The term Race music and its paralell. (blog 3)

I truly do not mean to offend anyone with this blog post or be unprofessional.

One thing that was really interesting in Ch.5 was the use of the term race music. it mentioned in the chapter that even though we may view it as a derogatory phrase now, in the past it was used to show pride in being black. The term served as a sense of endearment and community, because it showed that African Americans were finally being recognized for the talent and culture.

This idea is similar to the word nigga. In an earlier time in history the word was used to offend and "put black people in their place." I do not mean to down play the significance of the word. I am well aware of the long lasting effects that this word has had on African Americans. I would never use the word in front of my older family members because many of them grew up and even participated in the Civil Rights Movement. However, I see a parallel between the terms nigga and race music. Just as race music as used to symbolize black pride, it seems that today the word nigga is beginning to take on a different connotation, in that people often use it to refer to one another in a positive way, suggesting that they are true friends or are viewed as being part of the family.

I do recognize that the terms are very different and are still very controversial. I simply seek to point out that just as music may have different connotations over time, the use of words change as well, which symbolizes that our society is one that is dynamic.