Charlemagne tha God came to the defense of a Mississippi news anchor after her enthusiasm for rapper Snoop Dogg led to her unceremonious termination: “I’m not like, come on, we got to like, stop, man.”
For as long as artists have used slang and profanity in their music, there has been debate over what is or isn’t obscene as well as who had a right to say it. These arguments especially centered around rap and hip hop where variations of the N-word have permeated the culture.
(Video: WLBT)
On March 8, knowingly or otherwise, WLBT’s Barbie Bassett was part of a discussion about Snoop Dogg’s wine collaboration. With an amused smirk, the anchor said, “Fo’ sh*zzle my n*zzle.”
Her utterance landed her on the unemployment line and last week, as word of the incident spread, Charlemagne tha God had a chance to react on “The Breakfast Club.”
“Oh, I guess cause n*zzle is a derivative of n*****. I’m saying that in context. I didn’t meant to say — I’m not using that word,” he said, as he tried to reason out what had happened.
Warning: Language
“I don’t know if that’s fireable,” DJ Envy said as Charlemagne argued, “She might not even know what ‘n*zzle’ means, yo.”
“I’m not like, come on, we got to like, stop, man. That’s not a reason to fire that woman,” he continued in agreement.
“That’s the thing with hip hop, man. Hip-hop is so big and so mainstream and it’s just like, who can consume it and who can’t?” the host of “Hell of A Week” went on and asked, “You know what I mean? Who can repeat slang and who can’t?”
Whether or not Bassett’s comments were culturally acceptable is one matter, but the Federal Communications Commission guidelines are just as murky as the determining factors for deciding what is obscene, indecent or profane are vague.
“Obscene content does not have protection by the First Amendment. For content to be ruled obscene, it must meet a three-pronged test established by the Supreme Court,” the FCC consumer guide read. “It must appeal to an average person’s prurient interest; depict or describe sexual conduct in a ‘patently offensive’ way; and, taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.”
Indecent referred specifically to sexual or excretory concerns that did not meet the three-prong test and profane included ‘grossly offensive’ language that is considered a public nuisance.”
Charlemagne suggested, “She might be old. She probably has no idea n*zzle is a derivative of the N-word. She just thinks she’s sounding cool, repeatin’ Snoop Dogg.”
When asked for comment by the New York Post, WLBT regional vice president and general manager Ted Fortenberry emailed in response, “As I am sure you can understand, WLBT is unable to comment on personnel matters.”
Bassett herself has not publicly spoken about her termination and Charlemagne concluded, “I hope she sues.”
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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