tbf even being around it and all the black people I've talked to (I promise it's not just my one black friend) agree that "boy" isn't the issue, it's what comes with it. They get really mad when people don't take concept into account either when it's clearly not a race thing lol
My feelings are context is king.
I know everyone is different, but I knew black peoples when I was in school that didn’t care about you saying the soft a n word the way they would to each other.
And especially if you’re just singing a song. Because the context isn’t bad, but obviously not everyone is like that and the works is different today then even when I was 15 and in school and honestly there wasn’t even this obsession with the word back then I disinterested feel like it is today so not too many even cared to use it.
But of course this is my vague recollection from 20 years ago and I grew up in the northeast smaller town.
Different loved experience from others for sure.