Kreayshawn, amid growing criticism over her defense of using the N-word, recently sat down with “The Breakfast Club” at New York’s Power 105 radio station and denied ever using the term.
The interview, which took place on July 22, started off with a bang as radio personality Charlemagne Tha God announced Kreayshawn as the day’s guest, yelling, “my n—a, Kreayshawn,” prompting the rapper to reply, “Oh s—. That’s me. That’s me.”
Diving immediately into the matter of the N-word, the “Gucci Gucci” rapper explained that she’s never used the term and that her sister (presumably fellow White Girl Mob member V-Nasty) is the culprit behind all of the controversy.
“I don’t use it though. I’ve never used it,” said Kreayshawn, adding that it’s actually “my sister. People think we’re the same person. You know, I can only be responsible for my own actions and I don’t do it.”
Charlemagne then explained his approval of the use of the N-word by non-blacks.
“I don’t get mad for white people using the N-word for the simple fact that black people use it all the time and if we want other people to stop using it, we should stop using it. I think it’s very hypocritical when we attack other people for using it, when we use it all the time,” he said.
“Well, you know, it’s in all the music and everything so you can’t blame her for listening to rap music her whole life,” remarked Kreayshawn in defense of N-Nasty.
Despite Kreayshawn’s denial, past interviews and the rapper-director’s own Twitter page prove that she has indeed used the word, just not as liberally or viciously as V-Nasty.
“I don’t use the [N-word] at all. It’s not in my vocabulary at all, especially not my everyday vocabulary,” said Kreayshawn in an interview with Complex. “I’ll say it if I’m quoting or I’ll say it if I’m making fun of someone else who is using it. But Vanessa [aka V-Nasty] was raised different. She’s done a lot of stuff, you know?”
“If you go anywhere else it’s a racial thing, because of that I don’t use it. I was on Twitter the other day and I said it quoting DMX, I even said it in the tweet, ‘DMX voice.’ But since that ‘Gucci Gucci’ video there were bloggers picking it up and writing about it. That’s something that I don’t want to get all misconstrued.”
As evidenced by both Charlemagne and Kreayshawn’s words and behavior, it’s clear that hip-hop’s use of the N-word has an influence on the language of popular culture. But it’s also obvious by the uproar surrounding the issue that Kreayshawn and V-Nasty’s use of the word is divisive and harmful to many. Perhaps it’s time to not only address the language of these two rappers, but also the power and use of this word. –nicholas robinson
