Do Non African Americans Have the Right to Speak on Black Culture?

[Diabolical_Dos]

Not doing this today man lol

let me know when its a good time.....

i got some shit for you.

your homie is foul

 

[Ibex]

No FOH...

 

[konceptjones]

I think the one issue I have is non African Americans throwing "nigga" around. I generally don't use it in my day-to-day conversations (though I've noticed that moving over to ABW I've been gettin a lot looser with it... I gotta fix that), but I get irritated when I hear Black folks from other countries saying it on some "Y'all ain't never been niggers"-type shit.

 

[Diabolical_Dos]

I think the one issue I have is non African Americans throwing "nigga" around. I generally don't use it in my day-to-day conversations (though I've noticed that moving over to ABW I've been gettin a lot looser with it... I gotta fix that), but I get irritated when I hear Black folks from other countries saying it on some "Y'all ain't never been niggers"-type shit.

man i once had a jamaican call me a nigga.

i was a bit confused. he said it like an insult.

while here in europe an african dude got off the tram and called my a nigga.....he was drunk and loud as hell. he even followed me a few steps ...i stop and gave my warning..an he walked off.....but im like dude...really?

 

[LUCIEN]

I don't like the idea of silencing narratives. But not every person's experiences are equally valuable for understanding what the average person in a group endures. As a result, not everyone is a good authority on the issue.

I think there is something to that idea that Nicki has a different background and her experiences can't speak for the general black community. That doesn't mean what she says is worthless though, listeners just have to keep in mind where she's coming from and where her expertise ends.

 

[Maywood]

 

[Busta Carmichael]

y'all do realize nigger was a word created to describe africans right

 

[konceptjones]

y'all do realize nigger was a word created to describe africans right

duh.

 

[Shotta]

 

[Kzzl]

They're all victims of racism in some way, but their experiences are likely limited depending on how long they've been here. Situations like that, their ignorance will eventually show. Just like it would if the roles were reversed and we were in their home land doing the same. Just gotta make sure they learn to shut up and listen when they're speaking on things they don't really know.

 

[konceptjones]

ok. He's right. Nike needs to dead that shit.

 

[deadeye]

@Azlyn



Considering what you experienced on here a few months back..........what's your take on this?

 

[BlackRain]

Their experiences being American may be limited based on how long they've been here, but their experience being black has been life long so yes they can speak on being black because that type of low totem pole treatment is pretty universal. I saw somebody mention it though and from conversations I've been having pretty much my entire life about this shit one thing I've noticed is that there's some black Americans who don't realize that they are being fed the same bullshit image of blacks in other countries as foreign blacks are being fed about black Americans. Think about the shit you see about Jamaicans, Haitians, pick any African country...you get fed the worst images ever and some folks are genuinely shocked when they find out those stereotypes are just that..a stereotype.

I think one of the best benefits of social media actually has been people being exposed to the lives of other black folks across the world and more realizing it's the same bullshit no matter where you're at. I actually saw a clip on twitter this morning of the comedian Godfrey, who is Nigerian, talking about this same topic and how stupid it is for Africans to hold the negative views they do about black Americans. Skip to the 7:00 min mark

 

[shutupGabi]

No FOH...

Can you elaborate?

 

[shutupGabi]

Its like this people who aint raised in the culture and say something negative about shit we like is always out of bounds. I cant judge Jamaicans on what they do

My thing is this tho...if you've spent the majority of your life or some significant time in this country living among fellow black Americans....youre apart of the African American experience. Hip hop was created by a Jamaican and hip hop, as well as black American culture at large, has been influenced by Caribbeans and other diasporic people. Black American people are not the only contributors to the creation and maintenance of black American culture.

And I would apply that same logic to a black person who has spent their whole life somewhere else. They're apart of and contribute to that culture and feed off that energy. That doesn't mean they can't be checked it they get outa pocket...but for some people to act like they can't have a say in the environment they live in...is just not smart.


Somebody tell me if I'm off base with that thinking...

 

[Hundredeyes]

My thing is this tho...if you've spent the majority of your life or some significant time in this country living among fellow black Americans....youre apart of the African American experience. Hip hop was created by a Jamaican and hip hop, as well as black American culture at large, has been influenced by Caribbeans and other diasporic people. Black American people are not the only contributors to the creation and maintenance of black American culture.

And I would apply that same logic to a black person who has spent their whole life somewhere else. They're apart of and contribute to that culture and feed off that energy. That doesn't mean they can't be checked it they get outa pocket...but for some people to act like they can't have a say in the environment they live in...is just not smart.


Somebody tell me if I'm off base with that thinking...

Is checking people really worth your time Gabi? I dont know how yall Americans do it lol. Yall never get tired worrying about how someone else sees the world? People gonna act and participate and comment etc on various cultures and there is nothing anyone can do to change that...

So many ignorant idiots out there...shit Einstein said it best, there are no limits to human stupidity.

Im a foreigner, aswell as my wife and here in Holland there is so much ignorance and petty assumptions I stopped giving a fuck a long time ago.

Cultures change....Brooklyn in 2018 aint the same Brooklyn of 1988....or 1658....yall trying to maintain experiences and culture but said cultures changes multiple times, hell constantly during a single lifetime...their are things you might consider genuine black murican culture that might have origines from somewhere else.

People mingle.

 

[Allergens]

My thing is this tho...if you've spent the majority of your life or some significant time in this country living among fellow black Americans....youre apart of the African American experience. Hip hop was created by a Jamaican and hip hop, as well as black American culture at large, has been influenced by Caribbeans and other diasporic people. Black American people are not the only contributors to the creation and maintenance of black American culture.

And I would apply that same logic to a black person who has spent their whole life somewhere else. They're apart of and contribute to that culture and feed off that energy. That doesn't mean they can't be checked it they get outa pocket...but for some people to act like they can't have a say in the environment they live in...is just not smart.


Somebody tell me if I'm off base with that thinking...

You're right to an extent. I think even outside of hip hop, to blues, r&b, and jazz. We all have someone in the timeline of our families that were influenced by those genres to aide in the way they think. The same way hip-hop has that hold on our generations. So from top to bottom there is a connection based on songs at moments that the people who participated in those genres, that help them hold special places in our hearts.

And people who weren't there at the time, won't have the right viewpoint cause they don't have the full context. It's like kids these days saying Jordan wasn't all that, or Pac was boring, or like the chick said the shit in regards to Aretha Franklin

They shouldn't speak on it cause they don't know the whole substantial side. But if they don't speak on it, they can't be learnt. So your right in being offended and thinking that, but at the same time. That energy you feel and others feel is where the teaching moment is born from.

And thats were we all grow.

 

[GNS]

Nicki is black and was raised in america....sounds african american to me.

Regardless if her family came from another country her home life may or may not be different culturally from a typical african american but she still had to go outside right?!

If aa's aren't excommunicating soulja boi for thanking slave masters and paris dennard for being a living breathing samuel L jackson character from django then anybody can talk about black culture, she black right..

@gabi fuck them b....i ain't gon call em bitches I'm a call em unstable creatures over there.

@DOS_patos and the other fella
Jamaicans and I'm sure other caribean people say nigga.

Our etymology of it is a bit different.

Some use it like black americans, some use it as a straight insult. Reason being, for the latter, that's how massa used it to degrade us.
So it morphed into part insult part playful depending on who and how it's used, almost like it's evolution in america but still less of a "term of endearment" ish

 

[Ibex]

Can you elaborate?

No matter how many 2pac songs you listen to, no matter how many African American history classes you take, or how many black friends you have, unless you’re black you will never understand black plight. Therefore their are certain issues you can’t speak on because you’ve never been through that type of struggle.

 

[GNS]

Therefore their are certain issues you can’t speak on because you’ve never been through that type of struggle.

So say I'm a big fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers but I've never played football can I criticize them on a play call?