2 chapters across the catalog
The discussion covers the ubiquity of racial slurs in early 20th-century American life, from song titles on the Billboard charts to household products. It then moves to the 1960s and 70s, highlighting Muhammad Ali's refusal to serve in Vietnam and Richard Pryor's use of the word to achieve crossover comedic success.
Historical context is provided for the coca plant, originally used by indigenous South Americans for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Statistics from 1983 indicate that 22 million Americans had used cocaine at that time, prior to the widespread emergence of crack. The segment notes the deaths of celebrities like John Belushi and the injury of Richard Pryor as pivotal moments in public drug awareness.
