(AllHipHop News) Suge Knight sparked controversy recently when the former head of Death Row Records said he rather be called “n***a” than “African-American.” Public Enemy’s Chuck D was asked about those comments by TMZ and the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer expressed his feeling that “the N-word” is disrespectful to the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and the Black struggle in whatever capacity it is used.
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“Being called Black in America is the struggle to keep us moving and breathing over bloody water,” said Chuck. “Being a ni***r or [ni**a] without the context of history is like drowning in bloody water, dragging down those yet knowing to swim.”
Chuck did agree with Suge that “African-American” may not be the best word to describe black people in this country since a white African in America is by definition an “African-American.” He also takes aim at Hip Hop’s overuse of n***a, saying it is uncreative and lazy when rappers use the N-word more than three times in song without context.