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Uncle Otis aka Uncle Jay z aka Mr Coon, Is Cool with white folk calling him a NIGG*R
SS: Black people love Italian gangster movies, but many of these films are blatant in their racism. One of the very first words Jack Nicholson says in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is ‘n$#%@.’ Why are people willing to overlook this?
JZ: There are certain things the audience hooks on to. Yes, the character might be racist, but he’s still against the odds as he struggles against the world. However brief his rein might be, he’s living the good life and that’s what Black kids hone in on. They don’t pay attention to the racism, because racism is everywhere. We’ve learned to look past that.
SS: What about the word using the “N” word in rhymes?
JZ: For me, it’s all about the intention. I could call you an ‘apple tree,’ but if I say it with venom and hate, that is what it’s about. It’s not the word that has the power, it’s the person. All of this came about because the Imus discussion turned into a hip-hop discussion.Imus couldn’t name three rappers; well, maybe he could, but he couldn’t name their songs. Imus doesn’t listen to rap, so he’s not influenced by it. He didn’t get that from us. I missed the point the discussion stopped being about Imus
ON THE DECLINE OF NYC HIP-HOPSS: Listening to the American Gangster, I kept thinking that this is also a great New York City album. Do you think the city has fallen off in terms of rap music?
JZ: Of course, but it was bound to happen, because we were spoiled. Not only did we own rap music since its inception, we also invented it. But, like anything else if you take it for granted, it will leave you. It will absolutely go to where the freshness is. New York started making robotic records. Down south, rap music is a celebration. They put their heart and soul into it.
SS: The song ‘Ignorant S%$#t’ touches on this subject. There are more curses and crime in a Tarantino movie, but nobody is dragging him off to a congressional hearing.
JZ: If rappers stop cursing tomorrow, is that going to fix the ghetto or the fact that our schools are f$#%-up and the living-conditions are terrible. You can’t tell me not to say $#@# or s%$#, that’s ridiculous to me. Is that really the problem? Are you serious?Some people don’t understand the things people who live in these urban areas see in one day; and, that’s every single day.
JZ: There are certain things the audience hooks on to. Yes, the character might be racist, but he’s still against the odds as he struggles against the world. However brief his rein might be, he’s living the good life and that’s what Black kids hone in on. They don’t pay attention to the racism, because racism is everywhere. We’ve learned to look past that.
SS: What about the word using the “N” word in rhymes?
JZ: For me, it’s all about the intention. I could call you an ‘apple tree,’ but if I say it with venom and hate, that is what it’s about. It’s not the word that has the power, it’s the person. All of this came about because the Imus discussion turned into a hip-hop discussion.Imus couldn’t name three rappers; well, maybe he could, but he couldn’t name their songs. Imus doesn’t listen to rap, so he’s not influenced by it. He didn’t get that from us. I missed the point the discussion stopped being about Imus
ON THE DECLINE OF NYC HIP-HOPSS: Listening to the American Gangster, I kept thinking that this is also a great New York City album. Do you think the city has fallen off in terms of rap music?
JZ: Of course, but it was bound to happen, because we were spoiled. Not only did we own rap music since its inception, we also invented it. But, like anything else if you take it for granted, it will leave you. It will absolutely go to where the freshness is. New York started making robotic records. Down south, rap music is a celebration. They put their heart and soul into it.
SS: The song ‘Ignorant S%$#t’ touches on this subject. There are more curses and crime in a Tarantino movie, but nobody is dragging him off to a congressional hearing.
JZ: If rappers stop cursing tomorrow, is that going to fix the ghetto or the fact that our schools are f$#%-up and the living-conditions are terrible. You can’t tell me not to say $#@# or s%$#, that’s ridiculous to me. Is that really the problem? Are you serious?Some people don’t understand the things people who live in these urban areas see in one day; and, that’s every single day.