In Ribbin', Jivin', and Playin' the Dozens: The Persistent Dilemma in Our Schools, Herbert L. Foster writes: "Shuckin' and jivin' is a verbal and physical technique some blacks use to avoid difficulty, to accommodate some authority figure, and in the extreme, to save a life or to save oneself from being beaten physically or psychologically.
[5][6] The use of the phrase in modern American politics has generated charges of racism, especially as such usage increased since 2008 and is usually directed at African-American figures.
Roland Martin of CNN said that "'Shucking and jiving' have long been words used as a negative assessment of African Americans, along the lines of a 'foot-shufflin' Negro.
"[6] Similarly, on October 25, 2012, the former Republican Party vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin generated controversy when she stated: "President Obama's shuck-and-jive shtick with these Benghazi lies must end.
[9] At the 2008 ESPY Awards, Justin Timberlake used the phrase to compliment the agile play of African-American basketball player Paul Pierce.