B-word vs. N-word: Ice Cube Check Yo Self.

Due to a live taping of a bad decision to cross the comedic line, the discussion of the n-word has made its way back to the hot topics list for a few days. After watching, what is normally on my Friday night lineup, I was left wanting more. Ice Cube’s pre-scheduled appearance could have been an opportunity to speak to the Maher AND the man in the mirror. Although artfully stated and correct, Ice Cubes comments are another glaring example of American hypocrisy at its finest. Luckily, it is never too late for Ice Cube, and all men who use the b-word, to take a step back and re-preach the sermon given to Bill Maher before they ever use the word “Bitch” again!

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Let me warn you this contains lots of language because you can’t talk about the use of the words nigga and bitch without saying nigga and bitch …

As a woman, I’ve been offended by Bill Maher, as a Christian I’ve been offended, as a recovering politician I’ve been offended, as a Democrat I’ve been offended by things in his standup and comedy shows. What I didn’t like the most about his use of the words “house nigga” is that it challenged my standards and values.

Now I’m not defending Bill at all. In fact, let me be clear … Bill don’t say that shit anymore. You have been warned.

But it challenged my standards because I never said I wouldn’t watch him anymore when he said things about women. I never said it when he said what I think are horrible things about the Muslim faith - or my own faith. If I won’t boycott him for offending my God how can I boycott him for offending my race. Surely my God comes before my Country or my color, right?

To those people who are choosing to turn off Real Time forever, it is your standards and your right to choose. That doesn’t change the fact you are a hypocrite at best and a supremacist at worst. If you were a loyal fan before but decided all things are fair game except the n-word, then you are only slightly better than the worst white supremacist when it comes to American language and culture.

And I guess that is why it was particularly shocking when I hear the defender of black people’s offense of the use of the n-word was none other than Ice Cube the rapper. Why? If I look at what Cube said to Bill except change the n-word to apply to the word BITCH. I think there is an overdue lesson in there for Cube and all men like him.

Check this out … [Cubes replaced words in all Caps.]

I knew you was gonna fuck up sooner or later CUBE.

I love your MOVIES you have a great MUSIC CAREER. You be bucking up against that line. You have a lot of DEMEANING MUSIC TO BLACK WOMEN. Sometimes you sound like a misogynistic TRUCK DRIVER.

[Bill Maher disagrees] It’s my opinion. My thing is this, I’m cool with you. I like your MUSIC AND MOVIES to be honest I just got two questions: What made you think it was cool to say that OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS OF YOUR MUSIC CAREER?

[Bill Maher apologizes again] NOW YOU HAVE NEVER GIVEN AN APOLOGY FOR USING THE WORD BITCH. I CAN’T ACCEPT AN APOLOGY NOT GIVEN!*

I think we got to get to the root of the psyche. I think there are a lot of guys out there who cross the line because they are too familiar or think they are too familiar or there are guys who might have a black girlfriend or two that made Kool-aide every now and then and they think they can cross the line. And they can’t!

You know it’s a word that has been used against us like a knife man. You can use it as a weapon or a tool. It has been used as a weapon against us by MEN. And we are not going to let that happen again, by nobody because it’s not cool.

Now I know you heard it’s in the lexicon and everyone is talking but “BITCH” is our word now. It’s our word now and you can’t have it back. I’m not just talking about you CUBE but I’m talking about guys who cross the line every day because they have FEMALE HOMEGIRLS and have friends and they think it’s cool.

But it’s not cool because when I hear my HOMEGIRL say it, it doesn’t feel like venom. When I hear a MAN SAY “BITCH” it’s like that knife stabbing you even if they don’t mean it.

So, I like your MUSIC AND MOVIES, it’s a great CAREER. But I just don’t know if YOUR MUSIC IS POLITICAL OR MUSIC ABOUT DENEGRATING WOMEN. And sometimes the WOMEN’S DENEGRATION – I understand the format and sometimes you have to say some HARD I’M FROM THE HOOD TYPE OF stuff, but this to me YOU ARE A ROLE MODEL NOW.

I think you just have to not step on some of YOUR POSITIONS AS AN ARTIST with LANGUAGE DEMEANING WOMEN, because some things aren’t funny OR COOL ANYMORE. WHEN WE KNOW BETTER WE DO BETTER CUBE!

This is real right here what we are going through, WOMEN PAID LESS, TREATED AS LESS … NOT COOL ANYMORE. I’m not trying to get on your case CUBE, because I like your MOVIES AND THE BEATS and I like you BEEN A FAN AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. This is a teachable moment, not just to you but to the people who are watching. Know what I am saying.

[Bill Maher, ‘The point has been made.”]

I KNOW THE POINT HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT WORDS BUT NOT BY WOMEN. NOW I MADE IT. I’m done. WE CAN ALL GET OFF OUR SOAP BOXES NOW.

One thing we must recognize is that Bill Maher gave an apology. He had lots of “buts” and explanations, but an apology none the less. *Cube has not apologized. In fact, when asked about his misogyny while promoting his movie Straight Outta Compton just a few years ago, Cube told Rolling Stone Magazine …

“If you’re a bitch, you’re probably not going to like us. If you’re a hoe, you probably don’t like us. If you’re not a hoe or a bitch, don’t be jumping to the defense of these despicable females. Just like I shouldn’t be jumping to the defense of no punks or no cowards or no slimy son of a bitches that’s men. I never understood why an upstanding lady would even think we’re talking about her.

What I don’t understand is what gives Cube more authority to decide what words he can use and what words cannot be used. Is it not fair for Bill Maher to decide which black men are men and who are the niggas? Ummm nope. Doesn’t work that way Cube. You don’t get to define that word. You don’t get to decide who takes offense to any word any more than Bill Maher does. Although you got street cred, and were already slated for the show, and although I appreciate you showing up, you still don’t get a pass. You need to replay the words you said back to yourself again.

If you’re a NIGGA, you’re probably not going to like us. If you are a COON, you probably don’t like us. If you are not a NIGGA or a COON, Don’t be jumping to the defense of these despicable NIGGAS. Just like I shouldn’t be jumping to the defense of no punks or cowards or no slimy sons of a NIGGA. I never understood why an upstanding BLACK PERSON would even think we are talking about them when we say NIGGA?

Cube … I’m not sure you are the best person to discuss what words are acceptable in society. Why are you so offended by Bill’s statements if you are an upstanding black man? To your point, don’t you have the power to choose if someone is talking about you or referring to the lesser of our race? It is hard to say, “I’m not one of the ‘bitches’ therefore I’m not offended” but N.W.A. and Cube has a song entitled “ONE LESS BITCH” that says:

In reality A fool is one who believes that all women are ladies A nigga is one who believes that all ladies are bitches, And all bitches are created equal. To me, all bitches are the same, Money hungry scandlist groopy ho's that's always riding on a nigga's dick. Always in a nigga's pocket and when the nigga runs out of money The bitch is gone in the wind. To me

All bitches ain't shit! One less, One less, One less bitch you gotta worry about!

That right there is why I can’t just ignore the word bitch when it comes from a man any more than you can just ignore nigga. You are a man equally as powerful as Bill Maher. If you feel Bill should apologize SO SHOULD YOU!

You are not a woman and rap is no different than comedy. It was an awesome time for you to tell everyone – including our president – that we are raising the bar. And guess what it is not too late! Now that you have this sudden stream of consciousness you need to dig a little deeper.

Now I recognize, my opinion is in part because I live in the utopia of the south side of Atlanta where government, business, and community are all led by powerful African Americans. Even though we are in the south in Atl we don’t deal, nearly as often, with some of the things people in other parts of the country still do daily as a result of the n-word. So, I don’t want to discount your experiences. But in my privileged life, I’ve felt more outward discrimination as a woman than I have ever felt as a black person. Paid less for the same work. Women in this world have been disrespected by men with the word “bitch” and other control far longer than the 400 years black people were in bondage.

This is not a comparison. Let me be clear, by no means am I saying black folks should lower their standards. If you were offended be offended. But don’t be a hypocrite. I’m not saying the n-word is acceptable. We all need to stop using it…. Myself included. But dear black men who are so sorely offended by the use of the N word check yourself and your male privilege. Cube you aren’t in the hood anymore. With your God given gift for words I am sure you can now find more artistic ways to describe a despicable female other than the word bitch.

Cube mentioned the “psyche” of a white person who thinks it is okay to say the n-word. Has he ever considered the “psyche” of a man who thinks it is okay to say the b-word? What is the difference? From the psyche of a female fan, who feels so connected to the artist I refer to him as first name "Ice" last name "Cube", Check Yo Self!