How to Know the Difference Between a Black Man and a N*$#@

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Let’s be clear: There are millions of black people who’ve been taught to believe that they are n*ggers. If you don’t believe me, just listen to the radio and count the number of times you hear statements like “I’m a thug n*gga,” “I’m a rich n*gga,” “I’m a n*gga in Paris.” Of course we can make the distinction beween the ending with an “a” and the ending with “er,” and that distinction does matter, to a point. But what is also true is that even ending the word with an “a” still means that you may have been tempted to adopt specific, self-destructive behavioral patterns consistent with your “Badge of N*gga Honor.”




1) A black man prides himself on seeking knowledge and education, even if he doesn’t have much to begin with. A n*gger just loves being ignorant and might think it’s OK to be illiterate since he knows how to dribble a basketball. In fact, if you pay him enough money, he might say something like “I don’t give a damn about slavery” in order to make white people laugh. The black man wants to be taken seriously most of the time, but the n*gger loves to be paid to be the court jester.

2) A black man saves and invests money to build wealth for his family, he might even start his own business. A n*gger will brag to you about how he spent $1,000 at the club last night and will often be seen throwing money in the air. He also makes fun of the black man with his own business because the big white corporation has given him a fancy job with a big office so he can live paycheck-to-paycheck until he cries racism after being downsized. A black man seeks to be financially strong and independent so he can be a good provider. A true n*gger spends his money as quickly as he obtains it, leaves nothing but debt for his children and has been well-trained to ignore all forms of meaningful financial literacy.


4) A black man takes care of his children, providing them with the love, guidance and support they need. A n*gger doesn’t know his kids’ middle names, doesn’t plan for their future and doesn’t even know who is taking care of his offspring. When he dies, he has no life insurance, even though he just took a picture on Facebook in front of a stack of cash. A niggerette doesn’t want the child’s father in his life, and lets any old man into her house so he can molest her kids when she’s not looking. She also might remind her kids of how they don’t need their daddies, since she doesn’t need a man either.

5) A black man tries to live a productive lifestyle and avoid incarceration if possible. If he is incarcerated, he uses this experience to gain a chance for redemption and an opportunity to help other young men learn from his mistakes. A n*gger thinks that going to jail is a badge of honor, never learns from his mistakes and is happy to see his mama go broke bailing him out every time he does something stupid. When he violates his parole, it might be over something silly and unnecessary, like dirty pee in a cup from smoking weed every day, or carrying a gun to the strip club so he can imitate his favorite rapper and “keep it real.”

6) A black man is somewhat disciplined about his sexual choices. If he likes the ladies, he at least tries to respect the women he interacts with and tries to be responsible about his health. A n*gger just wants to have a “flock of hoes” and hasn’t been tested for an STD in the last 14 years. His p*enis is like a water gun, spraying fire at any working v@gina within a 100 mile radius. If any kids are born as a result of his sexual conquests, he has no interest in paying child support, even if he’s got the money. After all, his baby mamas don’t need no man, so why should they need him to send money?

7) A black man, despite his mistakes, seeks to grow as a person and become more responsible. A n*gger has no concern about living in his mama’s basement and assumes that somebody else is going to take care of the kids he’s making every year. Condoms don’t exist in the mind of a true n*gger. There’s also nothing wrong with playing Xbox in his drawz on the living room couch till he’s 39 years old. How else will he be able to keep working to get that record deal?

8) A black man might start off as a rebellious teenager. But in adulthood, he eventually pulls up his pants and at least tries to live a life of dignity, even if he is dead broke. A n*gger is forever sagging, even at the age of 35. In the n*gger’s mind, he’s going to be 19-years old forever.

9) A black man is willing to take up arms to defend his community and protect his children. A n*gger will take up arms to go kill another n*gger. The murder might even be over something stupid, like a man stepping on his shoes at the club or giving him a funny look. Real n*ggers are killing more black men than the entire Ferguson Police Department and KKK combined.

10) A black man will recite hip-hop lyrics that speak on how brilliant, proud, powerful, strong and intelligent he is, as well as the richness of black history. A n*gger will recite lyrics bragging about how he’s high and sloppy drunk all the time, throws his money away, kills other black men and is glad to be ignorant. For black men, hip-hop is empowering. For real n*ggers, corporate hip-hop brainwashes him into creating a destructive life.

11) The black man may want to study at Howard University or Morehouse College and learn about the greatness of his people. The n*gger presumes he’s far better off at Harvard or Yale, since everything white is better. He also thinks everything good was invented by a white man and that acceptance by white people is the Holy Grail of Negro Achievement.

12) Although he may sometimes date outside his race, the black man exalts and appreciates the beauty of black women. The n*gger explains to you why he only wants to date white women because they will give him pretty kids with good hair. In fact, he hates all black women and thinks that they all act like “Cookie” from the TV show, “Empire.”

13) A black man is, quite simply, a MAN: He stands up against racism, protects those that he loves, and is a block of power on which you build strong communities. A n*gger is both a little boy and the one who thinks that the black man I’ve just described is “acting white.” He cares nothing for the black collective, and doesn’t feel that he, nor any black celebrity, has any obligation to give back to his community. He also is the one who will read this article and say that I’m being “uppity” for even mentioning the ideas of black self-reliance and personal responsibility. In fact, he’s complaining on my Facebook page right now. But that doesn’t bother me because n*ggers get no attention on my Facebook page, since n*ggers work for the enemy.


At this point in our history, we have two choices: Either strengthen ourselves or perish. The Democrats don’t love you, the Republicans want to see you dead, the school systems want to keep your children stupid, white people aren’t going to ever give you enough good jobs, and the prison industrial complex has its claws in your sons from the time they are born. If we do not hunker down and protect ourselves and our families, we will continue to be the class clowns of American society. We will NEVER achieve our liberation by begging.


Now, let’s stand up strong and move forward.
