If you listen to Jhené Aiko’s recent music, the word nigga is only really used by the artists featured in her songs. As for her own personal use of the word, the singer opted to remove it from her songwriting process. During a recent exchange with a social media user, she took the opportunity to explain her decision.

On Monday (Dec. 7), when a fan asked the “Triggered” vocalist what she was mixed with, she responded, “Whispers, cat hair, Slauson asphalt and sand from Venice beach.”

“I am less Black than someone half Black, but also less white [than] someone half white… and Asian is the least thing I am,” she continued. “So at this point, it’s whatever they want me to be.”

Aiko later gave a detailed explanation of her ethnicity to provide some clarity to fans confused by her previous statement.

“I have a Japanese grandfather and a Creole/Dominican grandmother on my mother’s side… and both of my father’s parents are Black and white. My DNA results came in 25% Asian, 33% African and 34% European,” she said. “So that is what I was referencing in the tweet. Also, those DNA sites update and change from time to time so who actually knows. Ok, now I’m done explaining. Promise I am human and I see you all as family regardless of how u view me.”

Considering her ancestry and the discomfort often experienced when non-Black individuals use the word, she decided to eliminate the word from her writing process.

Aiko added: “I would like to say one more thing that hopefully simplifies this statement. The discussion stemmed from the use of the n word in my music in the past, and I let it be known I haven’t in a while, and [I] chose not to use it anymore moving forward out of respect and consideration to my ancestors and the individuals who feel uncomfortable when I say it.”

TSR

TSR