Rappers From Different Ethnic Backgrounds Comment On Call To Ban N-Word

A group of activists gathered in Los Angeles on Monday (Nov. 27) and called for a boycott of the "n-word" and voiced support for an upcoming NAACP campaign to "just say ‘no’ to the n-word."The Reverend Jesse Jackson, Rep. Maxine Waters, comedian Paul Mooney and other African-American leaders held a press conference to encourage people […]

A group of activists

gathered in Los Angeles on Monday (Nov. 27) and called for a boycott of the "n-word"

and voiced support for an upcoming NAACP campaign to "just say ‘no’ to the

n-word."The

Reverend Jesse Jackson, Rep. Maxine Waters, comedian Paul Mooney and other African-American

leaders held a press conference to encourage people of all ethnicity’s to avoid

using the word.The

press conference and call to refrain from using the word comes on the heels of

racist statements by white comedian and Seinfeld costar Michael "Kramer"

Richards, during a standup routine at the comedy club The Laugh Factory.Hecklers

berated Richards’ routine, which led to Richards using the word n****r repeatedly,

during a explicative filled racial tired on the stage, which also made references

to lynching black people.Various

rappers from different ethnic backgrounds reacted to the call to boycott the word.Popular

white rapper Paul Wall banished the word from his vocabulary years ago and is

supporting the NAACP’s call to ban the word from use in the media and entertainment

industries."I

support the NAACP in their cause," Paul Wall told AllHipHop.com. "I

think the word is offensive for anybody to use. It’s a disgraceful, offensive

word that was used to belittle people because of the color of their skin. Its

become such a general term, that everyday good people now use the ‘n-word’ in

general conversation. Its meaning and definition have evolved, but its roots are

still negative."Legendary

African-American comedian Paul Mooney, who has written controversial material

for comedians like Richard Pryor and Dave Chappelle, is well known for his using

the word in his own comedy routines.Like

Paul Wall and the late Richard Pryor, Mooney has vowed to never use the word again

during his routine. "I’ve used it and abused it, and I never thought I’d

say this," Mooney said. "Richards is my Dr. Phil — he’s cured me."The

activists are hoping rappers will follow Paul Wall and Mooney’s lead, but may

be met with resistance. Queens-bred bilingual rapper Noreaga, who is black and

Puerto Rican, had a different opinion."Man,

Seinfeld was my show and Kramer, he was my favorite character," Noreaga lamented.

"But f**k him. Why run to his aid? There are neighborhoods in the U.S. and

in Puerto Rico that look like Third World countries. I definitely don’t plan to

change my vocabulary or speech pattern because of this incident. You never hear

from these leaders until something controversial happens."African-American

rapper Chamillionaire is known for his curse word-free, street oriented rhymes.

The

Houston, Texas rapper noted the history of the word and explained the word has

become a part of general culture. "Its

not just rappers its as African-Americans in general, we do a lot of things that

are opposite of past history," Chamillionaire said. "We wear flashy

jewelry and brag like its a trophy, when people in the present and past history

would get killed for the diamonds. We promote violence and drugs but complain

about violence and drugs. We don’t vote but complain about who is in office. We

throw the ‘n-word’ around like its a good thing, when in the past it was one of

the most dreadful words. All this stuff has grown to become a part of the culture."Paul

Wall agreed and while he doesn’t use the word, he is frequently referred to as

a n***a by friends and fans."I

don’t use it because my mother raised me to believe that it is an offensive word

regardless of who says it," Paul Wall explained. "But being that the

word is so common, I am referred to by the ‘n-word’ everyday. ‘Paul Wall, n***a

you my favorite rapper.’ ‘That n***a Paul Wall got a clean grill.’ Last year in

Ozone Magazine, I won the "Realest N***a Award. It obviously was a

joke though."Political

activist, radio host and Hip-Hop historian Davey D. acknowledge Paul Wall’s plight

in escaping the word’s popularity and its growing use among various races. "One

thing to keep in mind about the popularity of the ‘n-word’ is that corporate owned

media outlets and record labels gave platforms for folks to use that word at will,"

Davey D. told AllHipHop.com. "The end result has been everybody feeling they

can use it, without the general connotation and association being changed. Sadly,

those same outlets are quick to shut down access when these same black folks who

like to use the ‘n-word’ come to the table to speak about politics or against

Bush, white oppression, Katrina or the War in Iraq, suddenly we get shut down.

Suddenly they don’t have platforms or time to hear us speak. When a person or

institution makes you believe that you are somehow being empowered while they

are simultaneously oppressing you, its called pimping."

Reverend Jesse Jackson and other activists are planning a series of meetings with

TV networks, film companies and musicians to discuss banning the ‘n-word.’ Jackson

also called for a boycott of Seinfeld: Season 7, which was recently released

on DVD."Racism

is alive in America and I been all over the world," Noreaga told AllHipHop.com.

"What hurts me the most, is when you have an actor of such stature and he

says your a n****r, and I think that’s how he really feels. What also makes me

mad is when you got Jesse [Jackson] running to his aid, as if he didn’t mean to

say it. Man f**k that motherf***er."