Do me a favor, people:
Go to a mirror and say any word you like that starts with ‘M’;
Money
Mellow
Mendacity, whatever.
Watch the movements your lips make as you do so.
In order to make the ‘mmm’ sound, you have to press top and bottom lips together, tucking them in.
Now do the same with words starting with ‘N’:
Night
Neighbor
Nazi, even.
Note that one must put the top of one’s tongue to the back of one’s top front teeth in order to make the ‘nuh’ sound.
Those are two completely different muscle movements.
IMO, this was not any “unfortunate mispronunciation,” this was his ‘muscle memory’ at work, because he likely uses the slur “n#gger” often in his private life.
