Blaxploitation Redux, Part Deux : When niggas attack (the trademark office)

[via Wired News:]:

The actor Damon Wayans has been engaged in a 14-month fight to trademark the term "Nigga" for a clothing line and retail store, a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's online database reveals.

Wayans wants to dress customers in 14 kinds of attire from tops to bottoms, and use the controversial mark on "clothing, books, music and general merchandise," as well as movies, TV and the internet, according to his applications.

But, so far, his applications have been unsuccessful. Trademark examiner Kelly Boulton rejected the registration dated Dec. 22, citing a law that prohibits marks that are "immoral or scandalous." A previous attempt by Wayans was turned down on identical grounds six months earlier.

"While debate exists about in-group uses of the term, 'nigga' is almost universally understood to be derogatory," Boulton wrote to Wayans' attorney, William H. Cox, according to the application.

Damon Wayans is one crazy mutherfocker and I honestly do not know if to take this as a publicity stunt or a real honest attempt at registering the trademark. But if it is a serious attempt at registering "NIGGER" as his intellectual property, then I'd have to be upset at his audacity.

Who the hell does he think he is that he can claim owndership of the word nigger. I mean, c'mon, people would have to pay him to use the fucking work on everything and anything. Even rap music.

Can you imagine Jay-Z ponying up a quarter everytime he called his niggahs in da houz?

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