Russell Simmons defends Paltrow's N-word tweet
Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons has defended actress Gwyneth Paltrow's use of the N-word on Twitter.
The star was attending rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch The Throne show in Paris on Friday night (June 1) when she tweeted the name of their Top 10 hit single "N****s in Paris," prompting a backlash.
"Ni**as in paris for real," she wrote, along with a photo of herself on stage with the two rappers. Her followers immediately began questioning the use of her word and the story but Simmons, one of the founders of hip-hop label Def Jam, has since urged fans to brush the controversy off, arguing that the success of the song should transcend political correctness.
"The tweet she sent has since angered some in the black community, since she used the n-word. But when I saw it, it didn’t faze me - not even one bit," Simmons wrote on Global Grind. "I have to throw my hand up and stand up for Gwyneth. I know her intentions were not to be offensive ... she was just proud of her friend, Jay-Z. My words are in defense of her.
"There is something truly inspiring about black culture and black music, hip-hop culture and hip-hop music. No matter what colour skin you might have, there is an overriding good effect that this music has on you. It is contagious," he continued. "Having any Hollywood starlet at your concert was unimaginable, and having her quote your lyrics as a badge of honor that she was hanging out with you, you never would have dreamed of that – until your poetry hit the market and changed the world.
"So, for Gwyneth to tweet out her excitement about hip-hop taking over the planet is a good thing. She didn’t mean any harm, she just was trying to ball so hard, and like Jay-Z says, 'motherf***ers can’t fine' her."
Kevin Ritchie
Posted by: Kelly B | Jun 6, 2012 12:49:00 PM
Although I personally find the N word offensive, I think context rather than content should be considered here
Posted by: Mr. Negative | Jun 6, 2012 2:14:17 PM
I don't know why people get so upset. The word is thrown around so much in hip hop music, you can't expect people not to use it. Regardless of colour. It actually looks bad on the people who are getting upset, especially seeing it is okay for them to use the word........kind of ignorant!
Posted by: Michael Sizer | Jun 6, 2012 2:47:21 PM
I agree people are getting upset when there are much bigger things in life to worry about, but at the same time she should know better. She should seriously know that doing something like that is going to piss off some people, even if that was not her intention.
Posted by: dave | Jun 6, 2012 2:54:15 PM
if it's that offensive, the song should be renamed! Pathetic that this is even a story, really!
Posted by: jellybb | Jun 6, 2012 4:49:00 PM
what an idiot! a skinny white entitled witch from manhattan or wherever hanging around rappers.. yeah right - she's ugly as sin, obviously feels above everyone to use such a vile word... ugh - wish she'd just shut her ugly face up
Posted by: Alex | Jun 6, 2012 6:01:44 PM
They call themselves this way ! Why would someone who was refering to one of their N**** songs has to be persecuted like this ?
If any black guy gets offended by this, you are retarded. Every black I know say nigga at least 3 times in 10 minutes.
If someone would call me white-whatever ... lol ok fine I'm white ... Get over it.
We are all the same, we don't call us WHITERRR
Why do you call yourself n***ers
Posted by: Me | Jun 6, 2012 6:05:53 PM
Who gives a sh** if she used the -OH SO FORBIDDEN "N" word??? Why can black people say it and all other races can't?? Does it mean something different if a black person says it, compared to a non-black?? GET OVER IT, nobody cares anymore who's black and who's white - we're all people! With so many issues in the world, why would people even bother with non-sense like this, MOVE ON!
Posted by: DrVex007 | Jun 6, 2012 8:28:25 PM
When Ted Danson was ripped for going blackface while dating Whoppi Goldberg no less, then why not rip the wayans for going whiteface in Whitechicks? The double standard has gone on long enough. If the n word is so offensive (and I can understand why and NEVER use it myself), then NOBODY should use it. To bring it into mainstream music is to invite its use. If the black culture wants to use it then fine, who am I to say otherwise, BUT if anyone else uses it in a purely innocent context, then there should NEVER be a reaction. Gwenyth, you did nothing wrong. AT ALL. Now if someone were to mean it as an insult, then they deserve a reaction.
Posted by: ladydd | Jun 6, 2012 9:38:07 PM
Who cares?
Posted by: song | Jun 6, 2012 10:36:48 PM
Black people call white people derogatory terms all the time like "cracker" and such. It’s almost come to the point where white people can’t say anything without someone saying that they’re racist, but somehow, other races bad mouth white people all the time and that is socially OK. It is never OK for no one.
Also, Gwyneth’s comments were not meant to be racist. Good thing Simmons was reasonable enough to notice the difference.
Posted by: Channy | Jun 6, 2012 11:55:16 PM
ITS THE NAME OF THE SONG PEOPLE!! Why the hell did they name it that if nobody can say it?
Posted by: david | Jun 7, 2012 3:28:27 PM
tired of hearing groups of pple hating and getting up in arms over words, you cant say anything without offending someone, say whatever you want, because if you say, magic purple dust and goblin eyes, there will be 500 000 pple coming after you with guns and pitchforks anyway.