Kreayshawn, V-Nasty and the N-Word Controversy

By Gabriel San Roman Fri., Aug. 5 2011 at 2:49 PM

It was way back in 1995 when none other than KRS-One himself rapped in the DJ Premiere-produced "MCs Act Like They Don't Know" that "Now we got white kids callin' themselves niggas!" Fast forward 16 years later, a Colombia Records deal for white rapper Kreayshawn has put the issue on the forefront and it's not going away anytime soon. I've tried my best to ignore the entirety of the whole "Gucci, Gucci"-propelled phenomenon--I've been too busy bumpin' the Queens of the Mic compilation album anyway--but after torturing myself recently by listening to a commercial hip-hop radio station spin the single on a Top 5 countdown, it's nearly inescapable.

For starters, the n-word in both its forms and usage is a debate within the black community itself, let alone white rappers. Dr. Cornel West included the subject for discussion in his last music project "Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations" inviting Tavis Smiley to moderate a cordial exchange over a slickly produced music bed with fellow public intellectual Micheal Eric Dyson. Everything they offer on the topic is infinitely more enlightening than what Kreayshawn or her White Girl Mob cohort V-Nasty has to say.

But for argument's sake--or the deconstruction thereof--what's coming out from Kreayshawn's White Girl Mob in defense? For the Oakland-based rapper most in the public eye, she's on record that she doesn't drop the n-word on records, telling the Weekly, "Personally in my songs I don't use it at all. If I'm freestyling and I said it, that's just for that point in time. Any songs I'm writing I don't use it." But it's not just freestyles as evidenced by a Tweet the rapper put out a few months ago.

Kreayshawn, who's clearly tired of fielding the question, has more recently pilfered out disingenuous deflections saying in effect it's V-Nasty who says it on wax. True enough, V-Nasty drops it often and is unapologetic about it, but it's not like Kreayshawn disowns the practice by booting her out of the group and even offers nuanced justifications saying in a Weekly interview that, "I feel like that word is used in the low income community more than anything. I can see if I was some rich crazy trick and I was just saying this because it's hip-hop. No, I was raised around this."

Brother Ali, a white rapper who is no stranger to controversy himself over his single "Uncle Sam Goddamn," offered thoughts on the n-word a year ago in an interview unrelated to the current music news cycle. Posted up by Jay Smooth's Ill Doctrine blog earlier this year, Brother Ali has some salient points that the White Girl Mob would be wise to ponder.

"Why should I impose on other people to have to confront that question in their mind?" the rapper says on the general issue at hand before going on to speak on class and white privilege. "It's easier when you're poor too to be like "we're all poor." That's true. Economically, you are oppressed," he acknowledges. "I have a disability. I'm disadvantaged in that way, but racially I'm still privileged. No matter how big my heart is, no matter [how] much I want to rage against the machine, no matter what I ever do in life, I'm always going to be privileged."

There's plenty of media generated by Kreayshawn to sift through, but stretching the effort too hard would be a waste of time and energy. At the end of the day, if the n-word controversy were to be stripped from her, V-Nasty, and the whole White Girl Mob, all that's left is a group of whack MCs who couldn't ride a beat properly to save their lives. The question becomes: why, then, are they being hyped and promoted to the point of ultra-saturation?

Tags:

Brother Ali, Dr. Cornel West, Hip-Hop, Kreayshawn, N-Word, Race, V-Nasty, White Girl Mob

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Deez

That Shit she spit flames. I'm black n everybody just bitchn its not like she a skinhead

Fred

Thanks for bringing Brother Ali into the discussion. I wonder if he knows that in Africa, the mother country, his albinism would make him a target for body parts sellers who would kill him in order to sell his parts for witchcraft rituals?

Jus keepin it reealz!

ADM

Fred, Africa is a continent not a country genius! hahaha

Fred

Jigga. It was inevitable at some point that we would reach this low.

Baldbassclec

Most people that blast music repeating "nigga" over and over and hang around people that say it over and over eventually pick it up and say it, having nothing to do with being a racial slur. Fuck the people that think it's ok for them but not for people that aren't black. Don't use it if you don't like it.

huh

Niggers aren't a race, its a mentality. They are an unfortunate byproduct of greedy capitalists and idiot politicians....anybody who only gives a fuck about themselves, does nothing to contribute to their community and has a word to hang their hat on is a burden on society. I'll call them what I fucking want to

Emmey Win

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swtmst

"Gucci Gucci Louis Louis Fendi Fendi PradaBasic b!tches buy that shit so I don't even botha"

It's catchy, I like it. She's going against all that material bs that so many boring ass rap songs can't let go of.

The music applies to girls, and a sub-culture and she's electronica/pop/hip-hop mixed up. I think she's fresh, I like that song, but I'm hoping to see even stronger music in the future.

As for the N-word, I take it as some people say it, some don't. I don't like it, but it doesn't offend me. You can't just say only one ethnicity of people can say it, because that's racist in itself. Some people fight that close-mindedness by being open enough to say what they want, whenever they want. I don't agree with that, I just don't think people should use it, but everybody has their own way.

GenesisV

You have to hear Bumpin Bumpin her first video shot, its so sweet! She is so tiny and cute and with not copy of anyone I know, a sorta mixture of alot of 'stuff' , you have to check this out on U tube! LoVe <3

GenesisV

I find this so unfair and unjust, you all dont know the whole story and evidently have never been around young girls that are not black that grow up in the "ghetto" so to speak and that are raised by a black woman besides (V nasty) then you will tend to lean that way for whatever reason ......Please understand Vanessa before you floor her....Things sure would of been a whole lot different if she were to grow up out here in the "OC" but then ppl would of said , 'oh she white washed' , so she cant win and like i tell my daughter I tell all of you My lil V Nasty Brat Doll ~keep your head up because ppl that hate on you motivate you and most want to be you!

Marianne aka Genesis LoVe

gabriel san roman

There's a school of thought within hip-hop that holds rappers not droppin' the n-bomb all over the place in their verses is a measure of their lyrical prowess. She could win. It's no catch 22. That's a false dichotomy. It's all in how you come at it and for a lot of people, the White Girl Mob isn't comin' correct.

Emmey Win

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GenesisV

I would like for everyone to stop saying it. Thats not gonna happen~as for "The White Girl Mob" not coming correct in what they are espousing , it's not in kreayshawns music, she claims it may sometimes be in her free flow. My real concern is V Nasty. She is the story and example of a society of people, more before here and to come after her.

I am Italian, sicilian to be exact , I would not get away with even N-i-g-g-a-h let alone the er at the end~but I dont need a ryhme ~My daughter RIP her, was bi racial but grew up in prominantly white neighborhoods and here in the OC she had a great chance of not being accepted because of the part of the OC we are in. Prejudice here is still very much alive in my part of So Cali.....I look at V Nasty as being her mother~When your raised in a certain environment it dictates how you act until you see "how the other half lives" I speak from experience , I came from a town not far from V Pittsburg Cali not far from Oakland Cali. She will grow up and out of the things she used to do and be, I promise you this! God has his hands all over her right now, I can tell by some of the ppl that come see and listen to her now by thier comments.

I choose talent, my daughter was a triple threat, so I know what I am talking about ~this gal has something that attracts everyone to her, that certain special charisma that not everyone posses this~shes a survivor all in all and she is a totally tough cookie!! If you were to pray for her ask that God change her way of thinking. I feel s he doesnt need to change anything else , until she feels she does! One more idea for all to think about ~besides what V Nasty my lil brat doll says~ Lets Remember Caylee Anthony , wear PURPLE next week for her Birthday ~show LoVe in a hateful world!!! Together we stand , divided we fall! <3 I LoVe You All!!!! <3

Genesis aka LoVe

GenesisV

Everyone has a right to their opinion. <3

TaTa_U

V-Nasty has NO Talent... she is nothing, but a disrespectful uneducated piece of trash with a potty for a mouth!

Garlicjr

brother ali is a bitch for what he is saying...instead of standing up and telling people why he uses the n word...he runs away from it. and says its because he doesn't want to make people question him...that's the whole fucking point man! If they question you then you need to school them. You don't use it obviously because you are scared of the backlash. fuck the n word any way who gives a fuck ...i can go the rest of my life without saying it...but can you black person? no you cant cause you fail. and martin luther king has rolled over in his grave so many times by now he is throwing up from motion sickness.

mitch young

The very fact that white kids have to 'struggle with' the single off limit, taboo word in the American lexicon shows that 'white privilege' is a myth. People who can shut down speech are the privileged ones, and in this case it is blacks.

gabriel san roman

I thought you only trolled on the OC Klan series with your tortured, convoluted logic!