Black singer Erykah Badu slammed Republicans who have turned her social justice phrase “woke” (introducedin the song “Master Teacher” on her 2008 album New Amerykah Part One.) into a racist dog whistle during an interview on MSNBC:
I think they mean Black. It’s another way to say ‘thug’ or something else, right?
…I can tell you what woke means. It just means being aware. Being in alignment with nature. Because if you’re in alignment with that, you’re aware of everything that’s going on. It’s not only in the political arena. That means with your health. That means in your relationships. That means in your home. That means in your car. It means in your sleep.
(Source: MSNBC/YouTube)