What is AAVE? Twitter wants Pokimane 'gone' after she allegedly mocks the black communtiy

Popular Twitch streamer Pokimane slipping up and using the 'n-word' is still fresh in a lot of fans' memories. Therefore, when the streamer recently misappropriated black culture in a stream title, the community was really uncomfortable.

Pokimane titled one of her recent streams 'on god frfr? it's bussin bussin in here' and according to many fans, this was a highly incorrect use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or 'black slang language,' which Poki should have avoided if she doesn't understand the meaning of the phrase.

As a result of her latest slip-up, the internet wants Pokimane canceled for her 'insensitive' use of AAVE, especially after she has a history of using such slang in her streams previously, something she had to apologize for.

pokimane mocking aave in her stream title as a joke having had used the n slur is unsettling, and she misuses aave all the time talking too pic.twitter.com/CEk6nvcmtH

— xuahn (@genzukiii) August 19, 2021

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What is AAVE and is Pokimane getting canceled on Twitch for using it?

For the uninitiated, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a designation used by linguists to describe a North American dialect of English used by some Black people. It is usually spoken by urban communities but it has recently been popularized on the internet by African-American youth.

While Poki does have a Moroccan descent, fans believe it isn't enough for her to appropriate black culture. People previously thought Pokimane's apology after using the 'n-word' was genuine and, therefore, chose to forgive her for her mistake. However, many fans have pointed out that the popular Twitch streamer continues to use AAVE freely even if she is making many of her fans uncomfortable.

I love pokimane, but that's 100% AAVE. Rachel Hampton has a good episode about this kinda stuff. It's one thing to partake in a culture, while acknowledging where certain things came from. And another to profit off popular culture that comes from POC.

— Dacey🌭 (@daycdukes) August 20, 2021

sum about pokimane using aave with a history of saying the n word just don’t sit right with me

— | maskayla | #1 potato stan (@makaylawtflmao) August 19, 2021

In fact, after the recent incident, many Twitch viewers confessed that they even stopped watching Pokimane after her constant use of AAVE.

I remember watching her dream a few months ago & she used a ton of aave. It was already weird but when she said "...that's brazy" I stopped watching & unsubscribed immediately. Shit was mad weird

— Green Witch in Progress 💚🌱🔮 (@Shayw618) August 20, 2021

At this point, the question is whether Pokimane is using this kind of language intentionally and ironically to mock the black community, or is she just ignorant of how she sounds using AAVE.

So back when Karl got called out for hanging out with ICE, Pokimane, and using AAVE and I made a statement holding him accountable and I got called “soft”, “sensitive”, and the n-word. #rbgcspeaks

— Raquel (@Bootwtt1) June 9, 2021

i meant to repley to brooke but i love brooke and she replied to pokimane after she mocked aave

— des says covid isn’t over 👍🏽 (@desteeni2) August 20, 2021

the apology was better. i feel like im still gonna have to remain cautious abt him and see him grow. im upset he didnt address the pokimane and lil nas x and usage of aave (im not black but im saying he should of addressed it) god this is so stressful tho

— vivi (@dilfs4duck) April 30, 2021

every time pokimane uses that god awful forced aave, another little shred of my soul shrivels up and dies

— owen 🌈🦕 (@brontowhoreus) July 24, 2021

i mean the aave usage self explanatory, but he just seems to care ab clout bc he keeps associating with ppl that have v questionable histories. pokimane for example LARGELY overused aave and somebody else said she used the n word at some point

— 📺ᴋᴀʏ-ʟᴜʜ📺 (@sapnapsmistress) April 30, 2021

I feel like it definitely existed before it got “popular” online bc I’m like 99% sure it’s AAVE but regardless ,,, fuckin POKIMANE definitely didn’t know about it two years ago

— h ❄️ (@penguin_legs) September 30, 2020

The community largely believes that Pokimane was wrong to use AAVE and certainly needs to apologize for the same. However, there are still some who side with the popular Twitch streamer and feel that she doesn't deserve to be canceled for what she did.

I've also cringed at Pokimane's use of AAVE. This includes her stream title yesterday. But I don't think it's a misuse or disrespect of AAVE itself.

— You're CANCELLED! (@Cancel_Culture_) August 20, 2021

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