A Texas-born Latino rapper in the US named That Mexican OT has shocked many rap fans after he proclaimed that he has every right to use the n-word, especially in his music. As expected, his stance on the matter has drawn outrage, particularly from the Black community, and many people are torn about That Mexican OT’s opinion.
That Mexican OT, aka Virgil René Gazca, notably said his statement on a recent episode of Lip Service with Angela Yee. The Latino rapper sat down in a podcast together with another musician, Cleotrapa. At around the 26-minute mark in the 1-hour podcast, That Mexican OT boldly claimed that he’s not afraid of being canceled for using the n-word in his music despite not being Black, and this is his reasoning:
“I’m gonna tell you why … I wish there was some Black dudes in here. Ok, we’re gonna use him [Black person among the crew]. What the f*** are you gonna do about it? And then second of all, I grew up loving these motherf******. I grew up fighting with them. I grew up eating with them. I grew up f*****’ doing bad sh** with them,” says That Mexican OT
Here’s the full podcast for reference:
That Mexican OT also added in his earlier statements that his audience, especially the Black people among them, know him well and love him. Hence, the Texas-born rapper feels better about foregoing the same caution that many musicians and artists have always exercised.
“I don’t think I can get canceled. I can’t get canceled because I didn’t sell my music; I sold me. These people know who the f*** I am, and they love me, and they appreciate me. That’s why I can go f*****’ jump off a bridge and eat a bowl of sh**, and they’re gonna f*****’ love it.
Even if you don’t agree with what the f*** I’m saying, there’s a whole world that is behind me. And not only is there a whole behind me, it’s so fearlessly me that you have no choice but to respect it,” according to That Mexican OT, transcript courtesy of Complex
So far, the Black women in that very same podcast seem to agree with That Mexican OT and didn’t seem offended that the Latino was openly using the n-word in his music, which is usually negatively connotated if used by other ethnicities or races. Of course, the people listening to the podcast and those who caught wind of That Mexican OT’s statements find it polarizing.
The Debate Ensues
People online were quick to point out just how troublesome That Mexican OT’s opinions on n-word usage were. Some have dared That Mexican OT to use that word in a different or a certain neighborhood, though some Texas locals were quick to defend That Mexican OT’s stance, saying that it’s a state-wide “thing.”
In any case, while That Mexican OT might have a point, it appears many of his critics were questioning his choice of words since “What the F*ck Are You Gonna Do About It?” sounded rather combative if viewed from the wrong context.
It’s worth noting that That Mexican OT isn’t the only non-Black rapper who is open about using the n-word. In fact, Eminem has said and used the word many times during his career, both live and in recording. Eminem was as young as 17 when he wrote and sang rap music with multiple n-words in it.
“It’s a Texas thing. Yall wouldn’t understand,” claims Saucito Estrada
“‘I mean no disrespect’- good answer. ‘What are your gonna do about it?!?’ – bad answer. Very bad answer,” argues Teron Brown
“Good response but the only Hispanics that should say that word are the ones with African roots like Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, etc.,” says Werd Smith
