Of N-Words and Sizzurp; The tale of cussin' & commerce.

Calvin Broadus keeps his sip game tight by getting on board with a new premium Cog-nac for dizzle my shizzle. But if you listen closely in the middle of this lil commer-shizzle, I'm pretty sure he uses the N-word my nizzle. Technically it's not Snoop D-O-double-G handing out the "Nig-izzle" word, that honor belongs to what sounds like the Dream. The producer of numerous R&B hits of of late. Somewhere around 20 seconds or so, when you see the bottle of Cog-nac dressed like a church-lady. The Dream says, "I know you love when a N-(bomb) break it down."

That's it folks that's how we market in the 21st century! You deride your market? Maybe so and maybe not; I mean it is still a very common term in American vernacular, is it not? Used both casually and caustically. Also to harm and to charm. Prediction: This will be a non-issue, just in the same effortless and carefree way it wafts from the crooners lips. It will float through the airs & ears of many callous listeners and add flavor, although in an unregistered fashion, to the ambiance of the brand.

Is it just a bit of profane flavoring like so many of our other favorite songs and sayings we share today? Cee-Lo Green just rocked the internets instantly with a track called F**K YOU! Someone just tried to spike the Democratic vote by putting up a nifty little site called WTF Has Obama Done, OK, they didn't swear but we get the point. Today is it just open public discourse, the norm?

We all loved the Cee-Lo track, I hummed it until I loosened my teeth. He uses the exact same word at one point in his song too. Now granted it wasn't a commercial intended to inform or persuade. It was an artistic expression, some might say at it's delightful best. The subtle and mostly forgivable difference was in the Snoop commercial it is done in the same old Pimp-sh*t way. It's the derogatory off-color commentary we've been hearing for years. Mr Green catches a vibe a public sentiment. It was wrong words wrought with wit. Cee-Lo had us singing f-u in a most mirthful fashion. And when he sings, "she's a gold-digger, just thought you should know n*gger," it is with that self same witticism many African Americans deride, chide, extoll, ingratiate and even elevate each other in some of the most layered and complexly orchestrated forms of communication imaginable. Not an easy subject but I'm down to fumble with it.

Now back to Snoop & the Dream: In their defense this commercial would be right at home on HBO's Entourage, but they don't do commercials. However they do have the internet audience and in that vein it's a match made in promotional heaven. Snoop has always rode the line between commercial acceptance and Hip Hop street-cred like Tony Hawk rides four tiny wheels. This dudes brand runs the gamut from grannies to good girls to gutter with absolute ease. I'm not really questioning the use of the word. But at what lengths we go to sell. And at what cost beyond the manufacturer suggested retail price stands the social, psychological and community taxes to be paid.  A cost we have been paying for a long time with no end in drunken and blurred sight.

This will be the least of Snoops brand issues as he seems to be unfade-able. His brand conscience is as questionable and as frail of integrity as the American business is today. Talk about "products" of our environment.  So can he curse in his commercials, hell yeah! Will his brand suffer for it, hell no. Does the N-word transcend profanity to the majority of African Americans and should we be using it in commercials? Hell yes -- and -- hell no -- respectively.

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