[Mike]

I don’t appreciate J-Lo using the N-word in her song because it is such a negative term that no one should be using. I’m not going to crucify her for singing a lyric that was given to her by black people (JA-Rule wrote the song), but it shows a casualness about the word and its connotations that I don’t think she or anyone should enjoy. Blacks and Puerto Ricans have a lot in common culturally and racially, but you don’t see Lil’ Mo or Mya using the slur ‘spic’ in their songs or any other derogatory terms that refer to Hispanics. The N-word unfortunately is used by a lot of races, and a lot of times as a word of commiseration or relating to someone you are cool with. “My niggas” means my boys or my girls, people who are just like me, understand me, can relate to me and ain’t no better than me. Nothing wrong with this message, but a better word can and should be used to sum up these feelings.

I know where J-Lo’s heart and intent were at when she said what she said, and I know what Ja-Rule was doing when he wrote it. It’s not malicious or mean-spirited. However, the ugly history and legacy of that word could be discontinued if we’d just stop using it and stopped condoning its widespread acceptance.

User Detail :  

Name : Mike, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 23, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Occupation : Ed. Admin. and Law School Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,