TROUBL

1. boosy

   That was hot nigga. Daaaamn finally someone understands when i say ” niggas is niggas”. It was never about me talking about black people. it was me talking about niggas, all niggas.

   Me personally as an Ivy league nigga, love when i’m on some nigga shit, why - Because as soon as they try to play me, i bring out that Ivy League swgger with a lil bit of that NYC Niggas R Us. well now that we know that niggas RUS, maybe we can apologize to each other for hating ourselves, and make sure that these corporate niggas give our kids some damn internet so they can go to space and not be stuck servicing the jails , and working for peanuts………

   As always~ the bougiest nigga~ Sir Bougie Nigga AKA Duke NIgga~! Wow i wish i had a camera to take my photo laughin~ Niggas-(think dave chapelle in the Niggar family sketch for that last one)

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2. Q.

   dang, i’m not sure how i feel about this.. i’m going to need to see where this is going before i truly understand if i’m even included in this group.. especially since we use that term in so many different ways.. not sure i want to be united under the “Nigga” flag..

   on another note, what does that flag look/feel like?

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3. Q.

   on another note..

   nigga please.. what is this nigga talking about? this nigga here.. nigga, were you smoking? i’m sick of niggas.. do you niggas..

   sorry, couldn’t resist..

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4. Ronnie B.trouble

   A couple things, A Nigga by any other name would still be a person.And without a doubt I will definately continue to do me but that’s part of the whole idea is that we need to do us. Look at it like this if there were 100 people of all races on a cruise around the hudson and the ship sank and there were no suvivors what would you tell someone if they asked what happened? “A cruise sank and 100 niggas died in the river.” My point is that we’re all in the same boat.

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5. "a mom"

   I guess I have to get use to that word as being positive. Somehow

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6. TROUBLMan

   I love niggas. I love blacks. I love African Americans. Either way, i love people. Whether you like the word or not, nigga needs to be a part of this conversation. The word is a anthropology, sociology and history lesson all in one.

   Realize that back in the day when blacks were called nigger in the open, the American flag was the nigger flag. Why? Because it represented the ignorance that permeated the nation. Shit, in many parts of the world today its consider to be a symbol of arrogance and ignorance.

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7. boosy

   Let’s face it, Yea we may say niggas with love. But mostly when it’s not a convo with good intention for the nigga in question. You are talking about someone who is ignorant. ANd this is a blog, so you can talk however we fucking feel peole. That’s the point, talk like u talk when u talking to your niggas.

   before you comment, feel a certain way, realize that most of you are behind in this whole convo, as far as i am concerned. We’ve been on it since Summer

   Damn, i see it so clearly now. nigger has always been a word that was used to psychologically put down those of the “civil rights era”.

   In our era, niggas was fucking in middle school, so pardon us if we don’t want to live in a pg-13 world. The world blasted us with all sorts of raunchy messages and now the world is mad because we took it and made it our own.

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8. Q.

   ok niggas..

   i love people too.. even have love for my niggas.. i guess i’m struggling with how we’re all niggas on that boat.. not even sure that i’m cool with it being written that 100 niggas die on that boat.. at least i know it wouldn’t be this nigga here (Katt Williams voice), cuz this nigga don’t swim!! i guess if nigga = people, then let’s just use the word people.. i’m not sure i want a white person calling me nigga.. not sure we’re far enough away from our past for me to feel ok with that.. a nigga might lose it..

   i also agree that this is that whole lesson wrapped in one, and believe we should discuss it.. i guess that’s why i need to see where this is going, because right now a nigga is lost..

   that flag comment was deep.. i’ma have to sleep on that ish..

   until next time, niggas..

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9. "a mom"

   Now I’m lost.

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10. TROUBLMan

    I’m one of those people who don’t care if a white person calls me nigga. I feel like its about their tone and intention, not just the word they say. I have white friends who I call nigga. Why they can’t say it back?

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11. C3

    I had to sleep on this one, literally, before offering up a comment. I hoped maybe it was a bad dream… nope… some clever satire that I missed the first time through… nah. I’m not here to condemn because I have nothing but love for y’all – but I do reject the idea.

    So, what we are called unlocks the key to our success in this joint?!!? If I accept the term my people will progress because “Only then can we really evolve as people because we can put our minds on other things and focus on the advancement of us.” Really?? Feel free at any point to say “sike!”… I won’t even be embarrassed that I didn’t get the joke.

    You want something to call the human race call me “human” or brother or partner or potnah, or cat or man or bruh or bro or dude or my man or my name but don’t call me that. If this is going to be a new nation consider me a breakaway republic – I’m still an ally – but we ain’t standing under the same flag.

    As educated folks you know what happens when a people forgets (or chooses to ignore) its history. The word has not been reclaimed or redefined it has simply been given a new spelling and new usage by a VERY small group of folks within society (much to the pleasure of the Klan). If there was a true evolution of the word it would be generally used and accepted without exception; I think y’all would admit we aren’t there. I want to take the word and put it in a museum to make sure cats never forget – I don’t want to reclaim it (and y’all can keep slavery too… no need to reclaim that either… I’m good).

    Here is my test… at your next family reunion or gathering get everyone together in a circle. Call up the family matriarch, you know Grandma, Big Ma… whatever. As she stands there smiling at you… call her a “Bich!”… tell her because you dropped the “t” it’s a term of endearment. Then try to explain that to your family. If your uncles and cousins don’t beat your ass then maybe I’ll rethink my position.

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12. Q.

    LOL.. classic C3..

    seriously.. “yeah, what he said”.. the ally/breakaway piece is where my head is at as well..

    love my niggas, but this ish still don’t make no sense to me.. maybe this is more on some nigga sense (which i guess i don’t have), more than common sense.. and i’m not shooting at dudes in here, cuz niggas know to walk around with bulletproof vests nowadays.. i just want to continue to “conversate” with y’all niggas..

    i understand your point TROUBLMan, but i’m on the opposite side of that coin.. they can’t say that word to me or around me, because all i hear is “nigger”.. i don’t hear the tone or inflection.. i guess i’m tone deaf with them on this, the way i guess they are nigga blind.. for me, again, niggas haven’t come far enough (especially in this country) to be there.. i have a similar feeling w/ most non-Blacks.. i’ve just gotten used to it being ok (with me) for hispanics to use it, because in my opinion them niggas use it more than Black niggas.. i’ve been cussing out Brasilian niggas for years for it too.. But it’s the younger generation of Brasilian niggas that use it, rather than the older niggas.. And that’s because them niggas don’t know any better.. they really do use it, because they hear it from these rapper niggas.. so that’s all niggas know.. but, i make it my point to educate them on the history of the word.. after that, hey, niggas understand it a bit more..

    but here in the US? white niggas “know betta”.. in my opinion.. i love some of them niggas too, but i can’t “feel” where they are coming from when they used the word.. so in a long-winded answer, that’s why i don’t accept white niggas using that word, period.. especially not to me.. i’m the type of nigga that will have a white nigga repeat that ish to me, and then try to slap the taste outta they mouth after they get the “nig” out.. in this day and age i will let them know that i don’t appreciate them using that word to me.. and if they choose to use it to me, then i’m automatically tone deaf.. all i heard was them call me a “nigger”.. that’s my story and i’m sticking to it..

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13. "a mom"

    What’s the difference. Nigger, Nigga. Who is if alright for.

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14. Ronnie B.trouble

    WOW …y’all niggas really don’t get it

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15. Q.

    nah, nigga, we def’ don’t get it.. but i’m sure we will be impatiently waiting for additional blogs to set niggas straight.. i mean, niggas can speculate, but at least this has led to a bunch of my people trying to figure this thing out and visit TROUBL to see what it’s all about..

    Mom, i think in this blog, Nigger, Nigga, People, Cracker, Cracka, EyeTalians, Monkeys.. niggas are all in the same gang.. i’m lost like any other nigga..

    this, my friends, sounds like niggerdom..

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16. TROUBLMan

    C3

    We are educated, but I don’t think we’re forgetting our history by using the word nigga. In fact, I think we’re changing our future by using the word. There is a generation of young people who identify with the word, who know themselves as niggas. Who am I to stay they’re wrong.

    We give power to the language we use. And if all we are is our history, than what do our kids have to look forward to.

    Many words change over time. The process is called semantic shift. We’ll make sure we address semantic shift as it apply to “nigga” next post.

    Just cause older people in my family don’t agree who cares. I respect and love them, but I disagree with them. I’m a leader and I create culture, including language and my Grandma is proud of that.

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17. BIG Tone

    If you don’t teach the younger generation about the history of the word then you take everything that is bad about it and make them think it is ok. Many people fought not to be called that and to disregard that shows lack of respect. White people don’t care how you spell it. It still means the same thing now that it did 50 years ago. Do you call a slow person a retard? A gay person a faggit? All Germans aint Nazi’s so why are all black people niggas? The thing is that the young kids see it as fashion statement. Whatever you take in is what you put out. They might say the word but if you ask a young white, asian, or latin kid if he is a nigga I don’t think he will say yes.

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18. TROUBLMan

    Why do we consider what what people think about the word. Why don’t we claim it for ourselves and give it our own meaning. I don’t call gay people faggots, but the call them selves queer, a word that was once derogatory.

    Like I said, I create culture, which includes language. So I refuse to allow other peoples definitions to define me. When I say, I love my niggas its a positive thing. I understand and my niggas understand so together we’re creating our future.

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19. BIG Tone

    You and your friends create a culture in your world. Not everyone wants that to apply to them. You can call your boy a bitch and get away with it but another man will be ready to fight you. I understand what your saying but you can’t speak for everyone. What your saying means it will be alright for everyone to say it at any time, and it doesn’t matter the tone or intention. Be careful what you wish for. The next time you are in Starbucks, Chad might ask you “My nigga, you want nonfat milk in this?” lol.

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20. Ronnie B.troubl

    I’m going to tell chad naw nigga I want the half n half I realize now that everybody aint a nigga and that doesn’t have anything to do with their race however there are a lot of niggas out there and we want to empower them and let them know that they have the power to create their own universe and life itself is the oppertunity to do so

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21. Trini Gal

    I’ve been following some of the blogs (wanted to see what “troubl” was about) and was refreshed to find the kinda good “troubl” that seems to have been lost. Then I read this blog…sigh…we didn’t get very far did we? I need the Huey P. Newton kina troubl. The black panther party (the original movement) kinda troubl. The we will set up sickle cell testing, public school FREE breakfast, educating the youth, instilling pride, teaching rights kinda troubl. I see this isn’t that kinda site (anymore) so I’ll be on my way but before I go I ask you this, who is troubl causing troubl for now? Please, anyone answer…

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22. TROUBLMan

    TRINI GAL

    It’s unfortunate that you feel this way but in no way has TROUBL been lost.

    Read the first line of this post: “The whole idea behind “Niggas R Us” is for people to unite as people under one race, the human race.”

    There’s a generation of people who have found solidarity in the word and who are we to deny them that. Instead, we’re telling them we accept them and want them to adopt us.

    I’m from the Bay Area, and so are some of our contributors. In fact, we have contributors with degrees from San Francisco State, the birthplace of the black panther party. So realize, we know the movement, we were born, raised and educated in it.

    Speaking of the panthers, lets examine Tupac, who was born into the movement. Pac is a leader and inspiration for my generation and he celebrated the word. He even named his second album “Strictly for my N.I.G.G.A.Z.” Pac was very intellectual but also related to the most marginal people. And that’s how we describe ourselves.

    After you read this, check out the post directly above. It’s called “Kicks.” To most people it’s a link to a new pair of shoes, but to us it’s a math lesson. How many teachers in school can get kids to do math. We’re a website and we have people working out geometry problems. In my mind that’s progressive. That’s TROUBL.

    Thanks for checking us out. Hope you change your mind and return to us sometime. We really appreciate your perspective. If you don’t happen to return, know that we work everyday to feed the kids. We feed them knowledge. But we not only feed them knowledge that’s nutritious, we feed them knowledge that they’d actually eat.

    Again thanks.

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23. Ronnie B.troubl

    What niggas need to realize is that this is not coming from an ignorant place. That in fact peoples inability to understand where were coming from shows that under the text book definition of nigger (ignorant person) your acting as such. Some of the comment idicate to me that people are letting history define them. How can you reject empowermet? A brief insight into my history my daddy is a stone cold crack head, one time he told me he loves crack with so much convition that it made sad because I knew his relationship with a drug was stronger than his relationship with me. Does that mean I should be a crackhead or that because my father is one I lack the ability to do anything I can imagine. This is just one example of why I’m a nigga and there are a million more. I try to lead by example. I just decided ill do a post called why I’m a nigga. You guys will have some better isight on what I’m talking about. That’s why some of these comment are so ironic, just yesterday I had a meeting with an organization that empowers youth and promotes heath, I decide to get involved with their mentor program and will be on the planning committee for a youth empowerment confrence that will take place this summer, so nigga I’m doing my part.

    The panters? I’m from the town (oakland) where that whole movement was started, in fact I passed in front of their headquater everyday on my way to school? What you may not realize is that the panters were a militant group and were often violent I want everybody to get along.

    Troubl is causing trouble for ignorance and the people who want to stay that way.

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24. boosy

    damn right ronnie, we don’t fucks with violence…sorry niggas

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25. Q.

    WOW!!

    this joint needs to be moved to the top again, so people can catch this.. i feel Trini Gal.. she has her points, and maybe she will be able to come back after trying to understand what this is truly about.. maybe not, but this does show the risk we all run by trying to attach a term like “nigga” to an entire people.. we are obviously not there yet.. this really isn’t about people trying to be defined by the word.. this is about rejecting the word.. or at least that’s what i read from Trini Gal.. she (like me) would rather embrace the word “smart” or “intelligent” and flip it than nigga..

    the Panthers comment i feel.. I can’t speak for her, but reading her comment was more of an eye opener about feeling that TROUBL was a movement (not the same as the Panthers) that mobilized people under an agenda that bucked the status quo.. but that’s my opinion.. as a Chicago South Sider, the Panthers had a big presence there and it wasn’t all about violence.. i actually have a great friend who is serving time in Canada while the US is trying to get him back to Chicago to face charges (not valid) for shooting a police officer.. they tried to say he was a Panther and all this other stuff.. he actually wasn’t, but they were throwing a lot of us under the bus at the same time during that period and called us all Panthers so that it would scare the majority into taking action into killing or locking up all Panthers.. just wanted to throw that out there..

    i still think this post is showing that we all don’t want to be united under that flag.. i don’t think it makes any of us ignorant or a nigga by rejecting or not following this.. it just makes us sensitive to the history of that word.. i probably won’t ever get to the place that some of you all are, because i would never allow a white person to call me a nigga.. ever.. at that point, it would be violence..

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26. Trini Gal

    TroublMan
    I understand the idea about uniting under “one race” however, can’t we find a better word than “nigga”. The problem I have with it is the history. We are making it too easy for those who still view us as “niggers”…we are truly perpetuating the cycle of “ignorance”. We as an intelligent, strong, beautiful people can’t come up with a better word to unify all people than a word that was created to degrade us?
    I agree that our generation has embraced the term but if we open it up to everyone where is our “solidarity”?

    Yes, Pac has inspired our generation and to a point he celebrated the word however, I doubt he would be ok with us allowing others to use that term when referring to us. “Pac was very intellectual but also related to the most marginal people. And that’s how we describe ourselves.” Really? Why are we ok with being “marginal”? I thought that’s why the Civil Rights Movement was established to show that we AREN’T a “marginal” people. So I guess we are now accepting being the marginal class. Are we or are we not going backwards? I don’t know about you, but I’m NOT marginal nor will I accept someone thinking I am.

    About the math lesson, to be honest I didn’t think you were targeting the math question to children (as I don’t think this is a child’s site especially with the blog about does size really matter). I like where you are going with trying to get people to think but I think we need to step it up if we are going to call it progressive.

    Glad to hear that you are all about teaching the youth, but let’s not teach them something that will keep them from getting jobs, or classifying them as “niggas”.

    But more importantly, my question of “who is troubl causing troubl for now?” hasn’t been answered. Think about it.

    Ronnie B. Troubl
    Let’s get something straight, I am not acting as a “nigger” (ignorant person). I came with facts and if you think about it this blog is “ignorant” as it’s ignoring the history (Facts) of the word. I’m also not allowing history to define me, I’m just not forgetting about it. Empowerment is creating a new word or acronym that stands for something strong and positive that is empowering. I don’t consider “ignorant person” empowering.

    Not following in your father’s footsteps doesn’t make you a “nigga” it makes you smart, strong, and determined to be something better which by definition doesn’t make you a “nigga” if anything it makes you a strong black man who overcame adversity (assuming you’re black).

    I feel like this blog isn’t much different than when they use to have the minstrel shows mocking us and using us to do so.

    Ok, facts…the Black Panther party was not created or based on violence. That’s what “They” wanted “Us” to think because if you can divide than you can conquer. At the end of the day the Panther party was standing up for themselves and fighting for OUR rights. And the last time I checked, Violence begets Violence. The police use unjust violence towards us, we use violence back. Now keep in mind during this time racist people were hiding behind the badge and abusing their “power”. It breaks my heart to know that people view the Panther party just the way the government wanted us to. Divide and conquer…divide and conquer. I’m sure Huey is turning over in his grave to see our generation viewing the Panther party that way. A party that was created to teach, protect, and empower us.

    Ah, “Troubl is causing trouble for ignorance and the people that WANT to stay that way”…are we not being ignorant by wanting all people to be unified under the word “Nigga”? So, Troubl is causing trouble for Troubl. Thank you for making my point.

    Q.
    I’m glad someone else shares my concern.

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27. TROUBLMan

    TRINI GAL

    I respect your perspective.

    I’m definitely with creating new words. That’s what we do here. We create culture. But at the same time how can we deny the present use of the word today. Perpetuating the cycle of ignorance is me accepting the meaning that someone else has set for me. I refuse.

    Please don’t limit “our” solidarity to black people. By doing that you’re truly perpetuating the cycle of ignorance. You’re segregating the struggle. Isn’t it time that we teach our kids that they are all one people. We live in a global world. When I talk about marginal people, I include blacks, poor whites, immigrant, whoever fits under the tag.

    Using the word marginal is simply a way to describe our social position, which has to be examined because some people are on top and some are on the bottom.

    Tupac always intended for his music to be global. I’m certain he realized that when he said “nigga” in a song that people across the globe would be singing his lyrics.

    We are definitely progressive. Progressive come from the word progress, which means to move past. Using the word is us moving past its past.

    To think that a post on “does size matter” isn’t relevant to young people is false. It’s a conversation that 12 year old are having all across this country. I know this for a fact because it’s a conversation we used to have in junior high school.

    It’s question most young boys have as they go through puberty. It’s a question that we used to ask in Sex Ed class. And who will a young person trust more, a community of people that share in his worldview or some under-trained Sex Ed teacher?

    We can’t be shy and not address the things young people actually want discuss.

    And once again the math problem was pulled directly from a high school geometry textbook. It’s a question 15 and 16-year-olds are trying to to resolve in school right now.

    It causing trouble for the people who think we shouldn’t be educating our youth about the real questions they have about sex. It’s causing trouble for the people don’t want us having these types of critical conversations.

    These are the type of discussion that go on at the best liberal arts universities. Trust me, I know.

    That’s why its TROUBL. Because whether we agree or not, we’re creating a conversation for people all over the globe to read, chime in on and work together to teach each other all of our perspectives.

    If I’m wrong, show me that I’m wrong. I’ll work to do the same. It’s about teaching. When young people read this discussion realize how much they’re learning from both sides of the argument. That’s TROUBL!!!

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28. Ronnie B.troubl

    1st of all the intention was not to disrespect the panter party in any way shape or form I shouldn’t have said often but by no means was I wrong with what’s I said about them being militant. I appreciate all that they did, it helped us get here and will help us get to were eventually trying to go. On another note look at it like this the word with an er as being viral campare it to hiv its a horrible disease but its out there are we just going to tell people to stop fucking or are we going to address the issue cause awareness and teach people about protection. Staying stuck in the past will definately hinder your future. As I said before I’ve decided to do a frequent post which will give you some insight on why I identify with the concept of nigga. I figure there’s 3 way of looking at this you can not understand which may cause you to diisagree, for those my “why I’m a nigga” posts will enlighten you. You can understand and disagree which in that case I repect you opinion and ask that you respect mine ( but if your claiming to understand I like to hear what you think it is because if you truely understand I don’t see how you can oppose this). Or your completely on board with us. At the end of the day this coming from a real place, I know you niggas willeventually get it.

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Reply to “Niggas R Us”

SEE ALSO

               April 9, 2008

               February 11, 2008

               January 22, 2008

               June 9, 2008

               March 11, 2008