Q-Tip touched on this a long time ago, it's basically a way of owning something that was once used against you...
See, nigga first was used back in the deep south
Fallin out between the dome of the white mans mouth
It means that we will never grow, you know the word dummy
Other niggas in the community think its crummy
But I dont, neither does the youth cause we
Embrace adversity it goes right with the race
And being that we use it as a term of endearment
Niggas start to bug to the dome is where the fear went
Now the little shorties say it all of the time
And a whole bunch of niggas throw the word in they rhyme
Yo I start to flinch, as I try not to say it
But my lips is like the oowop as I start to spray it
My lips is like a oowop as I start to spray it
My lips is like a oowop as I start to spray it