Duela - many circles? I think you're projecting. It's probably just your circle. In my circle, "bitch" nor "nigga" are used. Nor in any circles immediately outside mine. I have heard several white kids around my neighborhood use those terms, however. They say such terms as "nigga" can apply to anyone because it's a "state of mind". Oh, the 90's. Anyway, just because those derogatory terms are ok with you doesn't mean they're ok with me, so please don't try to trivialize my concerns about their negativity.<P>YES, Thought says "nigga" quite often. NO, I'm not OK with it. But guess what? He's a grown man and it's not gonna change. He's been doing that from the days of the Square Roots. However, he tends to make it a point to NOT curse women. Therefore I thought it was unusual for that to come out of his mouth and I wanted to know what the deal was.<P>I went through my Amerikkka's Most Wanted and Whut the Album phases with hip-hop. I convinced myself that it didn't bother me when artists said "bitch this" and "bitch that". Now I am a parent of a little girl. My outlook is a lot different then it was in high school and college. I have seen a lot more and I overstand a lot more. Meaning, I ain't havin' it! I use all my words with care, each one.<P>Nextlev - "coulda" called her a bitch? Does that imply that I should feel lucky that he didn't? Let me let you know that half the reason I like him so much is because of those songs. See how many hip-hop songs you can find that paint a positive picture of black women, and see how many of them are from the Roots. Don't underestimate the value of the Roots female following. Women buy music.<P>Mke - I tried that whole bitch vs. women thing back in the day. Self-love eliminates all that. How can a black man have respect for himself if he calls any of his sisters/mother/aunt/whoever a bitch? It doesn't work. They don't coexist. A bitch is a female dog. Don't let popular music convince you that it is ok to call ANY black queen a bitch.<P>?uest - Your response is probably the closest I'm gonna get to some type of explanation. I don't know him personally and never will, but If I'm gonna go to the 9:30 a hundred times and buy a hundred CD's, I just wanna know what I'm paying for, that's all. I already gotta deal with that damn KLANG!!! LOL<P>This was long, sorry. I just get irritated with our people sometimes. We need to look at ourselves and let that negative stuff go. Why we need to call our girlfriends bitches? Men "nigga" and "dog"? Damn! That's not empowering at all. But, whatever. I'm just babbling on.<P>Oh, the ills of being a female hip-hop lover. Damn Geto Boys and NWA!!!<P>Ms. Thang