Charlamagne Tha God has spoken up for a news presenter who hasn't been seen on air after quoting a Snoop Dogg lyric with racial connotations during a live broadcast.
The presenter, Barbie Bassett of Mississippi-based NBC affiliate WLBT, has been at the TV station for decades, but was taken off the air almost immediately after using the phrase ‘fo’ shizzle my nizzle’ while they were having a discussion about the D-O-G-G.
Here's the incident that started it all:
Obviously, most people will know the word that the ‘nizzle’ part of that particular phrase refers to, but it’s unclear whether Bassett knew that.
Advert
While it hasn't been confirmed if Bassett has been fired from her job, she hasn't been on air or spoken out since the incident which has lead many to speculate the worst.
On his show ‘The Breakfast Club’, Charlamagne expressed his shock that something so seemingly insignificant – saying that phrase, obviously not racism or the N-word – would have led to her getting fired.
He said: “She can’t say, ‘Fo shizzle, my nizzle?’ Oh, I guess cause nizzle is a derivative of n*****-.
“I’m saying that in context. I didn’t mean to say… I’m not using that word."
Advert
He asked: “That’s why?” to which his co-presenter DJ Envy said: “I don’t know if that’s fireable.”
Charlamagne went on: “She might not even know what ‘Nizzle’ means,
"I’m not like, come on, we got to like, stop, man. That’s not a reason to fire that woman."
Advert
Nowadays, rap music and Hip-Hop is so ubiquitous that even those who don’t listen to it might know a few things about it.
That particular phrase and association with Snoop Dogg might just be one of those things.
After all, it’s not exactly a normal phrase, is it?
Charlamagne seemed to argue that Bassett should have been given the benefit of the doubt, anyway.
Advert
He continued: "That’s the thing with hip hop, man. Hip-hop is so big and so mainstream, and it’s just like, who can consume it and who can’t?
“You know what I mean? Who can repeat slang and who can’t? Who can repeat slang and who can’t? How old is that woman, yo?
"She might be old. She probably has no idea nizzle is a derivative of the N-word," he added.
Advert
"She might not have any idea, she just thinks she sounded cool repeating Snoop Dogg.
"‘Fo’ shizzle my nizzle.’ That’s not a fireable offense. I hope she sues."
DJ Envy also made comment on the fact that Bassett had been at the station for more than 20 years, but now has no job.
In the aftermath of Bassett’s absence, the station’s vice president and general manager Ted Fortenberry released a statement in which he said: “As I am sure you can understand, WLBT is unable to comment on personnel matters."
Topics: US News, Film and TV, Celebrity, Music
Tom Wood