r/Jamaica • u/katyreddit00 • Oct 31 '24
Culture When did Jamaicans start using the n-word casually?
I was watching the Jamaican version of pop-the-balloon and I am flabbergast at how many Jamaicans are now using the n-word like Americans. I prided myself on the fact that we didn’t use that word, but I guess I was wrong. Love Jamaican culture, my grandparents are Jamaican and I grew up with it. But it seems like younger Jamaicans really want to be like Americans. I say this as an American myself, that’s just what I observed. Sad, because Jamaican culture is great.
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u/Ok-Network-8826 Oct 31 '24
“Mi nigga dem” I hear it all the time …. As Florida sneeze Jamaica catch the cold … I see people walk around with hoodies on for fashion and carry Stanley cups . Jamaica is really becoming Americanized and I don’t like it . 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
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u/Virtual_Detective340 Nov 01 '24
Every culture is mimicking Black American culture. It’s mostly coming from social media. Everyone wants to be like the cool kids. I didn’t mind the n-word in my younger days. Now that how much the word is tied to trash. I can’t stand to hear it.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
It's the impact of Hip Hop globally and social media giving access to FBA culture. Black Twitter is a prime example of the mass spread of FBA culture from fashion, slang, music, etc. Even YTs mimic the culture.
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u/maximus_effortus16 Nov 01 '24
It's not just black American culture. Black American culture has some purity to it, it's the rachet hood rat nonsense that leaking into Jamaica and the ratchet hood rat Jamaicans are the ones slurping it up. I consider people like that traitors.
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u/Dayna6380- Nov 01 '24
That sentence don’t even sound right…yea some words need to stay where they’re at smh hate that it’s reached beyond america
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u/katyreddit00 Nov 01 '24
Me neither tbh I liked have a distinctive culture. They don’t realize that Americans often took inspiration from Jamaicans. They don’t need to be like Americans.
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u/thesmellofcoke Nov 01 '24
It’s so interesting, I’m not Jamaican (Ethiopian) but I grew up in Toronto. I’ve noticed this phenomenon here as well over the last 10-15 years.
When I was growing up Jamaicans were the dominant black group in Toronto, culturally. Most of our slang was and is based off of Jamaican patois. The N word wasn’t part of our slang in the early 2000s unless you were begging American.
I think once social media started popping off in the 2010’s we all adopted it. Wonder if this is the same in Jamaica?
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u/yaardiegyal Yaadie in USA Nov 01 '24
There are many dancehall artists in Jamaica using the word nigga in songs too so yea basically
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Dancehall is influenced by hip hop
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u/LongIsland1995 Nov 02 '24
Contemporary dancehall (like Skeng or Byron Messia) sounds more like Jamaican hip hop than dancehall to me
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Blame Drake 🤣, he cosplays FBA/ADOS culture and then mixed it with Toronto Jamaican culture. Fool even talks with a Jamaican Toronto accent now.
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u/thesmellofcoke Nov 02 '24
Toronto was like this before Drake. Also Drake is “ADOS” his dad is black American from the South, not African or Carribean.
Also Canada has a pretty big ADOS population but I don’t expect you to know that because most FBA people can’t read.
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u/yaardiegyal Yaadie in USA Nov 01 '24
But as someone in the comments has mentioned, Jamaica has our own version of the term nigga https://www.reddit.com/r/Jamaica/s/yEDMtp3gRn
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Nov 01 '24
Now Toronto has more Somali slang words.
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u/yaardiegyal Yaadie in USA Nov 01 '24
What Somali terms are they using besides Wallahi
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u/telminnn Nov 02 '24
Apart from Wallahi there’s, Kawal, Bucktee, Bid (which means gun in Somali), Hooyo, Warya, Upti, Dhillo, and Miskeen (which is Arabic but was popularized by Somali people) are all used by non-Somali people on the DAILY over here.
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u/jamaicanprofit Oct 31 '24
The older generation doesn't use it.
Most people under 45 y/o in Jamaica grew up listening to Reggae AND Hip-Hop so we just used the word that we heard being used.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
Neither do older African Americans. Jamaicans started using it for the same reason African Americans did, hip hop culture (which Jamaicans had a big role in shaping)
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 02 '24
This is very false. Why would you say what influences a group that you aren't a part and speak as if you are an authority on the subject? It started before hip hop
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 02 '24
For one, I am half African American. Two, before hip hop the n word it was not commonly used among black people in the states like it did by the 90s
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u/Neeguhwut Nov 02 '24
Grew up in the 70’s and 80’s it was definitely used in DC frequently. Maybe not where you lived
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u/Ansanm Nov 03 '24
No true, if you watch the old Blaxploitation movies, the world was used profusely. I remember two instances of the “n” word in Jamaican music, one by the dj Kojack name dropping himself as nigger Kojack and Supercat using “ dutty nigger” in a song. I’ve always wondered about supercat since he’s Dougla and I come from an Indian majority Caribbean country, so I know how racist they can be. It’s unfortunate that Caribbean and Africans are using the word, it’s for low class people and shouldn’t be normalized.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 01 '24
It started with 'Gangsta Rap' which is purely West Coast.. a place that had zero Jamaican rappers until about 2005.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
Are you forgetting Admiral Dancehall? Listen to the last verse:
https://youtu.be/A0xHuA4jmgs?si=nF7MhesoeaWhZW-9
He was also on other NWA songs:
https://youtu.be/wtEpF01DNAM?si=NAsbxEElpqC1-grH
https://youtu.be/Tu7OfIEto10?si=krLSifkSFahJLy-c
https://youtu.be/SaP1XL7rKH8?si=-Dig_hhsKEnGXo3u
Let Me Ride by Dre & Snoop starts off with a Patois intro
Even Eazy E had Patois hooks in his songs
Same with Ice Cube
https://youtu.be/SsWsmH2d_Qg?si=MJL2Jd3M19tiJ8EU
Jamaicans were involved in gangsta rap from the beginning, on both coasts. Obviously not as many big names as the East Coast, but you could hear the Jamaican influence all over gangsta rap tracks of the time.
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Nov 01 '24
Like the track called "damn it feels good to be a gangsta" had a jamaican in that group "Ghetto Boys"
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
There's no concrete proof Admiral Dancehall ever existed much less whether he's Jamaican or not.
The fake accent in these songs isn't helping you prove anything.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24
Regardless you can hear the Jamaican influence all over early late 80s and early to mid 90s gangsta rap. Who do you think was singing and rapping in Patois or at least teaching Black Americans to sing and rapping in Patois if not Jamaicans?
You even had Tupac appearing in Dancehall videos of the time lol, the ties between the West Coast and Jamaica have always been strong.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 01 '24
As I said in a previous post of mine, Dancehall music was just as big as Hip-Hop from 1990 to 1995, so yeah it's expected that they would want some of that energy.
Gangsta Rap is still West Coast AA music. Jamaicans had nothing to do with it stop trying to force an involvement that never happened.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24
I never said it wasn't West Coast African American music, just that Jamaicans had a role in early West Coast gangsta rap which helped popularize the world (which is undeniable if you just listen to any of the above tracks). Obviously just a few years later Jamaican rappers in NY would take gangsta rap to new heights, so its obviously not surprising the island itself would be influenced by what the Jamaican diaspora was doing in America and start using the word also.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 01 '24
Those tracks prove nothing because there is still no evidence of an actual JAMAICAN being involved in the production or credits.
You are creating facts that don't exist and talking in circles trying to bring it back to the East Coast in order to dispute the simple truth which is JAMAICANS had nothing to do with that.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24
Again, even if it’s not an actual Jamaican who do you think taught them patois? Where did the influence come from to use Patois?
You’re trying to pretend like there wasn’t any Jamaican influence or involvement in early gangsta rap on the west coast which just isn’t the case. Snoop and Dre would even talk about how inspired they were by Shabba. Once again, Jamaican influence (even if you want to pretend like there was no Jamaicans involved) was present all over early gangsta rap.
If our culture and influence helped popularize the word, why are you surprised Jamaicans are using it?
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
This is false. I'm from the Westcoast and Jamaicans had nothing to do with shaping the Westcoast sound.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 02 '24
Did you listen to any of the above tracks? So you’re telling me no Jamaican influence on any of them?
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Actually it was the other way around. Dancehall artist wanting to crossover into the American market. Love your revisionist history though. All international markets want to crossover into American markets in every genre. Not just hip hop.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 02 '24
Your statement doesn't make any sense. Dancehall always wants to cross over into the US market.. even more so today.
The difference is 90's Dancehall music could not be ignored like it is currently, because back then Dancehall was too overpowered. Parties were spinning purely Dancehall songs.. not Hip-Hop fusion. If you weren't cutting your music with Dancehall back then, your music wouldn't have been potent for that time period. Our artists were not spending any money trying to collab. Hip-Hop artists like Doug E Fresh flew to Craigtown to go get Beenie Man and do a collab so spare me.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24 edited Nov 02 '24
It makes a lot of sense. You want some of the dancehall energy. You're just in denial. Your artists are just as culpable for degeneracy on their own. In your own culture. Pussy this, cocky that. Dancehall originated in the 70s. That song with Beenie Man was about 2 decades later. It's ok. I noticed there are some Jamaicans that refuse to take the plank out of their own eye. When it's positive, Americans copied (wanted some of that energy you say). When it's negative you blame American artists. Lol. Mmmk
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u/uncle-wavey1 Nov 02 '24
Not really. People were casually using the word in Blaxploitation era movies dating back to the early to mid 70s. Richard Pryor popularized it also with his stand up comedy in the 70s and 80s
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 02 '24
They don't know about the blaxploitation era. This is what happens when people on the outside looking in think they know about certain groups more than the actual group. It reeks of ignorance
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 02 '24
Ok, thanks for further proving my point that it did not start with Jamaicans.
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u/uncle-wavey1 Nov 02 '24
I love how you think you know what you’re talking about
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 02 '24
I guess when you can't prove me wrong with receipts you have to resort to random insults.. idc who you are or what you think about me. Post facts or stay mad.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Nah you just copied it.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 02 '24
Yes, we did.
See, we have no problem admitting when we copy from other cultures... you do.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Nah I just don't revise history.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 02 '24
It's not a revision.
We didn't spend ANY money to collab with you... you spent money to collab with us.. so who needed who? Go study Logic Proofs because you make absolutely no logical sense when you're talking.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 04 '24
Sure Jamaican artist spent money to not only get their asses to the states but to crossover into American genres. You really don't know wtf you're talking about. Tether
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u/Ashamed_Ad7999 Oct 31 '24
All my life Jamaicans would mostly use It mockingly. Now that isn’t the case.. A shame.
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u/cabist Nov 01 '24
Mockingly! I’ve always struggled to describe how my ol’ Dad says it, but that pretty much nails it. He’s Afro-Caribbean and only ever says it with a tone of mockery.
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u/Ashamed_Ad7999 Nov 01 '24
Africans do it too, in my experience. Growing up noting how Africans and Caribbeans used the word and how African Americans used the word was interesting and opened my eyes to how we might be black but we are not the same. Though the new gen just use it however.
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u/cabist Nov 16 '24 edited Nov 16 '24
Obviously we’re not going to be the same after ~400 years of separation. The African diaspora in different locations have different experiences and cultures too, clearly. I don’t think we should dismiss the fact that the vast majority of us that are even in the western hemisphere are here for the same fucked up reason
Like my Dad calls me that word, only maybe a couple times a month at the most. But It’s always when I’m doing something dumb or being ridiculous. Otherwise if he is saying it, it’s because he’s mocking the younger generation just tossing it around. It’s kinda in a playful way though, nothing malicious
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Nov 01 '24
Africans also know who you are, after all, they have 9 of your tribesmen in bondage over there in Africa. Only we don't know who we are.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
With this antibalck statement seems you're projecting. The call is coming from inside the house.
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Nov 03 '24
Anti black you say. You should begin to research and read. Many Africans(that look like you) and Arabs have done your forefathers worse than Thomas Thistlewood. These duds we have for political leaders and Clergy have never told you the 1/4 of your past.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 04 '24
You implying I get my history from politicians and preachers makes you comical to me. Again. The call is coming from inside your house. 🙃
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u/Ashamed_Ad7999 Nov 01 '24
Don’t say “we,” speak for yourself.
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Nov 01 '24
Right I should say most of y'all
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u/cabist Nov 16 '24
?? I’m truly confused by what you are trying to say. That African people in Africa know more about black Americans and the African diaspora than they themselves? How? That’s a crazy take
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
You're right. We're not the same. Black Americams didn't sell their people into slavery.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 02 '24
I think indigenous Liberians would disagree with that
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 02 '24
They would have been Black Americans if they weren't sold in the first place. Cancels out your point
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 02 '24
But there were, and some of us had the same colonial mindset when we went back to Africa.
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Oct 31 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ralts13 Oct 31 '24
This. First4ime I heard it used was folks from cou try using it in a derogatory manner. If you drag that out of someone they really dislike you.
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u/listeninglady Nov 01 '24
Yes this is how I grew up hearing it. 'St Elizabeth Red Nayga' etc (highly problematic, I am just using that as an example of how I heard it).
It was always very clear that the N word was a no-go word - and growing up with Ras family you can imagine how angry those family members would get if they heard it.
It still sounds like a nasty slur when I hear it, but I've noticed more young Jamaicans back home using it casually like some Black Americans. It's quite pathetic tbh and I blame the popularity of raggedy Hiphop for it.
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 02 '24
Why not just blame Jamaicans for being followers? Nothing raggedy about Hip Hop
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u/listeninglady Nov 02 '24
I specified Raggedy Hip Hop for a reason. I didn't say boom bap, backpacker, conscious rap or even nerd rap. The stuff that gets mainstream push is Raggedy & Ratchet. I say this as someone who grew up with Hiphop since the 80s and watched it change into this sellout music.
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u/MacDynamite71 Oct 31 '24
Ignorant word
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Nov 01 '24
Hahaha... Nah its one of the many "bywords" used against us captives. Their are many more for eg "African American" is also one..
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u/MacDynamite71 Nov 01 '24
I’m American . It’s an ignorant word. Used by ignorant and or racist folk
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Nov 01 '24
The Roman citizens that used these bywords in America and Europe are far from ignorant pal, they know why they mock us and they know who you ARE.
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u/MacDynamite71 Nov 01 '24
I’m not sure why we’re having this back and forth. When I first mentioned ignorant folk, I meant folk that look like me using that word. When you know better you do better.
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u/Wolfiie_Gaming St. Catherine Nov 01 '24
Nah, it's reclamation.
The one thing I don't get abt the majority of peoplw who use it tho, is the fact that if you're reclaiming the word to lessen it's power over you, why are you so offended still, when someone who isn't black says it to you. It's cognitive dissonance to have it both ways.
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u/TokyoLosAngeles Nov 01 '24
Sad to see that ugly word has infected Jamaica, Jamaica doesn’t need to copy America. Same thing with Nigerian Afrobeat artists copying saying the word too like Burna Boy.
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u/UmpireWinter4521 Oct 31 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
Jamaican starting giving up their tradition just like they left cricket a sport they used to be proud and passionate about! inheriting everything from Americans giving up ur values! Dont let anyone tell you what or what not to. Pls Understand Jamaicans
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Nov 01 '24
Jamaican traditions and or culture... 🤣😂 Our traditions and culture died out centuries ago pal. We have copied every foolish tradition and culture from the other nations since, to this day.
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u/UmpireWinter4521 Nov 01 '24
both,yeah its going away,its sad but so honest words! appreciate that 🙌🏻
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Nov 01 '24
Where was cricket inherited from?
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u/UmpireWinter4521 Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
if thats the case where did human originated from? See there are basis culture that need to kept as it should be,anyones influence shouldnt change it,cricket was a part of jamaicans since 1850s,Cricket is a the oldest and traditional sport In Jamaica, ask to anyone! Whats is the worst part is that,slipping away Your Tradition and culture!? cricket is its path to failure in Jamaica!
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Nov 01 '24
It's a traditional sport in many former colonies of England. It's ironic that you use it as an example of traditional Jamaican culture, while railing against the current generation identifying with foreign culture as they choose.
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u/UmpireWinter4521 Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
Should 175 years of cricket or just 2-3 decades of any other sport truly be considered part of Jamaican sporting culture? also i dont have problem with ppl choosing any culture but betraying their own culture is where the problem lies!
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 03 '24
Jamaicans still play cricket, but it is not as popular anymore because there's more money involved in playing other sports like football & track.
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u/Eastern-Advisor7807 Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
Jamaicans here in the US be saying it heavy. My dad is Black American and he hates it when I say it. I’m trying to learn to do better with that as a Black American
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u/Fuzzy_Parking_4257 Nov 01 '24
It’s a thing for this generation but the generations before mine don’t say it. We use other words.
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u/Electrical-Key-446 Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24
It’s just life tbh. The slur existed in many places during the years of chattel slavery, and way before that. But, remember it wasn’t always offensive. Just like how getting African slaves wasn’t rooted in racism at the beginning. It became that way once these people from far away were brought to do undesirable work. AA slaves weren’t the only n-words. Couldn’t be if the major players (Netherlands, English etc) who were mortal enemies sold them far and wide.
(I’ll put the disclaimer here. I don’t support using slurs and I don’t think they ‘made up ‘ the transatlantic slave trade—alot of ppl on the internet seem to think that lately. Also passionate about Jcan culture and world history. It is a SHAME we weren’t able to preserve more. It’s also why ppl can claim things as their own)
People moved back and forth more freely since then, and pop culture gave us a somewhat socially acceptable form, dropping the ‘er’ and adding the ‘a’ (hiphop, reality tv, etc). Does mass production/distribution = ownership? Our tv stations have few local shows in comparison to the American-made shows they broadcast. Growing up, I had cable, so naturally, I’m not watching much cvm or tvj. The US has a more developed film industry, and there are more descendants in the US.
The increase happened again with more globalization and social media. Just like the increase in racism coincided with their business decision to get cheaper, stronger plantation workers.
Idk, id say this is just evidence that nothing is static and we should always be prepared for life to change. Gay means happy, and older books have it in that context. Today, we know what it means and why most ppl avoid using it unless they want to indicate sexual orientation.
Even those lines they drew and redrew, just to ignore, and draw back again. Does country of origin matter when we have the internet? Those imaginary barriers (intl borders) are less important when it comes to things like culture.
Forget the N-word, back in 2011,2012 I had people walking around saying annyeonghaseyo (from K-dramas) and before that it was anime with Japanese culture becoming their personality.
What does it even mean to be Jamaican? I was born in modern Jamaica (98). Are we more or less Jamaican now? We’re “in charge” now at least. Id argue the ones who left years ago are so detached that the image of Jamaica they pass down is simply wrong. This is what ive found in my one year of living in America. Distorted by nostalgia, or their families are straight up robbing them blind, so they get stories and images of the worst parts.
“Younger Jamaicans really want to be like Americans”😭 before that they wanted to be British, in the hot Caribbean sun drinking tea, and wearing long clothing. Before that they wanted to be the most appealing parts of the Spanish, and a weh day we stop building like them entirely. Where did the Tainos first see people flattening their baby’s foreheads? Idk, wasn’t there, but I still jerk chicken. Thanks Tainos.
Indians gave us curry and coconut milk in cooking, some sources even say Ganja. Chinese gave us rice and ginger, and them plus the Jews, Syrians and Lebanese gave us business acumen. Germans and Russians gave us their labor and culture. Irish taught freed slaves to speak English, and we can hear it our accent. Thanks for the potatoes too.
Out of many one people, remb? Today, with mass migration to the US, parts of their culture will get absorbed. That includes the n-word, and others like ‘finna’, ‘deadass’, ‘pressed’. The eyebrows were on fleek here, and we were saying bye felicia (like the rest of the world). They say the N word in African countries. Don’t be so sad.
Slurs are a touchy topic, but in a couple decades I do believe attitudes will continue to change. Attitudes have already changed, and the last straw will be ppl of Latin descent being able to say it outside of their diverse neighborhoods. Streamers have made it okay too.
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u/Electrical-Key-446 Nov 01 '24
Summary: Society drives the meaning and weight of most things. Negro, and all other variations of the word shows that. Not something to lose sleep about when it’s tracking in a more positive direction. No way you could call a woman a bitch 20 years ago. They call them mukkaz now. Bitch is the nice version. Honestly, id rather us take back the word than for me and my people to be triggered over it. Never forget tho.
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u/Ever_Summer Nov 01 '24
I hate it . I hate it when Jamaicans came to America and adopt black American culture. Sorry to say it but it’s true
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u/yscken Nov 02 '24
Lmao yalls logic is so funny, so poverty in jamaica doesnt look similar to the “black american culture” ik you’re talking about. The ignorance is hilarious like it isnt just poverty in two completely different countries but okay
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u/Ever_Summer Nov 02 '24
Logic? You’re comparing America , whose resources and opportunity overwhelmingly overshadow those in Jamaica?
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u/Uzbekys Nov 03 '24
It’s just ignorance. Most Jamaicans don’t understand that black Americans have struggles too just like them. The struggles are just different to what they understand which is why they think they out perform black Americans when in reality BA are just fighting a different battle. BA know the opportunities are there if they want to take advantage of it and are free to do so anytime. They’re not on a strict timeline and don’t have to go back to no other country Bec they’re already home. And with their same logic, Jamaicans are no different than BA Bec the Chinese and people all over the world came to Jamaica and find big opportunities and own businesses. Jamaicans dont talk about how these people out perform them on their own island though.
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u/yscken Nov 03 '24
And media plays a big part too, they act as if black americans are only like the ones portrayed in movies n hiphop, not realizing how big America is compared to Jamaica with black ppl of hella different ways of life just like Jamaica, our poverty is just on a larger scale because of much larger country
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 02 '24
Stokely Carmichael can here and adopted our culture. He should have taken it back to Jamaica and you wouldn't be locked out of your beaches. Who are the 21 families that have the power in Jamaica?
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u/Ever_Summer Nov 02 '24
Not going tit for tat but there’s a reason why people from Jamaica, Nigeria, India, or impoverished nations out perform black Americans and find success at a higher percentage when they make the decision to come to the states. Different culture and outlook on life. All I’m saying is that if Jamaicans want to emulate anything when they come to America( I’d prefer we didn’t adopt anything), black American culture is the wrong choice. Just the honest truth.
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 02 '24
It's called brain drain. Immigrants typically outperform the native populations in many countries because of brain drain. What is happening on the ground in some of the countries you named?
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u/blue_suede_shoes77 Nov 02 '24
It’s selective migration. “Lazy” unmotivated, disabled persons don’t migrate. Also, people who try to migrate and are unsuccessful economically tend to return home, further biasing the statistics showing successful performance.
A cultural explanation is not convincing when you have entire countries of Indians, Jamaicans, and Nigerians that are much poorer than Black Americans.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 03 '24
There's tons of private beaches in the US too buddy, maybe you've never been to one.
Jamaica only went into uproar because the concept of a private beach is completely new to them, but you've had them for generations.
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 03 '24
Sir, you are the majority being locked out by the minority. Please be serious right now.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 03 '24
So just because we're the majority population we shouldn't operate based on the rules of business? Hotels all over the world section off private beaches. You just want to rub something in our face so bad that you're not even thinking logically.
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 03 '24
No, here's what I'm saying. You have no room to talk trash about others when your house isn't in order.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 03 '24
Talk trash where? What's a derogatory term we have for you? I can name 2-3 you have for us.
The real problem here is that you want to be the only Black people on Earth really.
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 03 '24
Who told you this? Again, stop talking trash about people and you wouldn't hear from them. Clean up your culture before speaking on others. It's really that simple.
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u/jamaicanprofit Nov 03 '24
Show me one example of us talking trash.
How many Jamaicans are on FBA subs talking trash? Zero. There are dozens of FBA here trying to lecture us on our own culture daily. You have bigger things to worry about than some Jamaicans somewhere.
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 03 '24
I don't know what FBA is. You can simply look at the responses in here and see people talking trash. Again, clean up your culture and figure out why you are being boxed out by the minority in your own country before talking trash about others.
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u/maximus_effortus16 Nov 01 '24
I notice it and I seriously don't like it. It's like watching our culture disappear. Soon, you'll go back to Jamaica and feel like you didn't leave America.
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u/Arciess Nov 02 '24
I was shocked when I heard ‘racist’ paler-skinned Jamaicans using the term, against African-Americans as well as their own…
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u/Ratfriend2020 Nov 01 '24
I grow in the USA and that word was rarely used in my household. I still don’t feel right using it now as an elder millennial. Culture is fluid though, and things are going to change.
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u/No-Estate-6335 Nov 01 '24
Most of the Jamaicans I hear say it (when I’m in JA) are young people that are influenced by American culture. I’ve heard it the -er though and it sounds so strange LMAO.
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u/ibdread Nov 01 '24
A symboll of American black rap/hip-hop culture that normalizes all forms of degeneracy
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u/ZealousidealAd4860 Visitor from [input country here] Nov 02 '24
It's a black person thing not just a Jamaican thing black people in the US say the N word to other black people
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u/alwzdwn469 Nov 02 '24
Places in the world are not isolated anymore pop culture influences everybody at the same time since the internet is so popular....i have see tge kids 6 and below all speaking with an accent and straight English words....this is what u get when the babies watch peppa pig and all the international tv shows ave internet programs... Hip hop music and tv shows have influenced our culture a lot especially since covid
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u/LongIsland1995 Nov 02 '24
Even the middle aged Jamaican guys I work with use the N word all the time
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u/TheOnlyEllie Nov 03 '24
It grosses me out tbh. Everything Americans do we want to follow, hoodrat behaviour.
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u/TheOnlyEllie Nov 03 '24
It grosses me out tbh. Everything Americans do we want to follow, hoodrat behaviour.
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u/Original_Broccoli_78 Nov 11 '24
We've been using our variations for decades. "ole Nyagga" and "nasty Nyagga dem". It's really not new for us.
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Nov 01 '24
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u/Uzbekys Nov 01 '24
The real shame is calling another culture trash. No culture is trash. Every nations beliefs, customs and traditions are different. Never judge a culture. Instead open your mind to learning the “whys”
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u/Individual_Age7434 Nov 01 '24
Jamaican that grew up in the US and this is 100% truth. Black American culture is the most influential globally while Jamaican culture is most influential pound for pound. No point in downing another culture especially since most are influenced by it in some way
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u/Training_Weight9290 Nov 01 '24
smoking spliffs wear dreads locks and escaping to the fours corners of the earth does not a culture make. name the last globally relevant or innovative thing to come from the British common wealth Island in the last 50 years besides Wayne Wonder?
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u/JimboWilliams1 Nov 02 '24
How else will he praise his culture? You see this a lot with the "diaspora" when Black Americans are the topic. It reeks of jealousy and they don't even know it.
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u/Gmasitaliankitchen Nov 02 '24
I feel you. I did not intend to say the entire culture is trash, as you said EVERY culture has negatives. Jamaica has MANY
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u/listeninglady Nov 01 '24
Ehhh there's a lot of trashy, scummy, gutter elements to almost every culture. It's dishonest to say that it shouldn't be critiqued because it's seen as different. The N word becoming synonymous with Black people is an example of trash American culture.
Black people didn't even invent that word and yet...
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Meanwhile listening to Shenseea and Vybz a murder talk about pussy in nearly every song.
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Nov 01 '24
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Calling American music trash when dancehall exists is wicked work.
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u/Gmasitaliankitchen Nov 02 '24
I used the term trash for the musical influence, there’s plenty of great black American culture. I was specifically speaking off the hip hop trapper influence that has taken off in recent years. I’m sorry for sounding like I feel ALL black American culture is bad.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24
I mean the entire reason the n word became popular among Americans in the first place is because of Hip Hop culture which Jamaican Americans in New York obviously played a big role in. It’s more a cross pollination of cultures type of thing instead of Jamaicans just wanting to act like Americans.
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u/katyreddit00 Nov 01 '24
No, early Jamaican-American rappers were not using the n-word. That was strictly something born out of African-American culture specifically southern culture
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24
Biggie, Busta Rhymes, Grand Puba, Slick Rick, Pete Rock, Souls of Mischef, Das Efx, Heavy D etc were all using the n word lol what are you talking about. Sure in the early to mid 80s NY rappers weren't using the n word, but by the late 80s both NY and LA rappers were using it commonly. The South wasn't involved in popularizing the word in Hip Hop culture, NY rappers (many of whom were Jamaican or Carribean) and LA rappers were responsible for it. The South wasn't even that relevant in Hip Hop until the 2000s.
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u/katyreddit00 Nov 01 '24
And those rappers did not popularize it, it was American rappers who began it first
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24
Are you forgetting Admiral Dancehall? Listen to the last verse:
https://youtu.be/A0xHuA4jmgs?si=nF7MhesoeaWhZW-9
He was also on other NWA songs:
https://youtu.be/wtEpF01DNAM?si=NAsbxEElpqC1-grH
https://youtu.be/Tu7OfIEto10?si=krLSifkSFahJLy-c
https://youtu.be/SaP1XL7rKH8?si=-Dig_hhsKEnGXo3u
Let Me Ride by Dre & Snoop starts off with a Patois intro
Even Eazy E had Patois hooks in his songs
Same with Ice Cube
https://youtu.be/SsWsmH2d_Qg?si=MJL2Jd3M19tiJ8EU
Jamaicans were involved in gangsta rap from the beginning, on both coasts. Obviously not as many big names as the East Coast, but you could hear the Jamaican influence all over gangsta rap tracks of the time.
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u/katyreddit00 Nov 01 '24
I never said Jamaicans were not involved in gangsta rap, I’m saying they did not start the popularization of using the n-word.
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u/FeloFela Yaadie in NYC Nov 01 '24
I didn’t say Jamaicans unilaterally were responsible for it, just that Jamaicans had a role in popularizing it.
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u/Typical-Carpet-4394 Feb 13 '25
My dad was a Jamaican born in the 60s he moved to LA in the 80s I’ve heard him use the n word plenty of times he was also a huge fan of hip hop like most Caribbean people who migrated from the Kingston. The term nigger/nigga isnt new to Latin America (West Indies) its synonymous with words like amigo and amor. Mor and niger are old words for african people. Its a whole country called Nigeria and niger would we see a issue if it was niggeria?!🤦🏾♂️ pls educate yourselves black people
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u/katyreddit00 Feb 13 '25
This is the most ignorant thing I’ve read. Read up on the history of the n-word. It’s not the same as Nigeria. This is why they say we’re not intelligent.
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u/YardMan79 Nov 01 '24
It’s sad that our youth are copying the mannerisms of a country with no real culture. I have been living in the US for over 20 years and I can’t point to one thing that is uniquely “American,” except burgers and fries. The “n” word is the last thing our youth should be copying. I hate the use of it, even if some people use it colloquially. That word was never intended to uplift or celebrate black and brown people.
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u/OnYoAss144 Nov 01 '24
Black American culture IS American culture
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
Right. They be trying it...while in this thread talking about being influenced by black Americans. I find the consistent attempts to reject the negative influence but try to claim the positive influence quite comical. It's weird.
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u/YardMan79 Nov 01 '24
Those are very generic phrases. Could you explain what you mean by “Black American culture?” Genuine question; no sarcasm.
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u/OnYoAss144 Nov 02 '24
Jazz, Blues, Hip Hop, Ragtime, House music, FOOD, dress, slang/language, literature etc. This is coming from a Jamaican-American, I HATE when Jamaicans say America/Black America has no culture….its right there in your face.
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u/Tape843 Nov 01 '24
What is Jamaican culture ?
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u/Gmasitaliankitchen Nov 02 '24
As a born Jamaican I want no parts of American black culture, why would I?
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u/YardMan79 Nov 02 '24
Answering a question with a question doesn’t advance the conversation. Jamaican is a specific people group with cultural norms distinct from other non-Caribbean or African people groups. The phrase used was “Black America.” I only asked the poster to define what that meant. I’ve lived in the US in several different states. I’ve met several black/brown people. I’m simply trying ask what the phrase means, because within the Black Americans that I met, were several different customs and cultural norms that varied greatly.
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u/Tape843 Nov 02 '24
Yet you still haven't answered my question 😭 wtf is Jamaican culture?
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u/YardMan79 Nov 02 '24
This conversation is going nowhere. But since you asked me the question, I will attempt to answer it: Jamaica has one of the most identifiable flags on the planet. I have a Jamaican license plate and of all the conversations I have ever had about the plate, not once have I been asked the question, “What country does that flag represent?” Somehow, everyone knew it was the Jamaican flag. We have a rich musical history, including the origination of reggae. Some of our food, beverages, plants and fruits are indigenous to the island or were created originally by Jamaicans. Patios is now an officially recognized second language on the world stage. I can explain it to you. But I can’t understand for you. And at this point, you’re simply being antagonistic.
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u/bnshei Nov 02 '24
African American culture is the celebration of the ethnic group that was trafficked to present day USA by the British and fought against the British so the USA can gain independence, African American culture is a culture of resilience and strength as they also fought for their freedom during the USA civil war and fought for equality during American Jim Crow.
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
So reduced your popularity to a fucking flag. Sad
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u/Gmasitaliankitchen Nov 02 '24
You must be dunce, all your points are illogical and biased
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u/YardMan79 Nov 02 '24
When the conversation turns to name-calling, I usually bow out. Take care my friend.
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u/SlowAbbreviations930 Nov 01 '24
Everything Black Americans do, is this copied by everyone else on the planet. Music. Style. Cinema. Food. Far beyond just using the N-word.
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Nov 01 '24
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u/Pandora_Reign1 Nov 02 '24
You must've forgot you were colonized. Black American culture influence the world. It IS culture. So if FBAs have no culture then neither does any other group in the black diaspora because everyone is influenced by colonization. Also, why are you in America? You can easily go back.
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u/YardMan79 Nov 02 '24
Are you one of those “if you don’t like it here go back to your own country” people? 😂 civil discourse is a lost art. Have a great day, “insert your preferred pronouns here.”
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u/persona-non-grater Oct 31 '24
Pop the balloon is gutter trash so it’s not surprising that they use the n word in it.
Day to day life I don’t hear ppl use it must be terminally online young men.