Essentially an eight-minute rant about behaviors that Rock sees within the black community; he describes "niggas" as a cohort whose behavior is usually detrimental to the image of other black people and embody many negative African-American stereotypes. The "niggas," he said, glorify ignorance and sloth, and show excessive pride for 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!"
In a 2003 interview, " the idea for the bit 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, in the second episode of NBC's The Office, "Diversity Day,", Steve Carrell's character performs a bowdlerized version; the result is a daylong racial sensitivity seminar for the office staff.
In 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama referenced a portion of this composition in his Father's Day speech in Chicago saying that fathers who say "I ain't never been to jail," are not supposed to say that with pride because they are not supposed to go to jail.
Niggas Vs. Black People
Chris Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whose more racist? Black people or white people?
Black people....You know why? Cause we hate black people too
Everything white people dont like about black people
Black people really dont like about black people
There some shit goin on with black people right now
There's like a civil war goin on with black people
And there two sides....
And niggas have got to go
Everytime black people wanna have a good time
Ignorant ass nigga fuck it up
Can't do shit, cant do shit, without some ignorant ass nigga fuckin it up
Cant do nothin
Cant keep a disco open more than 3 weeks
Grand opening, grand closing
Cant go to a movie the first week it comes out
Why cause niggas are shooting at the screen
What kind of ignorant shit is that
Hay this is a good movie, this is so good i gotta bust a cap in here
Hay I love black people, but i hate niggas boy, boy i hate niggas
Boy I wish they'd let me join the Klu Klux Klan
Shit I'd do a drive-by from here to Brooklyn
I'm tired of niggas man
You cant have shit when you around niggas
In Chris Rock's song "Niggas Vs. Black People," he discusses the issue of racism between black and white people. However, he argues that black people can be more racist toward their own race than white people could ever be towards them. Black people dislike certain things about their own culture that white people might also dislike, but black people don't address or try to change those negative aspects. Instead, they simply accept them as part of their culture. This creates a divide between black people and "niggas." Chris Rock explains that there is a civil war within the black community, and it's between black people and niggas.
The distinction between black people and niggas is that black people are more educated, have jobs, and try to be successful. Niggas, on the other hand, are ignorant, uneducated, and engaged in criminal activities such as shootings or robberies. Niggas are the ones who ruin good times for black people, like when they can't keep a disco open for more than three weeks because of fights or shootings. When black people go to the movies or to other public places, they cannot enjoy it fully because of the fear of niggas ruining it for them. Chris Rock argues that niggas need to go to stop hurting black people as a community.
This song is a social commentary on the existing problem of self-hate and division within the black community. Chris Rock opens up about how he loves black people but hates niggas. He's tired of seeing his people suffer at the hands of other black people who are reckless and destructive. In this way, "Niggas Vs. Black People" is a call to action for the black community to come together and put a stop to self-destructive behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Now we've got a lot of things, a lot of racism in the world right now
The world is full of racism.
Whose more racist? Black people or white people?
There is a debate about whether black people or white people are more racist.
Black people....You know why? Cause we hate black people too
Black people can be racist towards other black people.
Everything white people dont like about black people
Black people also dislike the same things about themselves that white people do.
Black people really dont like about black people
Black people have internalized racism and dislike certain behaviors within their own community.
There some shit goin on with black people right now
There are issues within the black community at the present time.
There's like a civil war goin on with black people
There is a divide within the black community much like a civil war.
And there two sides....
The divide is between two sides.
There's black people, and there's niggas
The two sides are identified as black people and niggas.
And niggas have got to go
The artist believes that niggas need to be eliminated or removed from the black community.
Everytime black people wanna have a good time
Whenever black people try to enjoy themselves,
Ignorant ass nigga fuck it up
someone from the niggas side causes a problem and ruins it for everyone.
Can't do shit, cant do shit, without some ignorant ass nigga fuckin it up
Niggas consistently ruin things for the entire black community.
Cant do nothin
The community is unable to do anything enjoyable because of the actions of the niggas.
Cant keep a disco open more than 3 weeks
Even a disco cannot stay open for more than 3 weeks because of the actions of the niggas.
Grand opening, grand closing
Businesses that cater to the black community often have grand openings followed by quick closures due to niggas causing problems.
Cant go to a movie the first week it comes out
The black community cannot see a movie during its first week of release because of the niggas shooting at the screen.
Why cause niggas are shooting at the screen
The reason the black community cannot enjoy new movie releases is because of the niggas shooting at the screen.
What kind of ignorant shit is that
The singer questions the irrational and harmful behavior of the niggas.
Hay this is a good movie, this is so good i gotta bust a cap in here
The niggas shoot at the screen even when they are enjoying a good movie.
Hay I love black people, but i hate niggas boy, boy i hate niggas
The artist has a strong dislike for niggas even though they are from the same race.
Boy I wish they'd let me join the Klu Klux Klan
The artist would even join the Klu Klux Klan to get away from the niggas.
Shit I'd do a drive-by from here to Brooklyn
The singer would even perpetrate violence to eliminate the niggas in the community.
I'm tired of niggas man
The artist is exhausted by the behavior of the niggas in the community.
You cant have shit when you around niggas
Being around niggas makes it impossible to have anything good.
Contributed by Audrey R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Jayzone702
Something tells me when Chris wrote this he wasn’t even trying to be funny, he was just really pissed off
@Metalman200xdamnit
Comedy is born from pain.
@pHiLKizer
Facts! And I feel him.
@shaniagonzalez8039
He was tired of this shit, tired tired ttttired
@thomastaylor9203
Yeah, that’s stand up.
@gavinmorgan4354
He said it took him a full year to make this bit finally work
@lynne709
Will Smith during his Oscar speech: I defend my family
Chris Rock: whatchu want, a cookie?
@GreatMewtwo
Also Chris Rock: You're supposed to defend your family!
@eli.8962
@GreatMewtwo LMAO
@David-oo8vh
Lmfao