Zach Braff posted:

Background:

Long, long ago, when I first attended a multi-cultural academic institution after being in a sheltered community my entire life, an interesting discussion came up: was I allowed to say the word nigger?

Our group included included several black students (with Haitian, Jamaican and American origins), Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Pakistanis, etc. I was the lone white Jewish boy.

The discussion started when I used the word in a phrase I don’t remember today, but it was something along the lines of “What’s up, nigga?” or “Did you see that nigga?” Needless to say, the word was tossed around a lot and I felt comfortable enough in the group to use the word.

One of my best friends in the group, a young black man, calmly and politely said to me, “You can’t say that.”
“Can’t say what?” I asked innocently.
“You’re not allowed to say the word “nigger.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re white.”
“I’m not white, I’m Jewish.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“But says it and he’s not black.”
“He’s Hispanic, that close enough.”
“What about ?”
“His skin is dark, so he can say it.”
“Oh, so I can’t say it because my skin is light?”
“Exactly.”
“But I want to say it! Jewish people have been oppressed as much as black people. I should be allowed to say it. I love niggers.. er.. black people!”
“YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY THAT WORD!”

The above exchange occurred in a friendly manner with no weirdness or tension whatsoever.

In any case, I dropped the matter but did become more self-conscious about using the word. Over the years, I’ve come across many discussions on the matter, both online and in the real world, and the general consensus seems to be that the word is loaded and means something else when a white person uses it. So black people are allowed to use it and white people are not. That’s fine, I can accept that.

My question is: if you’re a fan of rap music like I am, are you allowed to say the word when it comes up in song lyrics?

I just love when a nigga bring his whole crew
it’s just a bigger piece a cake for me to chew a hole through
Bring Your Whole Crew by DMX

Sold ya nigga, thought I told ya nigga
Crossover, slam dunk, game over nigga
The Ripper Strikes Back by LL Cool J

…and if you don’t know, now you know, nigga, uh
Juicy by The Notorious BIG

Hated on by most these niggas
Wit no cheese, no deals and no G’s, no wheels and no keys
Forgot about Dre by Dr. Dre

Cops give a damn about a negro
pull the trigger kill a nigga he’s a hero
Changes by Tupac Shakur

Quiet niggas will kill
Loud niggas talk shit
Them be the ones that get killed
It’s wild where we walk kid
Is you brave nigga
Is you a slave nigga
Is you a made nigga
Or is you a paid nigga
Quiet Niggas by Nas

Right now, I’m of the opinion that it’s okay to say the word if I’m singing a rap song, but I’d still like to hear some opinions, preferably from our black Rhizzonites.