I hate the “n-word”. Around the time the NAACP had a funeral for the racial slur/term of endearment (depending on how it’s used) I got tired of defending the word. We’re almost at the 10 year anniversary of that symbolic burial and I don’t regret my decision. Really pay attention to how the word is used in conversation/context and think about how better it would with a different pronoun. In honor of R&B Sunday, to quote Chris Rock on his last HBO special, Kill The Messenger, when he expressed his views on NAACP’s attempt to kill off the word, “Well, Tonight is Easter!”
Yesterday, the NAACP Image Awards aired with host Anthony Anderson and it actually got me to watch some of it. I hate award shows; my favorites rarely win, usually, the show is boring and lasts too long, and the performances are sometimes wack. It’s something about seeing Black people awarded for their talent that gets me everytime. Also, Denzel Washington’s acceptance speech for his 19th out of 27 wins that I will play often for the rest of my life inspired me.
The #imageawards, Moonlight, and Frank Ocean’s latest Tumblr post all motivated me to pick the title track from Boris Gardiner’s 1973 soundtrack to the Jamaican film of the same name. I was introduced to the song like many through Kendrick Lamar’s CLASSIC third album, To Pimp A Butterfly on the opener, “Wesley’s Theory” and believe it is a beautiful song about every mistreated person being able to rise up to a better life no matter what situation. Happy Black History Month!