Hypocrite? Rihanna Co-signs ‘N-gga’ Tweet
Last week the proverbial ish hit the fan when a Dutch magazine called Rihanna a “Niggabitch.” After a half-hearted apology that sounded more like a middle finger to Black folks all over the globe, the magazine’s editor stepped down.
Many gave RiRi props for her fiery response that took the mag’s editor to task for the article. She wrote:
@evajackie I hope u can read english, because your magazine is a poor representation of the evolution of human rights! I find you disrespectful, and rather desperate!! You ran out of legit, civilized information to print! There are 1000′s of Dutch girls who would love to be recognized for their contributions to your country, you could have given them an article. Instead, u paid to print one degrading an entire race! That’s your contribution to this world! To encourage segregation, to mislead the future leaders to act in the past! You put two words together, with the intent of abasement, that made no sense…”N***A B***H”?!….Well with all respect, on behalf of my race, here are my two words for you…F**K YOU!!!
Well now, many are wondering if Rihanna isn’t engaging in a little double talk. After a fan tweeted that it must suck for white people to not be able to use the n-word, Rihanna agreed.
Although some are calling RiRi a hypocrite, her reaction to the “niggabitch” comment and agreeing that “nigga” is apart of her everyday vocabulary is in keeping with many Black people who feel they have ownership over the word, while it should be off limits to others.
While I don’t use the n-word, and abhor its use by others, I understand how Rihanna can be offended by the Dutch mag’s label while using the word herself.
Is it right? No…but I understand.
What do you think? Is Rihanna a hypocrite?
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I don’t call myself, or anyone else, stupid. Please don’t assume that because *you* do, everyone does it. And please, don’t assume that because I don’t use the word “nigger” I feel as though you get to do something I can’t. No matter how wildly popular the word becomes, I won’t use it. Ugh.
The terms “redneck” and “trailer trash” are not equivalent to “nigger.” You can be white, and not be a redneck or trailer trash. “Redneck” and “trailer trash” refer to socioeconomic status, not race.
Yes, it’s hypocritical to do one thing, and expect others to do another (duh). I’ve never been able to fathom why blacks call themselves a derogatory term.
Finally, my husband’s family is from Mexico. I have *never* heard anyone in his family use the terms “spic” or “wetback.” I believe many blacks want to perpetuate racial disharmony because of their own racism, especially toward whites. Using the word “nigger” is a way to do so.
I’m half puerto rican and my cousins and hispanic friends do refer to each other (and me) as spic’s and wetbacks sometimes. I am not trying to justify anything because I could care less whether anybody agrees with what I choose to say, I’m just letting it be known that yes, these things happen in other cultures. I’m not sure why black people feel the need to compare themselves to other cultures but whatever floats your boat. If you don’t like to use the word, don’t and ask respectfully that those around you don’t use it. If you like to use the word, use it but have respect for the fact that some are more sensitive to it then others. It’s honestly that simple.
some of us older folk fought and died to raise black people up. the CRM was no joke.
then to have our own black youth come out with the N word is just heartbreaking.
you have made it very clear that you do not care. are you aware that you enjoy the freedoms that you do today because some black people did care?
where would you be today if MLK didn’t care? you do break my heart.
@jamesfrmphilly: cosign to everything you just said.
*Applauds jamesfrmphilly* THIS!
jamesfrmphilly
Thank you! Those are my sentiments exactly. I detest the word, coming from anyone regardless of your race. Yeah, maybe I’ll make a short video with the word flashing across the screen, with the sounds of whips cracking in the background and pictures of the degradation that my people suffered for years. Only for the survivors to pick up where the abusers left off. Sad!
Yeah she is double talking and the word is not commonly used outside the Unites States, which makes her more suspect. But she has been Americanized and caters to that audience so I can see her adapting the bad habits pretty quickly like most immigrants.
Um I think she’s a hypocrit. That word has been used to described “black’ people. The dictionary definition is “an ignorant person.” Back during slavery we were called that word because we were thought of to be ignorant lacking the intelligent that white people were thought to have. Our ancestors fought long and hard to get equal rights for us. I think it’s disrespectful for anyone to use that word. It does show a lack of intelligence on the ones that use it part–do I think white people should be able to use the word NO! I know what is meant by that word because even though are only jobs are not limited to cleaning and babysitting we are still under bondage to a certain extent! Black people we need to get it together.
At the END of the day a ethic group can joke and bond over a word that is demeaning to their racial group but NO OTHER race want to use the “n” like evvvvvverrybody else. White people can call themselves trailer trash, why, its a word there own uses to disassociate themselves from there poorer half but you Don’t hear them saying ” what’s up my cracka!”and you dont hear black people calling themselves cracker, spick,keffir you dont HEAR it. There racial slurs for that ethic group so why is it we should desensitize and get over OUR racial slur? Its the only RACIAL SLUR that should be forgotten and meaning change. Forget its past because you’re not using it in a “prejudice” way. For me, its what’s so frustrating when people dont even care about the word and who uses it – its like trying to forget its history and justify its use because the past no longer pertain to us. How foolish.
IMO it’s like this. Y’know how when a Black person goes into Barney’s they get the stink eye from their white employers because the white people think that because we’re Black we’re gonna steal? That’s a stereotype about Black people, and if you do steal you’re a “typical black thief”. Now back to the whole N word thing, one stereotype about white that is held by some Black people is that they are racist. Therefore, when a white person uses the word they look like a typical racist white person. You know how there is often a debate on this site as to whether or not Black women should embrace the word ‘slut’? Many think that because we are already hypersexualized in the mass media we should stay away from it, whereas its alright for white women to be slutty. Many people, not just Black, assume that whites are in some way prejudice to their ethnicity. Therefore when a white person uses the ‘n word’, ‘s word’ or even the ‘k word’ they look bad and racist. So personally I do mind it a little bit more when a white person uses the word. Also, it is an example of their white privilege being taken away from them. BECAUSE they are white they CAN’T do something, and that makes them crazy because they aren’t used to it (obviously im talking about the ones that argue about whether or not they can use it). I didn’t mean to make this long of a post but…..
Co-signing, promising to pay another person’s debt arising out of contract if that person fails to do so.
Sign (a document) in order to guarantee a loan or other obligation: [ with obj. ] : co-sign a loan | [ no obj. ] : see if your parents will co-sign for you.
oh rihanna why girl?? you couldn’t wait a little bit longer ?
If the N word is part of her everyday vocabulary, then why be insulted when someone refers to you as such? You put it out there!
i think there might be a slight difference between saying the n word in your every day language and some random white people calling you a “niggerbitch.” Using a word doesn’t equate to random people being able to call you that word. While I don’t really use that word any more, there are plenty of words I use on a regular basis that if someone called me, would piss me off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLZA32oHbC4
Is she a hypocrite? No. Is she confused yes. First and foremost the tweeter is under this misguided impression that white folks can’t say nigger. They can. They do. They always will. White folks have never needed our permission to use the word because it’s their word.
When Rihanna had the confrontation with a white man in Europe she said tweeted
” needless to say, the #N*GGA in me came out!”. While she reacted to the insult, she turned around and validated it. I have heard many black folks say this and what they don’t get is there is no dormant “nigga” living inside us to come out. Niggas are a figment of white folks imagination that some of us have adopted.
Nigger/ Niggas are like Sasquatch, folks claim to see them, but I have never seen proof.
They don’t exist.
There is no way to “act ” like a nigga.
There is no way to”talk” like a nigga.
There is no way to”be” a nigga.
Black folks have to stop breathing life into the Nigga archetype.
Rihanna is young and is her mentored by folks like Jay Z who made a song called “Niggas in Paris” and says “Hip-hop has done more than any leader, politician, or anyone to improve race relations,” . She is not exactly hanging out with a think tank.
This is the first comment that I think hits it on the head. My favorite lines “Niggas are a figment of white folks imagination that some of us have adopted. There is no way to “act ” like a nigga. There is no way to”talk” like a nigga.There is no way to”be” a nigga.”
I do think that the song, “Niggas in Paris” is not to be taken literally and plays off that whole, “white people never thought we could be successful and walk in their circle” but I also think that its message is lost to the majority of its listeners who surprise, surprise are white people.
I don’t use it and I don’t answer to it. There are a lot of things from our culture that didn’t make it past the 1970′s and unfortunately the benign crap blacks cling to seem to have the most staying power and gets copied and repurposed. Let Rihanna’s Bajan people deal with her, Young Money and Basketball Wives is enough to keep us busy for now.
The mag should’ve called her ‘N*gga’ instead…..
I can’t say she’s a hypocrite because she was called a combination of two disgusting words, that degraded both her race and gender. She didn’t admit that N*ggab*tch was part of her everyday usage, just the N- word alone. Whatever….
It’s obvious she was more bothered that a publication ran by a White woman called her the word.
At this point I find Rihanna nothing more than a hypocritical cry baby. How can we as a people expect others to keep from saying such a word if we ourselves use it? I’ve always found that extremely ironic. I find it amusing those who use it say they’re taking the sting out of the word and uplifting one another with it because at the end of the day, we all know what it really means. For me, just seems like a more modern spelling and pronunciation of the same old racial slur.
IT WAS A RETWEET!! she’s not a hipocrite for laughing “LOL” @ someone’s tweet.
And she added ‘Ditto’ to someone’s else’s tweet about using the word daily.
Pretty amazing how Black People took a name that was used in a negative context and now Black People are the only people who can use it in whatever context they like. It is like re-defining the word like they used to when our people sang negro spirituals sometimes in the context of praising God, but sometimes for the purpose of planning an escape from slavery. Black folks are brilliant.