Your thoughts on the 'n-word'?

I mean, so many people are offended by the mere mention of it, yet black people are the ones who say it... Like take this verse of Shit Dont Change by DMX, which i have repeated while listening to because its catchy as hell.

Check it
When the dog get hungry, dog gon' eat
So I slide my plate right under a nigga feet
Like them lines in the road I get down to the street
Come through like BRRRAP! Put them cats to sleep
STAY with the heat, cook niggaz, shook niggaz
Me and mines come through, it's nothin but crook niggaz
You off the hook nigga! E'rybody strip!
E'rybody get down cause my niggaz flip!
Spoiled fake niggaz take niggaz, snake niggaz
Make niggaz rape niggaz, I HATE niggaz!
Talkin that riff-raff, get back
They call me extortion nigga, I get half
Fuck what you heard baby, X go hard
Beast in the streets, beast in the yard
It ain't never been NUTTIN to pull a nigga's card
Gangstas come to jail and wanna know God

Yeah, is that racist then? Is that offensive? I dont know anymore! Its offensively catchy! :P

i think it's just some accented beats in today's music, don't mind it too much

I think it's about intent and perception ..

I never liked words that stigmatized a group of people. Like I cannot stand the word "retard" it's degrading towards people who suffer from mental retardation, poking fun at the affliction.

Dick Valentine, you didn't write the lyrics, so you have the right to enjoy them :P sure it might be racist, but if you're just repeating what somebody else wrote, I don't think it's your racism

I could not agree more...words cannot hurt unless one allows them to. Also, much more important then the word is the tone of its use.

people think its just a trendy thing to say now

I am 100 percent for free speech, but I avoid that word. It's far too associated with terrible things that have been done. I won't say it. I feel better that I don't.