What's happening folks!! Thanks for rolling along with me again this week. Appreciate the views and the feedback I've gotten. Not just in this particular blog, but in my other two as well. Much love to all! This week, my focus will be on the subsequent rise of Iggy Azaelia, and her apparent "right" to use the N-word in hip-hop circles. Bear with me on this because this might piss some people off to a degree, but as usual, like it or not, I'm going to say it anyway.
First of all, let's go into this chick's history. This is a young lady from Australia that got appealed to hip-hop in her adolescence. She snuck off to America where she wanted to pursue hip-hop, and a few years later started a few Youtube freestyles (*rolls eyes*) and she soon made a cut called "Pu$$y". From there, the buzz was about this caucasian Australian who got the attention of T.I. and put her as a member of his Grand Hustle team. She finally released her debut, The New Classic, in April of this year with the massive crossover single "Fancy" with British Pop singer Charli XCX. You started hearing this song everywhere, including commercials. The album also produced single such as the T.I.-assisted "Change Your Life" and "Work", which were big hits for her. As it stands right now, her album is near gold status here in the states, but has already achieved that stature in Canada.
The first thing I thought when I heard heard this young lady, whose real name is Amethyst, was "This chick here thinks she's Nicky." I clearly knew what was going on here. Here you have a rather attractive looking, blonde-haired white female rapper who can seemingly rhyme but her style is WAY too much like Nicky's. Seriously. WAY too much. This one, also like Nicky, signed under a major player in the game with T.I. Let's not even mention the implants. This woman is a clear-cut replica of Nicky, and the industry knows it. She's a clone. Look at the blue print: white girl with a phat ass (implants) and a southern drawl to her. Nobody sees anything wrong with that picture?
I already am not a big fan of hers, but now comes the new controversy, instead of classic. She recently claimed that she should be allowed to say the N-word because we all say it and it's accepted. Sigh. Okay, it's a universally known fact that the word is not to be used by any other culture except us. Here's where the proverbial grey area comes in. Although we do know this fact, shouldn't we lead by example if we don't expect anyone else to say it? I was called nigger quite early, plus had been the subject of racial jokes so to call me a nigger isn't the most offensive thing because I've been called worse. That just reflects me though. I'm more than aware of the history of the name and how cruel and beneath dirt that name was historically to our ancestors. Ironically, we ended up calling ourselves that word as a means of solidarity or backwards unity. Yes, I go around saying the same word because it was used in my house and of course dwelled within all of hip-hop. The argument is, however, can we really get too angry when we hear those outside of our culture use it when we do a good job of it ourselves by using a word that has torn us down for hundreds of years? I'm very mixed on the issue. Would it feel and sound weird to hear someone like Iggy say that she's with her 'niggas'? Hell yeah it would. However, can I be completely smashed-mouth pissed by hearing her use it? Not completely. With a lot of people outside of our culture, especially whites, they go off of example. Telling them it's not a word they use is not going to work truly unless they see us not doing it to each other. The funny thing is the NAACP tried to outlaw and ban the use of the word period some years back. The question I have is, why didn't they use this militant stance about the use of the word among our culture back when it was very popular to use it in the beginning? I wonder was it was bold then as it was some seven years ago. The funny thing is, we get all up in arms over the use of the word when other people use the ugliest word in our society traditionally and historically, but not only do we use it, we use it proudly. Some of us even define ourselves as 'real niggas' and 'real bitches'. Also these same people up in arms follow Christianity and very proudly profess their Christian faith, oblivious to the fact that it was beaten into our ancestors consciousness to survive so what really is the difference?
Anyways, going back to Iggy, why are people going after her and not T.I. for allowing her to say it? I'm pretty sure if T.I. were to say, "Stop saying that shit", she would stop, but she freely has used it and no reprimand has been given, at least not publicly. She's already been given the business by Rah Digga calling her "Pop" and "doesn't define what hip-hop is." She has gotten similar attacks from others, but the truth is, Rah is right. Iggy is manufactured. Furthermore, is she really THAT talented? Not in my personal opinion. Everyone knows that hip-hop and myself are connected for life, but that doesn't mean that I need to be doing it because clearly being an emcee is not my calling, though I'm a great writer and poet. However, she's a part of Pop culture, and let's face it, have we ever really seen a successful white female emcee? The answer is obvious.
Although I don't think she'll be a one album wonder like most running the game right now (see: Young Thug, Kevin Gates, K-Camp, Rae Sremmurd, etc.) she'll still have to do a lot more convincing that she's not just home manufactured gimmick of the record industry. Can it be done? Only time will tell. That's all for now kiddies. I'm going to leave you with a track from piggy's New Classic album so can judge for yourself what kind of future she has. After that is the track of the week. This cut comes from the Maryland trio Diamond District. The group that consists of yU, XO, and producer Oddisee made a lot of noise in the underground with their excellent debut In The Ruff. They're back with their sophomore album March On Washington coming next week and here's the first single with accompanying video "First Step." This is much appreciated 2014 boom-bap. Take it easy guys and gals!
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