>So to put it simply, when
>in Rome speak as the
>Romans do. You have to
>use whatever conduit you have
>to use to get people
>to listen and not just
>hear you.

Thanks 4 your comment on my question. So does this last part mean you do believe him using the word 'nigga' is part of a plan to reach people on their level? What if he never used that word, ever? Do you think people might consider him stuck up or fake or whatever?

What I'm saying is, it's not necessary. Is it evil? That's another discussion, but making the conscious choice not to use the word is not going to hurt your message, in my opinion. No old school rap song sounds bad just because it doesn't need to be heavily censored. That's one thing that bugs me; certain rappers that were around before and kept the word out their mouth use it all the time now. About the evil question? To me, consciously making the choice to put the word in a rhyme in a non-ironic way, when you don't (or didn't until now) use the word in your daily conversation is just... anti-yourself. (Don't hate yourself, black people).

If I was around people who use the word on the regular, I wouldn't get all uptight and start preaching. But I still have my opinion. There was a post some time ago about this word and its use by white people. Are you cool with that? Are you desensitized to that word droppin out anybody of any colour's mouth yet? If not, get used to it. Cuz that's where hip hop is taking the world. Who am I to tell somebody else he or she is not allowed to rhyme along with Black Thought or B.G. (check the contrast) while they're listening to their favourite song?

No point in me despairing, the way many elders do as they look at the youth. But "I gotta hold on to my pride, my pride. I'm gonna stick, I'm gonna stick, stick to my guns..." (ha! guns. you like how i'm tying this in to the original topic)