Wigger
Encyclopedia : W : WI : WIG : Wigger
A Wigger (alternatives: Wigga, Whigger, Wafrican-American, Wangster) is a stereotype of a Caucasian person who emulates phrases, mannerisms, and fashion commonly and stereotypically associated with Black or hip-hop cultures. The stereotype of the wigger usually involves a young Caucasian person who generally knows little about their own background, or the culture they are appropriating, with the exception of the music, style, and slang associated with that culture, attributes generally understood as not fully representing any culture.
-->The term is a portmanteau combining the words "white nigger", or "wannabe nigger," and has thus been used historically in a derogatory manner.
Celebrities and media characterization
- "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" by The Offspring is a famous song about wigger culture [link]. It describes a "wannabe" white man who attempts (and humorously fails) to integrate into black culture.
- In his song "The Way I Am", Eminem describes the characterizations of him as a wigger. He claims they come from "cocky Caucasians" who think he is "some wigger who just tries to be black cause I grab on my balls and I talk with an accent." [link] Note the use of "Caucasians", suggesting that these accusations come mainly from the white community, rather than the black community.
- British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G character is a critically acclaimed caricature of a wigger, his catchphrase being "Is it cos I is black?" It has been suggested that this character was partially based on Tim Westwood, a white British DJ and presenter of the Radio 1 Rap Show and Pimp My Ride (UK) . However, Westwood claimed in the NME in 2000 that Baron Cohen had told him that Ali G was based not on Westwood himself, but on some of the white hip-hop fans who phoned up the DJ's show.
- The 1999 film "White Boyz" is the story of 3 rural white teens best described as wiggers.
- In the 1998 film Can't Hardly Wait, Kenny Fisher (played by Seth Green), personifies the wigger stereotype.
- In the 2002 film "Not Another Teen Movie" a white student is insulted by two wiggers because he acts Asian.
- The 2003 film Malibu's Most Wanted offers another satirical take on the wigger stereotype. The movie's main character, Brad Gluckman (played by Jamie Kennedy), is an upper class white male raised in Malibu, but he feels much more connected to African-American culture. [link]
- The Canadian comedy/mockumentary Trailer Park Boys features a character named J-Roc, a white rapper who almost always speaks in ebonics. His most common phrase is "Nawmsayin'?" ("Know what I'm saying?") In the episode "Who's the Microphone Assassin?" fellow park inhabitant Sara points out that people forget J-Roc is white.
- The character of Rita on the US-sitcom Whoopi was a stereotype of a female wigger.
- Chicago rapper Marz, who is of Croatian descent, is a self proclaimed wigger. In his lyrics he is sometimes quoted as saying "I'm a wigger with an attitude", and has an Internet-released single called "Wigger Crown", which features such lyrics as "If 50 Cent can go after Jigga and Nas/ I'ma go after the wigger crown/ ya'll gone feel me now". The song is clearly stating that Marz thinks he will take Eminem's place as most prominent Caucasian rapper.
- Josh Tobin has made a song called "I'm a Gangster", about a white guy trying to rap & parodying rap/hip-hop culture.
- World Wrestling Entertainment former (WWE) Champion John Cena, who is fast becoming one of the industry's most controversial men, is considered a wigger. He rose to prominence by rapping during shows, and released his own album, You Can't See Me. He also wears what is considered a generic Hip-hop attire of baseball cap, basketball shirt, short jeans (as opposed to traditional wrestling tights), and sneakers. It is partly because of this that he gets possibly the most reaction out of every wrestler in the WWE today.
- In the 1989 song "No One's Leaving," Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell sings: "Blacks call each other brother and sis/Count me in 'cause I been missed," aptly describing the search for identity that often compels white youth to adopt stereotypical black mannerisms. In the same song, Farrell describes himself as a "white dread," invoking the image of an Afro-Caribbean "Rasta."
- Tweener, a recurring character in the Fox TV series Prison Break, is a wigger whose mannerisms and emulation of black culture has caused him severe trouble with both the black and the white supremacist populations of the prison. His nickname being a reflection of his persona lying between cultures.
- On various music-sharing networks, such as Napster, Limewire, and such, there is a song misattributed to "Weird Al" Yankovic called I'm a Wigga. The song parodies various aspects of wigga culture.
- In the animated version of The Boondocks, The characters Ed Wuncler III and Gin Rummy feature all the stereotypical characteristics of wiggers although they usually act out in a more psychotic and dangerous fashion which actually rivals those of inner-city gangsters.
- A popular video circulating the Internet features a man named [Trevor] who appears to embody the concept of wiggerdom.
- British rap songstress Lady Sovereign has sung a song called I'm a Wigga, which is not the same as the song being misattributed to "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Rapper Vanilla Ice is considered by many to be the world's most famous wigger considering the many attempts at becoming a hardcore rapper.
- Dave the Video Game Pimp, a character featured in the Beer.com Podcasts is also a recent example of this cultural affectation.
- In an episode of Family Guy Chris joins the basketball team (as sweat-wipe) and begins speaking in stereotypical wigger fashion. Peter believes him to be possessed and attempts to exorcize him.
- Thrash/Hardcore band M.O.D. released the album The Rebel You Love to Hate on Nuclear Blast Records featuring the track "Wigga". The lyrical content of the song makes fun of white teenagers who rap and embrace a sub-culture that is not their own by ironically adopting hip-hop beats and parodying white rappers like Vanilla Ice.
- The Frank Zappa song You Are What You Is describes a typical wigger, and equates their emulation of blacks with old stereotypes; ie. Amos & Andy.
References
See also
- Chav
- Cultural appropriation
- Kevin Federline
- Ganguro
- Icy Hot Stuntaz
- Wapanese
- Kid Rock
- Oreo
- Twinkie
- Vanilla Ice
- Bubba Sparxxx
- Tim Westwood
- John Cena
- Paul Wall
- Fred Durst
- Everlast (singer)
External links
- [BBC explanation of the term]
- [Wiggaz.com - Online source for wiggers, wiggaz, white gangsters and more]
- [Wigger Lover - A blog exploring the cultural baggage of "acting black"]
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

