Q-Tip To Russell Simmons, Toure, and The Dream: Ya’ll Can Save That Gwyneth Paltrow Defense

June 7th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source: soulculture.co.uk

Well, here’s one celeb who wasn’t rushing to defend Gwyneth Paltrow’s tweet about being a n*gga in Paris for real. After The Dream, Russell Simmons, and even Toure hopped on the GP train of defense, rapper Q-Tip had more than a few words to say about their support, and he called them out by name on Twitter:

“listen rush simmons, toure, and all Black folk who are sympathist to this gwen paltrow n*gga thing….she may not have meant harm, sure it was in the heat of the moment but that fact that she showed not 1 IOTA of an apologetic tone….given the historical weight of that word is not responsible of G paltrow’s part…as powerful as hiphop is it DOESNT erase the years of damage that not only that word has done but circumstances that usually surrounded it…sure there is empathy for the black american struggle from all races but the empathy shld be extended to the great pain we as blacks…have experienced for generations. for the pain that we still deal with in our communities daily..was gwen wrong for recognizing unrelated people to the song as “n*ggas in paris for real”? debatable. BUT she SHLD have ….paltrow shld have offered a “if i offended anyone im truly sorry” as a person who loves black people and understands…there’s a scope of black folk that exist beyond the ones that she partied with in paris who are still dealing w the complexities of…their circumstances. black folks that dont know about giving a white person a “pass” … there is a lot to this thing. rush ? toure? its ok its all love brothas but lets build … later! and i got love for yall and im glad we can express our views! peace

So diplomatic. I think Tip is the first person to explain why Gwen’s message was suspect, beyond just her having white skin. I imagine we’ll be holding our breath til Kingdom come to hear anything from Bey, Jay, or Ye on this but I’m thinking next time Gwen start’s balling so hard she forgets she’s white, no n-word’s will be flying from her phone, via her fingertips or The Dream’s. I will say though, saying sorry probably wouldn’t make much difference. We receive enough of those obligatory apologies on a regular basis, but Gwen was kind of feeling herself with that “Hold Up, It’s the name of the song” response like she didn’t think anyone should check her on it. Sadly mistaken.

What do you think about Q-Tip’s take on this situation?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • mstellallofthattruth

    I feel that it is our OWN faults that the word is being used. Other races hear us use it, of course they would think that it is ok to use the word. We need to stop using the word ourselves and show others that it is not ok.

  • Cici

    Sigh… A lot of people are generalizing black people and assuming that all black people “love the [N-word].” We watch television and listen to music that is sensationalized by executives who allow the public access. A lot of times the message and actions these rappers/tv personalities portray are deplorable, however, they are lining many people’s pockets. We speak out against these actions and messages and don’t get through until a celebrity or renowned personality call them out. We categorize the users based on their common denominator–which is usually skin color and sometimes say insensitive things. Then we are quick to say “I am not racist, my really good friend is Black and he doesn’t talk like that.” We don’t see people of other races using the word on tv or hear it in their music, but come on… do we really believe it isn’t out there? As for the “well it’s a song title” excuse, were most of us not raised with our own train of thought? Just because they say it, doesn’t make it right, nor does it excuse anyone else for using any loaded term.

  • gmarie

    again..it does not matter that it was the name of the song. Kanye and Jay Z are not the representatives of all things black. Hip Hop is only a Subculture of the black community, it does not represent the thought process of the whole. people like to sweep all the way under the run the idea that there are MANY black people who do not use this word in their vocabulary at all and who do find it extremely offensive. She showed no remorse at all to those people. it was just like..”oh well..my n****as will defend me.” *shrug*..and like clockwork, they broke their necks to do so.

  • Numero Uno

    So sick of hearing about this mess. Was she wrong for saying it. Yeah. But I also place the blame at the feet of JayZ and Kanye for even using that word in the title of a song! I mean how ignorant can you get. You have two of the most prominent artists in hip hop using the “N” word in the title of a hit song. What did people expect? Too many in the black community keep endorsing the word and think it’s cute or different if you take off the -er and add an -a.

  • Numero Uno

    So sick of hearing about this mess. Was she wrong for saying it. Yeah. But I also place the blame at the feet of JayZ and Kanye for even using that word in the title of a song! I mean how ignorant can you get. You have two of the most prominent artists in hip hop using the “N” word in the title of a hit song. What did people expect? Too many in the black community keep endorsing the word and think it’s cute or different if you take off the -er and add an -a.

    • QueenCarib

      theyre all hypocrites!

  • Ron

    Well said Q-Tip! I support, appreciate & respect your stance.

  • Ron

    Well said Q-Tip! I support, appreciate & respect your stance.

  • Stylee

    Q Tip is right there should be no pass for any white person using the N word .
    Slavery is suppose to be a long time over, and everyone should be freeing themselves from using the N word whether they are black or white; that in particular goes for all situations where black people think that it is acceptable for it to be used in…….There should be no poetic licence within ones own conscience for the use of that word…. There should be no poetic licence for it to be used in the music industry as a form of expression.. This most derogatory word has been allowed to be continued through time and now has filtered into the media having an over prescribed usage in the American music and film industry trough recorded products which are not only being heard at home but also exported world wide for entertainment.
    How are individual Black people going to orientate themselves away from the slavery plantation as long as the repetitively use the N word to define themselves as individuals I have to ask ?

    • QueenCarib

      blacks do not like taking responsibility for their irresponsible behavior. they wont stop using the word, but will continue to demand that others do. blacks in the US are a laughing stock to the rest of the world.

  • Mika

    Why are white people so anxious to use such a loaded term? I would never use the term hy*&^ or other terms used to decribe her religion b/c I know about their suffering. I don’t use the term f*&@ot to describe gays because I know the hurt it causes.

    So when these racists that are going all our on their assault on Obama using racist, loaded language on their bumper stickers or place confederate flags on their cars, I’ll tell them its okay because Russell simmons says so.

    • QueenCarib

      the problem is not white people, the problem is black people. other races and groups who have suffered humiliation and have been marginalized by racist terms do not go out there and then claim the word as “a term of endearment.” only blacks do. when blacks put a stop to the use of the word in their language, other races will follow suit. black people are to blame; no one else! blacks are always so quick to pass the buck and the blame upon others and very rarely take responsibility for their own actions.

  • QueenCarib

    black men are sometimes the worst! im sorry i had to go there. it seems to me that it’s always the men in the black community who want to justify this kind of behavior. never standing up for what’s right and decent and good. never standing up to defend the black woman and the black family. always buckling to the nonsense of the culture. NO OTHER RACE of people are using racist and derogatory language in their music to the extent that blacks do; no other race of people condones and become millionaires off of calling their women degrading names. no other race. the black race is in a serious mess. black men are weak and have no backbone in saying enough is enough. the only time they will really sand up for something is if a law passes getting rid of cigarettes, closing all the alcohol stores and closing chicken joints. then, the whole race goes up in arms. it’s a daggone shame that this is what blacks have come to — much of it can be attributed to the weakmindedness of black men.

    • e

      I understand whatyou are trying to say @queencarib:disqus but don’t go in on black men like that. You see a lot of stuff with Black society but I can’t allow you to simply take the entire Black male population and talk about cigarettes and chicken joints while I see my hard working father and brother work for theirs and stand for whats right and my black granddad, being 75 and still work hard and is pretty much an activist in the community.
      You ought to try being somewhat politically correct. try saying some, or the black men around you before you just start bashing Black men.

      • QueenCarib

        ok, you make some valid points @e. MOST AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN is what i meant. perhaps, i went too far with the cigarettes line and such, but i bet you if such a thing were to happen, MOST AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN would absolutely be up in arms. without a doubt. im happy to hear that the men in your life have been great examples. i have seen other black men as wonderful examples, as well. my post here is largely about AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN. you do realize there are other black people that are not AFRICAN AMERICAN, right? So, im not talking about those other blacks…most other blacks of different cultures have their stuff together. it is AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACKS who continue to fail. who continue to perpetuate the negative stereotypes that exist about blacks in this society. i think AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE need to have a little pow-wow with each other and really get this thing together. AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACKS have become a laughing stock to the rest of the world…believe me when i tell you. smdh.

        • Cici

          You mean, “A lot of Black Men portrayed in the media.” You do not know every black man in America or how they act. The media and the music executives allow this and as a result we have a society that reacts more to what they see on TV or in music.

  • Ms_Sunshine9898

    you name a song that name, you get mad when people use it and refer to it and quote it while you’re actually doing it, I just don’t understand my people sometimes. she was wrong for using the word but cut her some slack, she called it exactly what they themselves called it. . .

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