Debate Over the N-Word with Trinidad James and Don Lemon on CNN [WATCH]
With all the chaos going on with the N-word, Don Lemon decided to talk to rapper Trinidad James, whose song, "All Gold Everything," uses the word plenty of times during a chat on CNN this week.
When Lemon asked the rapper how he felt about University of Oklahoma SAE fraternity's house mother, Beauton Gilbow, singing the lyrics to his song and using the N-word, Trinidad said:
"Honestly I think that somebody is trying to be sarcastic and play a joke on this on lady," the rapper says. He claims that he seen the video of the frat's house mother singing his song almost two years ago.
Trinidad said that he didn't say anything about the video because, "Life is just so much bigger than that." He adds, "It's a very rock and a hard place, and a Catch-22 situation, when it comes to dealing with racisim and that particular word."
Lemon asked the rapper if he thinks she's racist, and James says, "Yes. I think that she comes from racism. She's 79 years old. 79 years ago, whatever year that is, she has seen tons and tons and tons of racist acts."
"I don't think that when she was doing that, she was was doing it to be a protestor or anything. But it tickled her because she knows what she came from."
"I'm not going to be that person," James added. "It's a rock and a hard place. I can't be as upset at that lady. I'm upset at the fraternity because what they're saying is a chant that's just completely disrespectful to the black race. As far as that lady goes — man, that's an old lady, man. Let that lady be."
One of the men on the panel below feels like the N-word needs to be put to rest. James said:
"It's hard to ridicule somebody for something that you continue to use in your music," he continued, "Every (hip-hop) artist is using the n-word in their music — hit records with the n-word in it. You can't be upset when somebody says it. You can't. It's hard to differentiate when you can use it. If we don't want the word used and the word holds such a negative connotation, then we shouldn't use it at all, period."
Thoughts, anyone?