common

 

Chicago-born rap artist/actor/author, Common, recently spoke on why he refuses to stop using the word “n*gga”. Over the years, well-respected individuals has spoken out against the word like Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Maya Angelou, and many others. Although some believe the word should not be brushed off as a form of slang and granted usage by our Black society, there are quite a few people that embraces it as part of the culture’s vocabulary and shouldn’t be taken so serious.

 

As this back-and-forth dialogue continues in our society, here’s what Common had to say about it:

 

“At one point, my mother asked me not to use it, at one point Dr. Maya Angelou said she didn’t support it and you know, I love her. I told mom, ‘This is the way we talk. This is part of the language and when I’m speaking to the people that need to receive the word, I’m speaking in the language that we do talk and if I talk over those people’s heads or I don’t use language that I naturally would speak in my raps, they may not get the message and that’s what I think our attention behind the usage of the word has to be understood.

 

I won’t stop communicating like that but I will make people aware that it’s certain people who shouldn’t use this word because of the root of the word. Yeah we took it inside our house and made it our own and now we brought it out to the world. Fortunately hip-hop is at the level it is but unfortunately some people don’t understand that they shouldn’t use it so we gotta make them aware. ‘No, you can’t use this word. This is something that’s off limits to you.’”

 

 

 What do you think? Is Common reasoning okay? Or should he consider not using the “N” word anymore?

 

 

 

Source: Diary of Hollywood Street King