STICKS and stones may break the bones, but words can break the heart. We live in a world that has a lot of hatred in it and somewhere along the lines people have gotten the idea that the hatred that they dish out doesn't really have an effect on people. The opposite is true. In many cases verbal abuse does as much damage as physical abuse and sometimes even more. Today there is a lot of controversy about the word "nigger" and all of it's variants (nigga, nigguh, etc). Many black people hold fast to the belief that it is okay for black people to use the word and sometimes even Spanish people, but it is not okay for anyone else to use the word. Many black people have adopted the word as a term of endearment, but to some people, myself included there is NOTHING endearing about it. Now, I realize the chances of the word become archaic are improbable, especially during my lifetime, but when it comes up in discussion or elsewhere I still feel the need to speak my mind on it. I associate with many people who use the n-word and being in the music industry I often find myself making with music who incorporate the word into their lyrics. Sometimes, the word is even used in songs that I perform on. Now, it is not my job to chance anybody and the way that they create their art, so if they choose to use the word then so be it. However, there have been times when people shout me out and say things like, "that's my nigga SeAzOn ALL." Those things don't get released and I make the person aware of my conflict. One day I was actually compelled to write a song discussing my take on the word. It was well-received, so much so that I moved forward in creating a shirt that was also well-received. Basically, I am discouraged and a bit annoyed whenever I hear the word, but that's life. All I can do is me and spread my message to as many people as I can... stand up for what I believe.
"We've bound ourselves in chains man and nigga's just one of the links/I can't break it on my own. I'm strong but need power of we/But too many of we have decided that nigga should be/Every black man's name. The black man's I.D./So I write this rhyme in red ink, dip my pen in the Dead Sea/Spill blood on my pad to kill the nigga that's been killing me/"
-SeAzOn ALL
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