We knew he was going to take it there, and he did. There was tons of anticipation surrounding Ice Cube's appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher on Friday night, the show's first airing since Maher said the N-word during an interview with Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse last week. The comedian quickly apologized, but Cube joined guests Michael Eric Dyson and Symone D. Sanders to discuss the controversy.
Dyson pointed out that Maher should fight the "unconscious reflex" of white privilege, especially since there are now people in the White House who are aligned with white nationalists.
Then it was Cube's turn. The rapper, actor, and basketball league owner started off by telling Maher, "You've got a lot of black jokes...Sometimes you sound like a redneck trucker."
Then Cube turned to the slur itself. "What made you think it was cool to say that?" he asked. "I think we need to get to the root of the psyche. There's a lot of guys out there who cross the line because...they think they're too familiar...or [they] might have had a black girlfriend or two..., and they think they can cross the line. And they can't."
When speaking of the slur, Cube said, "It's like a knife. You can use it as a weapon, or you can use it as a tool. It's been used as a weapon against us by white people... That's our word now, and you can't have it back."
You can see further discussion between Maher, Cube, and Sanders in the clip below.
Related Stories
Bill Maher Calls Himself a 'House N*gga' on 'Real Time'
While talking to Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, Maher had a very aggressive response when asked to work in the fields.
Five (Other) Times Bill Maher Was Racist, Islamophobic, or Sexist
Friday's remarks weren't the first time charges of bigotry have been leveled against Bill Maher.
Ice Cube Set to Discuss Bill Maher's N-Word Controversy on 'Real Time'
Sen. Al Franken previously canceled his appearance on 'Real Time' following Maher's controversy.
