez's Friday morning (July 13) performance at NBC's Today Show Summer Concert Series.

This is the closest thing to a story in a major source I could get--this is from USAtoday.com.

Last night I was up late and happened to catch this movie called "Boriqua Bond" on HBO. I thought how timely it was that this movie was on because it showed me that PR's are very similar to black people culturally. I mean, they are just like us...from the varying degrees of skin color they may have to the way that they speak. And I'm sure they interact with black people more consistently than any other nonblack group of people. If J.Lo is wrong for using the "n" word, it's for the same reasons that Ja Rule is wrong for using it. Because nobody should. she is not wrong for being Puerto Rican and saying it.

[AKA2D '91]

Has she responded?

I haven't heard anything negative being aired in the media regarding this at all. The only thing I have seen is the quote that was posted in this thread from a couple of radio personalities. Has MTV OR BET featured a story on it?

My real question is, did J-Lo ever decline to use the word while recording? She had a choice to use the word or not. (Just like everyone else)

I guess the message will be, since no one has REALLY objected to J-LO using the word, ANYONE can use it and won't receive ANY objections. I guess Britney, Christina, Pink, N'SYNC and the others will have remixes/raps where they, themselves use the word, too!

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by MaMaBuddha:


see how black folxs turn some negative in some postive.

Hmm, I guess I'm going to have to disagree. It is not always used on a positive respect. It can be just as cruel and demeaning when coming from a black person that you do not get along with.

I guess I still have to go back to the fact that no matter what, we all know what it means. We cannot fool ourselves into believeing that this word is somehow acceptable, or is different from any other derogatory word.

If that is the best one can do when describing one's best friend, or realtive, then that person obviously needs a bigger vocab. because there are more than enough words to suffice.

[The Original Ape]

Originally posted by ChaosDST:

Actually, I do occasionally hear other ethnic groups use racial "slurs" in referrence to one another. I have heard white people call eachother "honkie" and hispanics call eachother "spic" and "wetback." It doesn't make it right, but I thought I might share that with you.

I have too; but it is rare, and the context that they used it in was different. I'm just sayin' we send the wrong message when we use it.

[DoggyStyle82]

This has been a nice debate, but as usual, folks box themselves into a rhetorical trap. Many posters have already point out the paradox and hypocrisy inherent in any anger shown toward Ms. Lopez.

First and foremost, any use of "nigga" or its variants is despicable speech, crude at best. If you are going to use this worse with frequency, for any purpose, then you abdicate the right to dictate its use or be offended by the color of the person or the manner in which they intend it.

Secondly, people that patronize music and videos by artists who preach misogyny, objectification of women, drug use, victimization of the weak, and worship of thug life, have a lot of nerve being upset with J-Lo for innocuous use of the common thug "term of endearment".

Lastly, as has been pointed out by other posters, depending on your cultural upbringing, Puerto Ricans, depending on the neighborhood, are as "black" as African Americans. Same neighborhoods, same schools, same music, same lifestyle. J-Lo is from the South Bronx, which is all Black/Hispanic, so I'm sure she feels comfortable using that term casually among her Black peers, some of whom I am sure have referred to J-lo and her Puerto Rican self as "my nigga". J-Lo is not the problem. It is the glamorization of the N-word in the guise of being "real" in all things "street".

[ChaosDST]

Originally posted by Reds6:
I think Marey does identify with her black culture. I have seen her in may interviews embracing it. I think we have to be careful about what is marketed to us as an audience and what the true personality is of the artist. I think the image Marey is showing now is her true self. Again I hate the N word, but lets face it it does get used and is accepted in Black, PR and Dominican communities. Many Lations identify themselves as being black. Also when the Klan come with the rope, they are stringing Marey and JLo up with the rest of us.

I agree, but I still think there's a huge difference b/w identifying with "black music" and identifying with black culture. You're right about the Klan referrence, too.