White kids and cultural misappropriation (or maybe not)

[Anonymous]

eh. I have a real problem with a white teenager (with any non-black person, really) using the N-word. (White mom here). I have lots of adult friendships across racial boundaries that are close enough that we can joke around and tease about race but we don't cross that line.

[Anonymous]

How far is he taking 'emulating hip hop culture' OP? Is his idol Drake or Lil Wayne? I am black and would find the latter unacceptable for my own son.

[Anonymous]

Just like Justin Beiber mimicking his buddy Sean Kingston. Beibs has a weird fashion sense.

[Anonymous]

Black poster here.

I agree with the poster who mentioned it being all about context.

I grew up in the projects. While they weren't plentiful, there were some white kids in my neighborhood. They did indeed speak in the same slang/jargon as us black kids. One White guy freely said nigger....I was not offended when he did this.

If your son does not have friends who speak slang, etc, then he'd come across as insincere and phoney.
If his friends speak slang, it is not out of the ordinary.

But like a pp cautioned, it's usually best to keep this "within his circle of friends". I would caution your son to not to do this with a group of black boys he doesn't know. Could be a very bad move.

I also "switch up" depending on where I am. If I'm with my group of friends from "around the way", my slang comes out. At work and in professional settings, I'm the consummate professional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just like Justin Beiber mimicking his buddy Sean Kingston. Beibs has a weird fashion sense.

Bieber comes off as quite phoney and I find his use of slang and dress style to be very condescending. Not a fan of Bieber's fake hip-hop act. Eminem on the other hand. Fantastically cool white boy (and sexy as hell too).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just like Justin Beiber mimicking his buddy Sean Kingston. Beibs has a weird fashion sense.

Bieber comes off as quite phoney and I find his use of slang and dress style to be very condescending. Not a fan of Bieber's fake hip-hop act. Eminem on the other hand. Fantastically cool white boy (and sexy as hell too).

He also claims to be very Christian. I wonder if he is following in his Christian faith when it comes to his GF. Doubt that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Black poster here.

I agree with the poster who mentioned it being all about context.

I grew up in the projects. While they weren't plentiful, there were some white kids in my neighborhood. They did indeed speak in the same slang/jargon as us black kids. One White guy freely said nigger....I was not offended when he did this.

If your son does not have friends who speak slang, etc, then he'd come across as insincere and phoney.
If his friends speak slang, it is not out of the ordinary.

But like a pp cautioned, it's usually best to keep this "within his circle of friends". I would caution your son to not to do this with a group of black boys he doesn't know. Could be a very bad move.

I also "switch up" depending on where I am. If I'm with my group of friends from "around the way", my slang comes out. At work and in professional settings, I'm the consummate professional.

Why is "switch[ing] up" not insincere and phoney? That's how it comes across in the office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Black poster here.

I agree with the poster who mentioned it being all about context.

I grew up in the projects. While they weren't plentiful, there were some white kids in my neighborhood. They did indeed speak in the same slang/jargon as us black kids. One White guy freely said nigger....I was not offended when he did this.

If your son does not have friends who speak slang, etc, then he'd come across as insincere and phoney.
If his friends speak slang, it is not out of the ordinary.

But like a pp cautioned, it's usually best to keep this "within his circle of friends". I would caution your son to not to do this with a group of black boys he doesn't know. Could be a very bad move.

I also "switch up" depending on where I am. If I'm with my group of friends from "around the way", my slang comes out. At work and in professional settings, I'm the consummate professional.

Why is "switch[ing] up" not insincere and phoney? That's how it comes across in the office.

What I mean by this is that I was raised in the ghetto. I can talk "ghetto" very well. But in a professional setting, this isn't the wisest move, obviously. At work and when I'm out in the world, I am professional, articulate, etc. If I'm at home hanging with my friends, the "ghetto girl" sometimes emerges. Other black people probably know what I'm talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Black poster here.

I agree with the poster who mentioned it being all about context.

I grew up in the projects. While they weren't plentiful, there were some white kids in my neighborhood. They did indeed speak in the same slang/jargon as us black kids. One White guy freely said nigger....I was not offended when he did this.

If your son does not have friends who speak slang, etc, then he'd come across as insincere and phoney.
If his friends speak slang, it is not out of the ordinary.

But like a pp cautioned, it's usually best to keep this "within his circle of friends". I would caution your son to not to do this with a group of black boys he doesn't know. Could be a very bad move.

I also "switch up" depending on where I am. If I'm with my group of friends from "around the way", my slang comes out. At work and in professional settings, I'm the consummate professional.

Why is "switch[ing] up" not insincere and phoney? That's how it comes across in the office.

What I mean by this is that I was raised in the ghetto. I can talk "ghetto" very well. But in a professional setting, this isn't the wisest move, obviously. At work and when I'm out in the world, I am professional, articulate, etc. If I'm at home hanging with my friends, the "ghetto girl" sometimes emerges. Other black people probably know what I'm talking about.

Yes, we know what you are talking about. BTW, kudos to you for giving the PP the benefit of the doubt but I suspect that his/her comment was not as innocent as it came across.

[Anonymous]

don't we all have some differences between how we act in the work world and the non-work world? I'm definitely a more PC version of myself at work. Hell, I'm slightly different in different groups of people. I'm still being myself, just the appropriate-for-work version. (if you still don't get it - would you wear the same thing to work that you do on weekends? probably not.)

[Anonymous]

OP here. Just to clarify, we're talking about mild Bieber level, not emulating Lil Wayne or anything like that.

I'm not worried about his behavior or attitude -- I'm just worried that he'll offend people (maybe people he doesn't know or the parents of his friends).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:eh. I have a real problem with a white teenager (with any non-black person, really) using the N-word. (White mom here). I have lots of adult friendships across racial boundaries that are close enough that we can joke around and tease about race but we don't cross that line.

AA here, and I have a real problem with ANY person using the n-word!

[Anonymous]

It's common for kids to adopt speech patterns/phrases/mannerisms from their friends, especially when they are around their friends. I have an Indian friend who speaks with a flawless American accent in the states (she went to college here) but at home adopts her normal accent. On the other hand, I have a midwestern friend who adopts a slight Indian accent when with her in-laws (they all lived together for some time). I have never seen that before, but she is clearly not mocking and I think it's actually subconscious! Language is so interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Black poster here.

I agree with the poster who mentioned it being all about context.

I grew up in the projects. While they weren't plentiful, there were some white kids in my neighborhood. They did indeed speak in the same slang/jargon as us black kids. One White guy freely said nigger....I was not offended when he did this.

If your son does not have friends who speak slang, etc, then he'd come across as insincere and phoney.
If his friends speak slang, it is not out of the ordinary.

But like a pp cautioned, it's usually best to keep this "within his circle of friends". I would caution your son to not to do this with a group of black boys he doesn't know. Could be a very bad move.

I also "switch up" depending on where I am. If I'm with my group of friends from "around the way", my slang comes out. At work and in professional settings, I'm the consummate professional.

Why is "switch[ing] up" not insincere and phoney? That's how it comes across in the office.

Is that because you assume black people who sound educated are faking it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Black poster here.

I agree with the poster who mentioned it being all about context.

I grew up in the projects. While they weren't plentiful, there were some white kids in my neighborhood. They did indeed speak in the same slang/jargon as us black kids. One White guy freely said nigger....I was not offended when he did this.

If your son does not have friends who speak slang, etc, then he'd come across as insincere and phoney.
If his friends speak slang, it is not out of the ordinary.

But like a pp cautioned, it's usually best to keep this "within his circle of friends". I would caution your son to not to do this with a group of black boys he doesn't know. Could be a very bad move.

I also "switch up" depending on where I am. If I'm with my group of friends from "around the way", my slang comes out. At work and in professional settings, I'm the consummate professional.

Why is "switch[ing] up" not insincere and phoney? That's how it comes across in the office.

Is that because you assume black people who sound educated are faking it?

Nope. What would you make of someone who shows you one face and then another one to someone else?