Jay Smooth posted a 2-minute clip of rapper Brother Ali discussing why he, as a White rapper, decided not to use the “N-word,” and the need to be sensitive to the fact that being friends with African Americans, or being social disadvantaged in some ways (economically, due to a disability, etc.) doesn’t erase White privilege. The visual effect is sort of wonky, but it’s an interesting conversation:
Partial transcript, available at Jay Smooth’s website:
The thing with the ‘n word’: it’s very very confusing for white kids who have a lot of black friends and are accepted. And I can’t stand here and say that when I was 9 years old, and all my friends were black, and they were telling me ‘you’re basically black,’ that I didn’t believe that. Now I’m at a place where I’m just like ‘not everybody knows me and nobody should ever have to, like, why should I impose on other people to have to confront that question in their mind?’ You know what I mean?
Comments 30
Jessica — June 5, 2011
This is great! Well said, Brother Ali!
Bill Angel — June 5, 2011
Interesting interview. I wonder what his perspective is on whites (and some blacks) sporting swastika tattoos? I think it's a prison culture thing, but I think it is as offensive as whites addressing blacks as niggers. At least we haven't yet developed a culture where jews refer to each other as "kikes", which would be similar to blacks referring to each other as niggers.
Tetra — June 5, 2011
One thing that's interesting about this is that Ali isn't just white -- he has albinism (Wikipedia is source). I wonder how that impacts his, er, white privilage? I know that people who are albino are often portrayed very negatively in the media, with their characteristics either being given to monsters (eg. vampires) or being portrayed as freaks and villains.
Casey — June 5, 2011
Correeeccction: albino is not white.
Mickey Lee — June 5, 2011
As Salamu Alaikum, Ah this brother is intelligent humble and well dispositioned. I like his spirit and I am honored to call him a muslim!