Kwaito Star Set To Release New Album, “Kaffir”
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Johannesburg, SA – Rights activists are all abuzz in South Africa this week, in anticipation of local a kwaito singer’s first album to be released next month, boldly entitled Kaffir. Black Mambo, the album’s creator could not be more pleased about the publicity, negative or not.
“Kaffir is a racial slur in my country. It’s used by whites similar to the way “nigger” is used in America,” he explains. “What I am doing by naming this album “Kaffir” is something similar to my brothers in America are doing. I’m reclaiming the word and taking the sting out of it.”
He is referring specifically to a movement in the hip-hop community to attempt to erase the negative associations to the word “nigger”, and to increase the populace’s use of the word.
“To me, the word nigger/nigga is a term of endearment,” said one rapper. “All my niggas from the block call each other nigga…and it’s always spoken in love.”
Black Mambo totally agrees with the assessment. In fact, not only is Mambo calling his first album “Kaffir”, but he’s taken his crusade a step further by christening his first born daughter with the same moniker.
“I want her to know that no matter what her name is, it only matters that it’s spoken in love,” he rationalizes. “For instance, I could say the name “Alice” really harsh and make it sound like a curse, but say “kaffir” softly and make it soothing to the ear. It’s all about the intent of the heart.”
Some of the other names he plans to call his daughter over the years are:
B****
Nigger b****
Monkey
Monkey whore
Coolie
Coon pie and
Tar baby
“You see, these are names that white people and others have called our women for years, but I’m going to encourage our youth in particular to embrace these labels (with good intentions), and use them as much as possible!”
Wouldn’t it be simpler just to use language that already has powerful and positive meaning, like “princess”, or “brother”, or “friend”, even?
Mambo paused and gave it some thought.
“Nooooo,” he finally responded. “I think this is the proper way. Look how far it’s brought the blacks in America. The word ‘nigger’ has made more millionaires in music than ‘brother’ ever has or will.”
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