Charlamagne A newscaster who hasn’t appeared on air since referencing a Snoop Dogg lyric during a live show has received support from Tha God.
Barbie Bassett, an anchor at Mississippi-based NBC affiliate WLBT who has worked there for decades, was abruptly fired after uttering the phrase “fo’ shizzle my nizzle” during a conversation about the D-O-G-G.
People claimed that specific phrase’s word, “nizzle,” was a racial slang, but it’s not clear if Bassett was aware of this.
Although it is unknown if Bassett has lost her employment, the fact that she hasn’t appeared on television or spoken publicly since the incident has led many to believe the worst.
Charlamagne expressed his surprise that something so seemingly insignificant—saying that phrase, clearly not using racism or the N-word—would have resulted in her being fired on his show, “The Breakfast Club.”
She is unable to articulate “Fo shizzle, my nizzle?” Oh, I see. Nizzle is derived from n*-.
I’m saying that in the right context. I meant not to state… I don’t use that phrase.
Bassett should have been given the benefit of the doubt, Charlamagne seemed to contend.
That’s the issue with hip hop, man, he continued. Who can ingest hip-hop and who can’t? It’s so popular and mainstream, after all.
That’s why, he questioned. DJ Envy, who was his co-host, responded, “I don’t know if that’s fireable. You get what I’m saying? Who can and who can’t remember slang? Who can and who can’t remember slang? You know, how old is that woman?
She could be elderly. She probably doesn’t know that nizzle is an N-word adaptation, he continued.
For over 20 years, Bassett had been employed by the service.
She might not know anything; all she knows is that she thought it was cool to imitate Snoop Dogg.
“Fo shizzle my nizzle,” That is not a reason to dismiss someone. I pray she files a lawsuit.
The reality that Bassett had worked at the station for more than 20 years but is currently unemployed was also brought up by DJ Envy.
Ted Fortenberry, vice president and general manager of the station, issued a statement following Bassett’s absence in which he stated: “As I am sure you can understand, WLBT is unable to comment on personnel matters.”
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