Supermodel Zita Vass sparked controversy by questioning why she can’t say the “N-word” in songs at live concerts.
In an Instagram post with a series of videos that was captioned, “THE N WORD – Warning #controversial #africanamericans,” she asked her 775,000 followers the following:
“So this is something that has been on my mind for years. Years and years. And I think everyone is a little too scared to talk about it and I understand why because if we say anything about this situation. There is a lot of backlash. I am not a person who cares what your backlash is. Maybe I need to be the one to say it. But I think it’s time, you know. We’re evolving and, like, why not bring this topic up? So It has to do with the ‘N-word,’ which is so controversial. I get it. And if there is something I don’t get, please, inform me and let me know.”
She continued: “So the point is and what I want to know. When I am at a concert that I paid money for. And I’m enjoying the music of an African American artist that I support financially, just as everybody else in the audience. And I love their lyrics. I am there in good spirits, so clearly, I’m not a racist, right? But I can’t sing along to all the words in the song, right? Because when the ‘N-word’ comes up. For some reason, I’ma shut my mouth. One time I tried to have this conversation with an African American gentleman, and he got very upset with me and I still don’t understand why. And I’m trying to understand.”
The 34-year-old California native is best known for modeling in Guess advertisements. Her resume includes work in Vogue, Maxim, and Elle.
Vass admits ignorance but believes it is “obnoxious” that everybody can not sing a word in a song.
“I think the point of this is … This doesn’t exist in any other culture. I think it’s kinda ‘obnoxious’ at this point. And if there is something I’m missing, let me know. Because, at this point, I really think it’s obnoxious at this point that everybody, who is not African American, cannot sing this word. Even if they are there in good spirits and have love for the same … There is no other culture – that I know of – so maybe it is ignorance on my part. Anybody can be wrong about anything. But I’ve never heard of anybody not being able to say a word about anything, you know. I think this is something that people need to get over. Seriously.”
She clarifies that she just wants to be able to sing the word at a concert; however, not use it in everyday dialogue based on artists using the word as a “term of endearment.”
“The N-word is not derogatory,” she concluded. “You use it as a term of endearment towards each other. So, when I hear it in your music. I also want to use it as a term of endearment. But I’m not going to go that far and say hey, now, I want to be able to say ‘Hey, what up my…,’ to my friends. I just want to be able to go to a concert and not have to, suddenly, like a weirdo, pause, when a word comes up because I might get accused of being a bad person. Makes no sense, OK? I’m just trying to understand.”
Since March 8, the supermodel’s post has received over 6,000 likes and 709 comments. On Monday’s TMZ Live, she defended her take on the topic and invited others to educate her.
From Kendrick Lamar to Lil Baby to Fat Joe, the conversation about the use of the n-word in music has been a hot-button topic since the early 2000s. Kendrick Lamar references his 2018 Hangout Festival performance in the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers track “Auntie Diaries.”
He raps: “That time I brung a fan on stage to rap / But disapproved the word that she couldn’t say with me / You said, “Kendrick, ain’t no room for contradiction / To truly understand love, switch position / ‘Faggot, faggot, faggot,’ we can say it together / But only if you let a white girl say ‘Nigga’”
That Mexican OT recently spoke on recently deciding to refrain from using the word in his music during an interview with Bootleg Kev.