Nick Cannon Explains Why He Thinks "Gangster" Is A Worse Term Than "N*gger"

BY Erika Marie 3.4K Views
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Nick Cannon also said that Suge Knight once told him the streets were run by cowards because "real ones was either dead or locked up."

If you ask Nick Cannon, the term "gangster" has crippled inner-city communities. The media mogul's lengthy VladTV has been released in parts for over a week, and his latest clip has stirred up a bit of controversy. Cannon and Vlad were speaking about street life and "gangster" mindsets when Cannon made it clear that the word isn't one of his favorites.

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"I f*cking hate that term," Cannon said. "Because terms like that—'gangster' is worse than the word 'n*gger.' Simple as that. Because it's hurt our community way more than the word n*gger has. When you think about—because we embrace being a gangster so much that we kill each other. Even if many people kill us over the word 'n*gger,' think about how many gangsters have killed each other."

Vlad brought up that if you're not considered to be a gangster, people think that you're "soft." Nick added that people also go as far as to call themselves and each other "savages." Cannon said, "Do you know what a savage is? Somebody who eats people. And we embrace it!"

At the end of the clip, Cannon suggested that as "OG gangsters" get older, they become more reflective of their youth. He said the older generation of gang members use their latter years trying to dissuade younger generations from getting involved in the street life, but unfortunately, the cycle has already been set.

"Suge said something... Like some of the most deep stuff, too, in one of the stories he was explaining," said Cannon. "He was like, at some point it was nothing but cowards on the street 'cause all the real ones was either dead or locked up. So, now the game is being operated by cowards, and then once the cowards take out each other, then what you got left? Killed your whole community off." Watch the clip in full below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.