Nigga Turtles, a YouTube video created by ITSREAL85VIDS brings both anger and laughter. Basically some guy had a great idea. He decided to take an old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie and do voices over it.
Sad to say the first time that I saw this video, I was laughing. As I was reviewing it, to learn more about it, I was laughing. Yet it is a very upsetting video at the same time.
I was first introduced to the video a few weeks ago, while I was riding a Rapid Ride bus home. I overheard a video that was playing on a young mans phone. I was not exactly sure what it was that I was listening to, but it was funny, and I chuckled a bit. The young men, two who were African American and one Mexican American noticed that I was laughing at the video and turned the phone so that I could see too.
My laughter immediately turned to anger after I asked the young men what the name of the video was titled. Without hesitation, the young Mexican American kid blurted out, “Nigga Turtles!” I looked at his two African American friends, for some type of reaction. They were not bothered by their friends use of the word nigga, nor were they bothered at the fact that the video was titled, Nigga Turtles. After I gave a brief lecture on the word Nigga, I got off the bus a few stops after my destination.
Let me see here, Nigga Turtles. That implies that these turtles are niggas? Which to some would imply that these niggas were black.
I immediately looked at how many views the video received and I saw that it was in the millions.
The turtles are talking in what some would consider “Black” vernacular. Disrespecting women, being sexually irresponsible, hinting at gang affiliation and conveying many more characteristics that the media usually associate with African American men.
The videos, which total nine in all, are made by a African American man, who takes great pride in the videos, and mentions that he does all the voices. On one end, as I said before, I was laughing. On the other end, this video is upsetting and socially irresponsible. It is perpetuating stereotypes of African American males.
Did he have to name the video Nigga Turtles? People have the right to make people laugh. You would think that one would at least take into consideration the possible consequences of a comedy skit like this being presented to an audience that extends way beyond the African American community. Maybe ITSREAL85VIDS did weigh out the pros and cons of a video like this. Maybe he thinks that this type of comedy is harmless when it comes to race relations in America.
If this video is so wrong, why am I laughing?