Niggas vs. Black People
Encyclopedia
"Niggas vs. Black People" is the title of one of Chris Rock
's most famous and most controversial
bits. This bit, which appeared as track 12 on his 1997 album
, Roll With the New
, as well as his 1996 HBO special, Bring the Pain
, is widely considered to be the breakthrough routine that established his status as a comedy fixture after he left Saturday Night Live
.
Essentially an eight-minute rant about behaviors that Rock sees within the black community; he describes "nigga
s" as a cohort whose behavior is usually detrimental to the image of other black people
which embodies many negative African-American stereotypes. The "niggas," he said, glorify ignorance and sloth, and brag about fulfilling any minor responsibility. Rock rejects the view that this image of African-Americans is purely cultivated by the media
. In the routine, he says, "When I go to the money machine
tonight, alright, I ain't looking over my back for the media, I'm looking for niggas! What, you think I've got 3 guns in my house 'cause the media outside?"
In a 2003 interview, Rock explained that the idea for the bit came from the song "Us" from the 1991 Ice Cube
album Death Certificate
.
The controversy caused by Rock's constant use of the word nigga led him to remove the piece from his act. In a 60 Minutes
interview, Rock said, "By the way, I've never done that joke again, ever, and I probably never will. 'Cause some people that were racist thought they had license to say nigger. So, I'm done with that routine."
As an example of the routine's cultural impact, Barack Obama
directly referenced it while campaigning to be elected President during a Father's Day
speech on June 15, 2008, saying "Chris Rock had a routine. He said some—too many of our men, they're proud, they brag about doing things they're supposed to do. They say 'Well, I- I'm not in jail.' Well you're not supposed to be in jail!" Also, in the second episode of NBC
's The Office
, "Diversity Day
," Steve Carell
's character
performs a censored version; the result is a daylong racial sensitivity seminar for the office staff.
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
's most famous and most controversial
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
bits. This bit, which appeared as track 12 on his 1997 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Roll With the New
Roll with the New
Roll with the New is the second comedy album by Chris Rock. It is a combination of live material and comedy sketches...
, as well as his 1996 HBO special, Bring the Pain
Chris Rock: Bring the Pain
Chris Rock: Bring the Pain is a 1996 HBO television special starring comedian Chris Rock. This was Rock's second special for the network following 1994's Big Ass Jokes...
, is widely considered to be the breakthrough routine that established his status as a comedy fixture after he left Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.
Essentially an eight-minute rant about behaviors that Rock sees within the black community; he describes "nigga
Nigga
Nigga is a term used in African American Vernacular English that began as an eye dialect form of the word nigger .- Use in language :In practice, its use and meaning are...
s" as a cohort whose behavior is usually detrimental to the image of other black people
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
which embodies many negative African-American stereotypes. The "niggas," he said, glorify ignorance and sloth, and brag about fulfilling any minor responsibility. Rock rejects the view that this image of African-Americans is purely cultivated by the media
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
. In the routine, he says, "When I go to the money machine
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
tonight, alright, I ain't looking over my back for the media, I'm looking for niggas! What, you think I've got 3 guns in my house 'cause the media outside?"
In a 2003 interview, Rock explained that the idea for the bit came from the song "Us" from the 1991 Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
album Death Certificate
Death Certificate (album)
Death Certificate is the second studio album by American rapper Ice Cube, released October 29, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over one million advanced orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991...
.
The controversy caused by Rock's constant use of the word nigga led him to remove the piece from his act. In a 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
interview, Rock said, "By the way, I've never done that joke again, ever, and I probably never will. 'Cause some people that were racist thought they had license to say nigger. So, I'm done with that routine."
As an example of the routine's cultural impact, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
directly referenced it while campaigning to be elected President during a Father's Day
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
speech on June 15, 2008, saying "Chris Rock had a routine. He said some—too many of our men, they're proud, they brag about doing things they're supposed to do. They say 'Well, I- I'm not in jail.' Well you're not supposed to be in jail!" Also, in the second episode of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Office
The Office (US TV series)
The Office is an American comedy television series broadcast by NBC. An adaptation of the original BBC series of the same name, it depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company...
, "Diversity Day
Diversity Day
"Diversity Day" is the second episode of the first season of the American version of The Office. Written by B. J. Novak and directed by Ken Kwapis, it first aired in the United States on March 29, 2005, on NBC. The episode guest stars Office consulting producer Larry Wilmore as Mr...
," Steve Carell
Steve Carell
Steven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
's character
Michael Scott (The Office)
Michael Gary Scott is a fictional character on NBC's The Office, portrayed by Steve Carell, and based on David Brent from the original British version. Michael, the central character of the series, was the manager of the Scranton branch of paper and printer distribution company Dunder Mifflin Inc...
performs a censored version; the result is a daylong racial sensitivity seminar for the office staff.
External links
- Bennun, David, "Chris Rock," The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 2000. - Chris Rock: Black Person or Nigga