Open Letter to Kendrick Lamar on N-Word Use

The assignment is a written response from a student to Kendrick Lamar, addressing concerns about the use of the N-word in his music. The student argues that the word has a negative impact on society and should not be used in a way that ignores its history and perpetuates racism. The letter emphasizes the importance of responsible language and encourages Lamar to consider this issue in future projects.

Running head: ENGLISH WRITTEN TASK
ENGLISH WRITTEN TASK
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note:

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Rationale:
The task is based on Part 1: “Language in Cultural Context”, which intends to explain the
language and taboo of the course. From the music of Kendrick Lamar who is an African rapper
(Kendricklamar.com), it is observed that he uses taboo language such as the N-word and many
other similar words and even not afraid to use them all. He started to pick up acknowledgment in
2010, after his first commercial discharge, “Overly Dedicated”. The next year, he autonomously
discharged his first studio collection, Section.80, which incorporated his presentation single,
"HiiiPoWeR". At that point, he had amassed a vast web based fan following and teamed up with
a few noticeable stars in the hip hop industry, including The Game, Busta Rhymes, and Snoop
Dogg (Eells). The cuss words used by him in his songs is not liked at all by some people because
the audience listening to his rapper works includes people of all age group even the youths. I
will be writing an open letter on behalf of a mother of Lamar’s one of young fans where I will
brief about the negative impact on her son due to listening of the rapper’s work because he has
started using taboo language which he listened in the music.
As the letter is written to Kendrick Lamar, he is going to be the intentional audience and
to the public as well to create awareness regarding the use of negative language in his music
videos. I have chosen to write an open letter because it will help me to reflect the emotions and
share it to the society from a mother’s point of view. The artist does not feel offended by the
letter, for that purpose I will use a praising tone and later turning into a critical tone by
incorporating suitable evidences to create a reasonable logic. Statistics will be used to show the
negative impact of language (Eble). I will state the history of the N-word using pathos to build
the sense of emotions and to create sense of community ethos will be used. Lastly, will also
provide with examples of authorities that give rise to the negativity of the word.

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Dear Kendrick Lamar,
Initially, I would like to state that I am a big follower of you work. The artistic way of
your communication with the audience is for what I find you to be the genius. I knew that you
will become the best as you are now at present on the day when I heard your debut album which
was released 8 years ago. The way you give attention to the details and draw out the problems of
the society encourages me and other fans of yours as well to appreciate all your works. Your
music acted as a chain reaction of conversations regarding many social issues that lead us back in
present times. Hence, your music is leading us on the right path. By the power of your music
you showed that language can influence a large audience. Along with the power you showed to
us, it brings a huge responsibility. Here, I am writing this letter to you with the hope that you will
see to the points so that we all can contribute towards improving society.
I being a mother get hurt when I see the young generation including my son who is in 6th
grade, negatively getting influenced by your music like the use of N-word. According to me, it
withholds us a hundred steps back. You must be knowing, that this N-word is derived from the
period of enslavement which symbolizes cruelty and there is no need to remind the youths of this
unpleasant word. With a little research after hearing your last album “DAMN” I found that you
have accurately used the N-word for 46 times excluding all those other nasty words. Just imagine
this word getting repeated in the young people’s ear. Adding to it, a research study conducted by
Jeff Bower from the University of Bristol, on the same topic by measuring the stress level of the
youngster when they use the N-word. Bowers stated that the stress level rises automatically after
the use of this word and he also concluded that this word affects the human physiologically as a
result affecting the human race.

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Ochonogor, Alakpodia, and Achugbue conducted an experiment on the effect of content
slang or chartroom slang on student’s scholarly execution. Slang is an unstructured dialect that
disregards the standard tenets of the English dialect. So the exploration is required by the way
that most understudies as of late have turned to the utilization of instant message slang or
chartroom slang in their class fill in and in addition in their examinations. This isn't a decent
marvel as they in the end are similar individuals that will wind up educating the up and coming
age of Nigerians. In the event that the utilization of instant message slang isn't at present
checked, it will totally disintegrate legitimate utilization of the English dialect.
Coming back to the origin of the offensive word, this developed and underwent many
changes. Initiated from negar till what it is at present (Rahman). From the beginning, when the
word developed it has the same meaning and the history behind it. Remember that time, when 13
million people were taken away from their homes and they lost their language and identity and
were shipped across the ocean and were treated like animals and of which 22 million people
died. It was all a result of this (Du Bois). The slaves, who worked for almost 18 hours in a day
still, were called by that particular word. Even the slaves had to see their family members
getting hanged for an unfair reason by the masters of them (Holdren). Speaking politely, but
using this word just for the sake of feeling in control that also ignoring its history is not up to the
mark.
This change in the behavior of my son is not only noticed by me but also by her English
teacher. The change is not positive because he has started using ill-fitted words and being
physical with his peers. Now, I need to rectify this behavior of him because it is not suitable and
counted as ill mannered for a 6th graded child. Once George Washington said “The foolish and
wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every

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person of sense and character detests and despises it.” Everyone is noticing it me, the
English teacher of my son and even the former president sees it and I hope now you will also see
the reality put up by you. The N word spreads racism and contribute in creating division in the
society (Eisenstadt).
In the end I would definitely mention that I am not your enemy but your well wisher and
your friend as well. Even I respect the way you spread the essential messages throughout the
world with the help of your music and which had resulted in changing many of the lives towards
the right track. As a human being I just tried to stop the negativity that is leaving its impact on
the young generation. I have also put my best effort to prove to you that it is leaving behind
negative impacts and I can see it around. Hence, I will pray that you will keep in mind the above
points which I have brought into your notice for your projects in future.
Thank you.
From your fan
Shaniqua smith.

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References:
Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt. The Suppression of the African Slave-Trade to the United
States of America. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Eble, Connie. Slang and sociability: In-group language among college students. UNC Press
Books, 2012.
Eells, Josh. "The Trials of Kendrick Lamar." Rolling Stone 22 (2015).
Eisenstadt, Leora F. "The N-Word at Work: Contextualizing Language in the
Workplace." Berkeley J. Emp. & Lab. L. 33 (2012): 299.
Holdren, Nate. Transatlantic Slave Trade. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2013.
Kendricklamar.com. "Kendrick Lamar". Kendrick Lamar, 2018,
http://www.kendricklamar.com/. Accessed 26 Feb 2018.
Ochonogor, W. C., N. O. Alakpodia, and I. E. Achugbue. "The impact of text message slang
(Tms) or chartroom slang on students' academic performance." International Journal of Internet
of Things 1.2 (2012): 1-4.
Rahman, Jacquelyn. "The N word: Its history and use in the African American
community." Journal of English Linguistics40.2 (2012): 137-171.

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