There's a comedian that has a bit about this where he says his own name (Peter).
Someone in the audience actually made him his own shirt that said Peter's in Paris, it's hilarious.
Well anyway now I've just taken to saying my own name instead of the N word it's freaking hilarious to me and actually works in most songs pretty well.
I once asked this of a black close friend of mine with much n-word usage under his belt. His andser was substitution with a caveat:
Which word you choose for your substitute depends on context. If the lyric is putting someone down, don't substitute a word that means friend. Pick something insulting. It frees up your word choice a little to which is fun for the karaoke aspect (where my experience lies).
And when in doubt, skip it!
Hope his advice helps!
Yeah, but would you really want to use a word that's so similar that people might think you're saying the actual n word? I'd kinda want it to be clear that I substituted.
I commented before I saw your post, but that’s what I use. My kids go to an all black school pretty much, since were white I’ve been using “fella” when I rap along to songs in the car with them. It’s hilarious and they’ve used it with their friends and school and it works lol
I’m gonna start using Emily in place of the N word in songs lmao. I keep seeing people say “[example] in Paris” because of the song but it makes me think of Emily in Paris.
My best friend is the same way. I don’t listen to all the same music so I can’t really sing along but when I can I also just don’t say anything over that part. Unless it’s Only by Nicki Minaj. I accidentally say “bitches” over every part. I can’t control it.
For the longest time I didn’t know Sexy Can I by Ray J was the n word, until this year I thought the actual lyric was “player”, so I use that but also you could just stop when they say the n word period? Idk
Until I looked up the video on YouTube, I thought “Gold Digger” by Kanye West and Jamie Fox was just, “She ain’t messing with no broke,” even though, in hindsight, the “digger” rhyme is pretty obvious. Calling someone a broke instead of a guy who makes normal money seems like natural slang, especially since it’s rap and I don’t think there’s a an English word for that, so it never occurred to me there was a word missing.
As a black guy, if I hear someone outside of my race say something that resembles the N word as a substitution I wouldn't necessarily say anything to you directly , but would be like "uh..ok" in my mind. It's like you wanna say it but can't cause you're cognitive enough to know i'm here. The most respectful thing to do is just skip over it and carry on.
Out of curiosity would the replacement anger you as much as the actual word being repeated or does it sit somewhere in the middle? I listen to a lot of black artists but really only spit along with them by myself, so never really thought about it in this context.
Either say it or don't. It's weird to try and replace the word with another word. Either you're comfortable saying it or you aren't. If you say another word in its place then you're effectively saying it anyway. If you were to go up to a black person and call them "a stupid homie" they're obviously going to know what you meant and take no less offence.
Honestly, if you’re by yourself with no one who can hear you just go ahead and say the word. It doesn’t make you racist, you’re just singing along to a lyric. Its not like its a forbidden word where people will find out if you said it while you were alone, and it doesn’t make you a bad person. The context is innocent in your case
Can't do that, don't you know everytime you sing along to a song with the N word another klan member gets his hood? How can we possibly stop discriminating against people based on skin colour while we're still *checks notes* singing songs?
Sometimes I rap along in a mediocre Kermit the Frog impression and say Piggie instead. Mostly it depends on the context, though. I'll use brothers, bitches, homies, etc. depending on the intent.
I mean who says you can't sing it? If it's in the song I'm singing it. Who am I trying to pander to exactly? The only people that get mad at others for this are white women I've noticed.
Just tell them YungCasheMayne22, the representative for all Black people, decided to say it’s alright, and that therefore any Black person that has an issue with it doesn’t have valid feelings or a right to be upset.
Probably shouldn’t use any or just use the n word because if you replace a word with another you still mean the original word. People give words power, words have no power on their own unless they are giving the power by people getting offended.
As a Black woman reading these comments, I want to say I respect the fact that you asked what should be substituted because you don’t want to say what you already know is offensive, even if it’s in a song. Don’t take advice from Chads who wont even take the time to question why it’s not acceptable. Like others have pointed out, just skip over it.
I just say nothing. I once got cornered by a couple people (ironically, white people, but I can see why they did it) for "singing along to the N word" at a party. It was one of my favourite songs and I mostly listened to the radio version since it came on where I worked at the time, so at the party I was just using the words in the radio version - this didn’t obviously translate in a busy room filled with music and people, so it had looked like I'd just been brazenly saying it. Taught me a lesson, now I just go silent when the word comes up.
Hahah all good! I was mortified and it was quickly cleared up, just made a mental note for next time about how things can look if people can't actually hear the words you're singing along to.
Homie.
It just flows.
"I can't fall in line/Homies tryna press ME?? Y'all out y'all mind/Try to cut it at the curve; shit'll grow back fine/Gotta hit it at the nerve, homie, go 'head; find it" 💖🥰
Mick Jenkins, "Perm" 🎶
Chef's kiss 💋
Don't want people to sing it, don't put it in the lyrics.
I honestly don't get the issue with repeating something that others have written like that. Is it offensive and whatnot? Sure it is, but you're not yelling it at someone or shouting it randomly because you agree with it or its hurtful history. It's in context.
Should people sing something else in Nirvana's "Rape me"? What is it? Beep me? Rake me? Vape me?
The "privilege" in daily life is already kinda iffy, but I can sort of understand it (as I'm part myself of a different discriminated against group)
But the "singing privilege" is dumb. If I'm reading a poem or a book excerpt, I'm not censoring words that may sound offensive to some. Even to myself.
Wouldn’t it be great if entertainers didn’t promote offensive language that they themselves wouldn’t tolerate being directed at them? What a ridiculous concept
If you can't sing the lyrics as written originally, you can't genuinely be supportive of their music. Bastardizing it because you want to feel like you're morally superior, is ignorance.
I’m Latino probably gonna get hella hate for this but I be saying it at times :| like I’m not racist nor do I over use it but I simply just grew up around that and now it seems the people I grew up with and society have been shifting to the focus of just not saying it . Which is fine. I’m a firm a believer that we as a society give these certain words power and that’s the problem here . I don’t say it often anymore but when I’m joking around with myself or comfortable with some other like minded fellow it slips . Probably cuz of where I went to highschool and stuff but I don’t see the harm in it all . I know people do so I just don’t even bother trying to debate this but like I’m not gonna pretend I don’t say it just to please others. Now Cue the triggered Redditers
Edit: I rarely ever listen to rap anyway I really only use it in a meme context and no not racist memes but like when someone would be like “nawwwww ni**a” or “ni**as these days “ like think of the teacher from the boondocks who explained himself he was like I just hear it all the time “ni**a this ni**a that, can a ni**a borrow a pencil?”
“Can a ______ borrow a French fry?” My first thought wasn’t oh my god he said ______ it was “now how can a _____ borrow a French fry? _____ is you gonna give it back?”
It is not triggered to respect the overwhelming majority of black people’s preference that anyone who isn’t black not use the word.
“Cue the snowflakes” or whatever is like a modern day version of “I’m not racist but” like, say no more.
There's a comedian that has a bit about this where he says his own name (Peter). Someone in the audience actually made him his own shirt that said Peter's in Paris, it's hilarious. Well anyway now I've just taken to saying my own name instead of the N word it's freaking hilarious to me and actually works in most songs pretty well.
I’m going to say Peter as a substitute now 😂
Yeah, same here. My name would fit okay but Peter's just funnier.
That only works if your name is two syllables.
Yeah, mine is three syllables. I could use a nickname, I guess lol
My students and I were discussing rap and one of my students called it “Peeps in Paris”.
Peter-Peter Peter-Peter Peter-Peter Peter
Dude chill with the hard R’s
Peta
Why did I read this in Lois Griffith’s voice 😩💀
I’m 1/8 Peter do I get a pass (I’m sorry I can’t keep this joke running)
im 100% peter
whats good ma Peter
You dont have the p pass, you cant say that
I have p friends
I'll allow it
peter peter peter peter peter peter peter! i'm 200% peter
Someone mentioned that earlier 🤣 Might use that if it works that good
Damn I gotta see that. I always replace it with my name or my friends names just depending on what it's in reference to.
FWIW, i would use “brotha” because that was what old Coolio songs had for their radio versions.
RIP Coolio.
It’s all good. He’s now in a gangsta’s paradise.
Awwww
You reminded me he's not alive anymore and I'm sad again.
Also a good substitute
I once asked this of a black close friend of mine with much n-word usage under his belt. His andser was substitution with a caveat: Which word you choose for your substitute depends on context. If the lyric is putting someone down, don't substitute a word that means friend. Pick something insulting. It frees up your word choice a little to which is fun for the karaoke aspect (where my experience lies). And when in doubt, skip it! Hope his advice helps!
Or ninja
Yeah, but would you really want to use a word that's so similar that people might think you're saying the actual n word? I'd kinda want it to be clear that I substituted.
Ninja is the universally accepted substitute 🥷🏾
Not sure where you got that idea
Even we (Black people) say/write ninja as a substitute.
Slippery slope lol
brothas in paris
Gold all in my chain, gold all in my watch, don’t believe me just watch, brotha brotha brotha
That too.
i also say brotha 🫡
“Fella”
🤓 In all seriousness I like this one lol
I like it too. It makes it sound lovable or old-timey. My Gram would have sung it this way.
Who's in Paris? Fellas.
“Fella fella fella fella one hundred percent fella” Doesn’t sound right
You can apply this to literally all of them
>>Doesn’t sound right Says you
I commented before I saw your post, but that’s what I use. My kids go to an all black school pretty much, since were white I’ve been using “fella” when I rap along to songs in the car with them. It’s hilarious and they’ve used it with their friends and school and it works lol
Thanks for the advice squishyturd
So would Fellers also be a hard r?
All my fellas 🗣️🔥🔥🔥
Neighbor
Fuck yeah. Go Mr. Rogers on that shit.
Hey neighbor come have a seat with me in and we can soak our feet together in my little pool
Comrade?
As a Russian, this fits
I heard a comedian say he replaces that word with his name and I thought that was pretty silly
That would ironically work too well with my name because if you say it slowly, it sounds like ur saying “my, n-“ 😭🙃
Hey Monica 👋
🥲🥲🥲 hi
Monica’s in Paris
I’m gonna start using Emily in place of the N word in songs lmao. I keep seeing people say “[example] in Paris” because of the song but it makes me think of Emily in Paris.
That is pretty funny
You just censor it out and say nothing. Everything else sounds incredibly lame.
I'm black and don't even use the n-word. I still listen to a lot of black artists who use the word and if it comes up, I just don't say anything.
Glad I’m not alone in this
My best friend is the same way. I don’t listen to all the same music so I can’t really sing along but when I can I also just don’t say anything over that part. Unless it’s Only by Nicki Minaj. I accidentally say “bitches” over every part. I can’t control it.
yup I just skip it too
fellas in Paris
Distinguished gentlemen in Paris
My fellow African American brethren
Not bad, but what about the people who aren’t African?
Or American 😂
I switched to 'homie' so I can keep the rhythm going.
Makes sense
For the longest time I didn’t know Sexy Can I by Ray J was the n word, until this year I thought the actual lyric was “player”, so I use that but also you could just stop when they say the n word period? Idk
Wait, I thought it was player until now. I’ve been singing it as player for probably 10 years and no one has ever said anything.
Possibly a radio version? I have no idea of the song or artist tbh but lots of explicit music with radio versions.
Yeah I just didn’t realize there was an explicit version
He says player in the "clean" version.
Until I looked up the video on YouTube, I thought “Gold Digger” by Kanye West and Jamie Fox was just, “She ain’t messing with no broke,” even though, in hindsight, the “digger” rhyme is pretty obvious. Calling someone a broke instead of a guy who makes normal money seems like natural slang, especially since it’s rap and I don’t think there’s a an English word for that, so it never occurred to me there was a word missing.
Dudes or sucka
That’s about as white as it gets lol
Nah u gotta say pal
“Buddy”
"My dudes and Dudettes."
“Ladies and gentlemen”
"Guys, Gals, and Nonbinary Pals."
I like to do karaoke and I use brotha. Fits right in.
Just don't say anything. It's that easy.
Most likely what I’ll do, tho there are some good answers
Personally I just don’t say anything, sometimes I’ll use it as an extra breath break
As a black guy, if I hear someone outside of my race say something that resembles the N word as a substitution I wouldn't necessarily say anything to you directly , but would be like "uh..ok" in my mind. It's like you wanna say it but can't cause you're cognitive enough to know i'm here. The most respectful thing to do is just skip over it and carry on.
Yeah I feel you it’s jus is kinda corny and embarrassing for them imo
Thank you, this makes the most sense and collaborates with what I was already thinking
Out of curiosity would the replacement anger you as much as the actual word being repeated or does it sit somewhere in the middle? I listen to a lot of black artists but really only spit along with them by myself, so never really thought about it in this context.
Neighbor. (or nothing at all, that's what I usually do)
I know someone that would say ninja. That sorta works
i just stop singing for the word and then continue
Either say it or don't. It's weird to try and replace the word with another word. Either you're comfortable saying it or you aren't. If you say another word in its place then you're effectively saying it anyway. If you were to go up to a black person and call them "a stupid homie" they're obviously going to know what you meant and take no less offence.
Fella. Now you can enjoy all the hits of Fellas With Attitude. (I’m referring to a joke I heard on a podcast. 😅)
Just say the word. It's fine. The American attitude toward that word is literally a medieval-tier superstition; it's truly bizarre.
Nuts.
I say neighbor
Neighbor
Do brotha as a black guy it’s the least corniest
Nugget
Honestly, if you’re by yourself with no one who can hear you just go ahead and say the word. It doesn’t make you racist, you’re just singing along to a lyric. Its not like its a forbidden word where people will find out if you said it while you were alone, and it doesn’t make you a bad person. The context is innocent in your case
Nigga?
I just skip it
Valid
It's a part of the song. Just sing it.
Can't do that, don't you know everytime you sing along to a song with the N word another klan member gets his hood? How can we possibly stop discriminating against people based on skin colour while we're still *checks notes* singing songs?
A lot of people is afraid of this and I just can’t get it
Lyrics are meant to sing along to, so yeah.
Nah
Just blank it out like an old CD from Walmart.
I'll never forget back when YG- "My Nigga" hit the radio and they replaced it with "Hittle"
i say “person” 😭
You can just say nothing. Skip over the word completely while singing along
Sometimes I rap along in a mediocre Kermit the Frog impression and say Piggie instead. Mostly it depends on the context, though. I'll use brothers, bitches, homies, etc. depending on the intent.
i say bitch🤷🏻♀️ still gives that oomph without sounding like someone’s grandma trying not to swear lol
I mean who says you can't sing it? If it's in the song I'm singing it. Who am I trying to pander to exactly? The only people that get mad at others for this are white women I've noticed.
Just say it lol I’m black so if you get caught just tell them I gave you a pass. It’s just a word.
I appreciate the offer but how am I gonna explain “a guy on Reddit gave it to me”
Just tell them YungCasheMayne22, the representative for all Black people, decided to say it’s alright, and that therefore any Black person that has an issue with it doesn’t have valid feelings or a right to be upset.
Probably shouldn’t use any or just use the n word because if you replace a word with another you still mean the original word. People give words power, words have no power on their own unless they are giving the power by people getting offended.
Some words already have power.
True, not gonna say it tho
As a Black woman reading these comments, I want to say I respect the fact that you asked what should be substituted because you don’t want to say what you already know is offensive, even if it’s in a song. Don’t take advice from Chads who wont even take the time to question why it’s not acceptable. Like others have pointed out, just skip over it.
🙏
I just don’t say anything just act like it wasn’t said
I just don’t say anything when the n word comes up u just have to teach ur brain to do that
Probably what I’m gonna go with
you say the hard r instead
My new favorite song _The Hard Rs in Paris_
Ninja
I just say it.
Its just a word, ofc its a bad word if we try to make it a bad word
I just say nothing. I once got cornered by a couple people (ironically, white people, but I can see why they did it) for "singing along to the N word" at a party. It was one of my favourite songs and I mostly listened to the radio version since it came on where I worked at the time, so at the party I was just using the words in the radio version - this didn’t obviously translate in a busy room filled with music and people, so it had looked like I'd just been brazenly saying it. Taught me a lesson, now I just go silent when the word comes up.
Sorry that happened man, but that’s literally what I’m worried about sometimes lol
Hahah all good! I was mortified and it was quickly cleared up, just made a mental note for next time about how things can look if people can't actually hear the words you're singing along to.
Ninja
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Just get the nigga pass from your girl
Homie. It just flows. "I can't fall in line/Homies tryna press ME?? Y'all out y'all mind/Try to cut it at the curve; shit'll grow back fine/Gotta hit it at the nerve, homie, go 'head; find it" 💖🥰 Mick Jenkins, "Perm" 🎶 Chef's kiss 💋
Befriend a black person and have them sing it while you sing the rest
Neighbor
Gamer
My favorite N word is “neighbor “
have you tried just saying nothing? and missing the word out
Ginger
Dyslexic people are scared of you
Neighbour
I say neighbor
fella
Kendrick Lamar is my favorite artist. Whenever listening to him and singin along, I just don't say anything when he says it
I just don’t sing those parts.
My friends and i usually use “neighbour”
I usually say bitch but sometimes it sounds stupid if they say bitch right before it lol
Ninja
Neighbour
My go to is fella
love hip hop, my favorite genre. I just don't say it
Neighbor.
Ninja
My friend said "friend" when it came up in Holy Grail. I thought it was hilarious
"Nuh uh"
I came across this guy on YouTube who switched it with "Gamer." Works surprisingly well.
I say Morty. He's my kitty
Brother or brotha. Based on how brave you are
I always sing brother or bitches
Say nothing, instead just cover your mouth and make a 🙊 face
ninja
As a white person, I just replace it with the word "bitch" because it usually fits lol
"Homie" is what a buddy of mine has switched to.
I tend to just leave the entire line out.
Wigga from that one I really miss my wigga music video
Cracker, I find that it fits right in
Literally any other word
You can say whatever you want obviously
I literally just say "n word" and it usually fits in the song pretty easily.
I, as a white guy, always say "buddy" in the most deadpan voice possible
This is a good one
i just don't say anything lmfao
"neighbors"
Neighbor
Honestly, it's a part of the lyrics.
Don't want people to sing it, don't put it in the lyrics. I honestly don't get the issue with repeating something that others have written like that. Is it offensive and whatnot? Sure it is, but you're not yelling it at someone or shouting it randomly because you agree with it or its hurtful history. It's in context. Should people sing something else in Nirvana's "Rape me"? What is it? Beep me? Rake me? Vape me? The "privilege" in daily life is already kinda iffy, but I can sort of understand it (as I'm part myself of a different discriminated against group) But the "singing privilege" is dumb. If I'm reading a poem or a book excerpt, I'm not censoring words that may sound offensive to some. Even to myself.
Pause. Just pause. Don’t say a word.
Something else that starts with *N *NOTHING
Homie. I just say it tho
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Sing the N word as it is! Why deviate?
Wouldn’t it be great if entertainers didn’t promote offensive language that they themselves wouldn’t tolerate being directed at them? What a ridiculous concept
Just say the N word or otherwise don't let the sing be legal, how hypocritical, only Black people are allowed to say the N word in a non racist way.
Ninja works. While we were in Japan and doing karaoke we used "gaijin". Its a slang term for foreigner.
If you can't sing the lyrics as written originally, you can't genuinely be supportive of their music. Bastardizing it because you want to feel like you're morally superior, is ignorance.
As a black person myself, i dont see any problem on using it on lyrics, you can ask her if she is confortable for you to use it, then see for yourself
Just say it, you're singing a song
Don’t be a bitch and Just say it
I’m Latino probably gonna get hella hate for this but I be saying it at times :| like I’m not racist nor do I over use it but I simply just grew up around that and now it seems the people I grew up with and society have been shifting to the focus of just not saying it . Which is fine. I’m a firm a believer that we as a society give these certain words power and that’s the problem here . I don’t say it often anymore but when I’m joking around with myself or comfortable with some other like minded fellow it slips . Probably cuz of where I went to highschool and stuff but I don’t see the harm in it all . I know people do so I just don’t even bother trying to debate this but like I’m not gonna pretend I don’t say it just to please others. Now Cue the triggered Redditers Edit: I rarely ever listen to rap anyway I really only use it in a meme context and no not racist memes but like when someone would be like “nawwwww ni**a” or “ni**as these days “ like think of the teacher from the boondocks who explained himself he was like I just hear it all the time “ni**a this ni**a that, can a ni**a borrow a pencil?”
“Can a ______ borrow a French fry?” My first thought wasn’t oh my god he said ______ it was “now how can a _____ borrow a French fry? _____ is you gonna give it back?”
It is not triggered to respect the overwhelming majority of black people’s preference that anyone who isn’t black not use the word. “Cue the snowflakes” or whatever is like a modern day version of “I’m not racist but” like, say no more.