The N-WORD Debate: Oprah vs. Shawn Carter

As most people know, the longstanding debate on the use of "the N-word" continues to be argued, re-argued, chopped-screwed and argued again. Yet one solid conclusion has not been reached, it's presently an opinion-driven word, one that has power (strangely, considering it's roots)- to endear, or to tear down.

Arguably the word nigg** is the most used and most controversial of swears as well as racial slurs across cultures. Its a word that has transformed throughout decades, from being perceived as a "definite no-no" word, the ultimate form of disrespect towards someone of color or diversity, to one of "endearment" or casual use. Of course this kind of transformation hasn't occurred for everyone and certainly not in every situation.

Recently Oprah interviewed Jay-Z amidst his (yet again) success as a business man and rap mogul, however it was interesting to see the contrast in their opposing views on the use of the N-word. (See below)

Contrast--> Oprah Winfrey: Female,older, born in Mississippi

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter: male,younger-(well young-ish), born in Brooklyn

Do these differences play a role in the reasoning behind their viewpoints? I believe so, and of course there's that factor of life experience, which although the same in some aspects, they've both led very different lives. Listening to this debate was interesting; I can relate to Oprah and I can also relate to Jay. Growing up in a home where my mother made our African American and Cape Verdean roots very clear, that word was out of the question. Yet as I've gotten older I find myself hearing it (and yes I've slipped and used it) and not getting bent out of shape. Both Oprah and Jay-Z bring up good/valid points about using the N-word. The word was/is used to dehumanize people yet it's also been used almost like a family term.

For instance, when a man says "That's my ni**a" he's in a sense saying "That's my friend" or "That's my brother" Is it right? I honestly don't know, I'm personally still soul-searching on it, something I can be transparent about because as a young woman yes sometimes I hate the word, but sometimes I simply think nothing of it. I've never "liked" it. I've heard some of the most "conscious" people I know use the N-word. As well as the most religious. Hispanics. Whites. Asians. I hate to admit it (or do I?), even my grandfather said it when he was angry. No one's excluded. It's a word that people across generations, genders and creed have encountered, so what do we do with it?

What are your thoughts? Have we as a society "taken away" the power behind the word and replaced it with our own? Or are we forgetting our roots and being ignorant to the facts that it drove oppression further into our culture? Let's have this convesation.

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Jay-z on the “N’ word:“People give words power. For our generation, What we did is we took the word and we took the power out of that word. We took a word that was very ugly and hurtful and took the power out of that word.”

Oprah on the “N” word:“My generation and generations before me (coming up through the civil rights movement), that word carries a sense of hatred and degradation. I always think about when people are screaming it at your concerts, I think about Black men that were lynched and that is the last word they heard.”

Speak!