[Opinion] A Heartfelt Farewell To 2012: The Year Where 'Nignorance' Reigned Supreme

Goodbye 2012 and good riddance.

2012 was the year of what I’d like to call “nignorance” in entertainment. What is “nignorance” you ask? Well, it’s ignorance but fitted with the letter ‘n’ to identify with that socially offensive word used to describe dark skinned folks. You see, “nignorance” isn’t simply ignorance. No, no. Nignorance limbos beneath the lowered bar and somehow we find it acceptable in society. Meanwhile, others stare at these wide eyed stereotypes and wonder just how in the hell are some of these things viewed as entertainment? Nignorance is that which some black folks are embarrassed of once it is released from the cage and roam around in public. To make matters worse, people outside of the African American community are embarrassed for us.

Say it with me one time, Nignorance!

It was epic, offensive and crude in 2012. Yet, somehow we looked past the two steps back and decided that it was either a parody (Trinidad James) or true reflection (Chief Keef). Our televisions were cursed with reality shows that showcased black women as bottom feeding mongrels (“Basketball Wives”) and men as nothing more than cheaters who will threaten their side chick with a return to the titty bar while their main chick is too dumb to realize she should move on (Love & Hip Hop Atlanta). Meanwhile, in real life, we gravitated and celebrated this nonsense far too much to the point where it made me feel uncomfortable.

The year started with the airy flutes of 2 Chainz’ fun loving ignorant rhymes and ended with the heavy tuba of “nigga, nigga, nigga” from Trinidad James. When looking at the progression of nignorance, I’m in utter shock how 2 Chainz has managed to sound like a profound emcee when standing next to Trinidad James. Oh yeah, and then there’s Chief Keef and Lil Reese. That nignorance reached profound decibels that my ears simply couldn’t handle. From Keef’s career being launched thanks to WorldStarHipHop and Kanye West to the death of Lil JoJo being pointed and laughed at in bad humor and Lil Reese’s beat down of a young woman caught on film, it’s almost staggering to see that Chief Keef’s album was released by Interscope without pause.

But wait, it was actually liked too?

Nignorance!

Maybe I’m alone here, but I’m a bit saddened that in 2012 we accepted a rapper who literally swiped the swag of Jerome from “Martin,” made a song worthy of actually being by Jerome from “Martin” and we didn’t flinch. I know, some of you will say that I should relax and just bask in the glory of nignorance. Sorry, I just can’t. It’s just bad music to me. I mean, have you listened to these lyrics? Of course you have!

This ain’t for no fuck nigga/If you a real nigga then fuck with me/This one for the hood niggas/Hipster bitches that shop at Lenox/Dark skinned, light skinned, Asian and White women/Hypebeasts we know aboutchea’/Don’t buy shoes unless they popular/For the hoes, my nigga…

Lyrical dexterity at its finest!

To make matters worse, Def Jam coughed up an estimated $2 million to acquire the services of Nicholas “Trinidad James” Williams. And that’s what I have a problem with more than anything else with Trinidad James. It’s not necessarily about him, per se’. It’s about major labels snagging and pushing these artists while emcees like Oddisee, TiRon, Pac Div, Sean P and a host of others can’t sniff that kind of money. I’m not blaming Trinidad James for making the music, I’m blaming everyone else for buying into it. But this isn’t anything new. Soulja Boy was just as shitty as a rapper with horrible beats and we were all yelling “Yooooooooou!” like it was going out of style. He, just like Trinidad James, will be nothing more than a trivia question ten years from now. That’s not exactly what we should be striving for.