Niggas vs. Black People

Niggas vs. Black People is the title of one of Chris Rock's most famous and most controversial comedy routines. 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 permanent comedy fixture after he left Saturday Night Live.

Essentially an eight-minute rant about behaviors that Rock sees within the black community; he describes "niggas" as a certain segment whose behavior is usually detrimental to the image of other black people. He describes the condition succinctly as being a "low-expectation-havin' muthfucka". The "Niggas", he said, glorify ignorance and sloth, and show excessive pride for any bearing of token responsibility. The implication is that this image of African Americans is what the media cultivates, and that it in turn feeds negative racial stereotypes.

The controversy caused by Rock's constant use of the word "nigga" led him to remove the piece from his act. He has not apologized for it or distanced himself in any way, though he has stopped performing it live in an attempt to avoid any further controversy. In the course of the routine, Rock's tone alternates between sarcastic glee at the idea of joining the KKK, and rage at people who refuse to educate themselves.

Excepts:

• Every time black people want to have a good time, ign'ant ass niggas fuck it up. You can't do shit! Can't do shit without ign'ant ass niggas fuckin' it up. Can't do nothin'. Can't keep a disco open for three weeks. Grand openin', grand closin'.

• Niggas is singin' welfare carols! "On the first day of welfare my true love gave to me!" "I wish you a merry welfare and a happy food stamp!

• Everything white people don't like about black people, black people really don't like about black people. It's like our own personal civil war. On one side, there's black people. On the other, you've got niggers. The niggers have got to go. I love black people but I hate niggas. I am tired of niggas.

• A black man hates a nigga on welfare; "Nigga get a job. I got two, you can't get one?"

• A black woman that got 2 kids, going to work everyday busting her ass hates a bitch with 9 kids on welfare.

• Niggas want credit for something they 'pose to do...A Nigga would say some shit like, "I take care of my kids." You're 'pose to, you dumb muhfucka.

• "I ain't never been to jail." Whaddya want? A cookie? You're not supposed to go to jail.

• The politicians are trying to get rid of welfare. Every time you see a welfare story on the news, you always see black people. Hey! Black people don't give a fuck about welfare. But niggas are shaking in their boots: "They gonna take our shit."

source http://bennun.biz/interviews/chrisrock.html

External link

• Video clip of "Niggas vs. Black People" on YouTube (Warning: Coarse language)