One of the founders of grime music, UK rapper and producer Wiley went on a Twitter rant, posting on his official account throughout the day: the artist then tried to respond to criticisms he received over a series of controversial tweets he wrote about Jewish people and Israel earlier on Friday.
Wiley seems to be having a bit of a racist meltdown.
— Alastair Thompson (@AlastairJT) July 24, 2020
Also tweeting about "the KKK and Jews" being in power. He does know what the KKK did to Jewish people, right? pic.twitter.com/imDl67DfWs
After comparing Jewish people to Ku Klux Klan the singer was accused of being anti-semitic, the rapper defended himself in a series of tweets including one in which he said, "I'm not anti-semitic, I am anti-slippery people."
I’m not anti semetic I am anti slippery people 😂😩🤣 there’s a difference
— Wiley (@WileyCEO) July 24, 2020
I am not anti semitic I am sick of you slippery gits who are always tryna pull the wool over our eyes 😂🎯💯🙏🏾
— Wiley (@WileyCEO) July 24, 2020
The rapper went as far as to blame Jewish people of illegally stealing lands, claiming that bringing it to the public's attention automatically gets people labelled as anti-Semites.
— Wiley (@WileyCEO) July 24, 2020
Wiley also appealed to his origins saying that black people cannot be racist.
Black People can’t be racist they can only be upset about how they have been mistreated.
— Wiley (@WileyCEO) July 24, 2020
I am not racist I am a black man and who has had enough #Simple
— Wiley (@WileyCEO) July 24, 2020
On Friday morning, Wiley posted a string of statements including: “If you work for a company owned by 2 Jewish men and you challenge the Jewish community in any way of course you will get fired.”
He also drew comparisons between Jewish people and the Klu Klux Klan and wrote, “is it anti-semitic to say Jewish people have power?”
Infact there are 2 sets of people who nobody has really wanted to challenge #Jewish & #KKK but being in business for 20 years you start to undestand why
— Wiley (@WileyCEO) July 24, 2020
He also wrote, “Listen to me Jewish community, Israel is not your country, I’m sorry” and “The Star of David, that’s our ting.”
He later backtracked saying, “Forget anti-Semitic racism is racism and ya can’t hide the fact that systematic racism exists and it wasn’t set up by us.”
Forget anti Semitic racism is racism and ya can’t hide the fact that systemic racism exists and it wasn’t set up by us
— Wiley (@WileyCEO) July 24, 2020
Among those who condemned Wiley's statements were Jewish comedian David Baddiel and Guardian columnist Owen Jones:
I've said many times that the issue with anti-Jewish racism is the unique duality of being able to cast Jews at once as vermin (later Wiley calls Jews "slippery") and yet in control of the world. So anti-Semitism can seem to be punching up, and wearing the clothes of revolution.
— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) July 24, 2020
The oldest antisemitic trope is that Jews wield disproportionate unaccountable power and are puppetmasters behind injustices and nefarious politicians. Antisemitism is essentially a collection of historically very deadly conspiracy theories
— Owen Jones 🌹 (@OwenJones84) July 24, 2020
First Dua Lipa shares a post calling Israelis (50% of the worldwide Jewish pop) ‘fake Jews’ and now Wiley goes on a long continuous angry rant about the Jewish people. Anti-Semitism is the new trend in town for British artists by the looks of things https://t.co/UDhrVKSbJL
— Neil Ilan (@ilan_neil) July 24, 2020
Danny Stone, chief executive of the Anti-Semitism Policy Trust said that drawing parallels between Jewish people and the Klu Klux Klan is offensive and the inference is anti-semitic.
Here is Wiley, who earlier tweeted the Jewish community was too 'touchy', positing that being in business gives one insight into why people don't 'challenge' Jews and the KKK. The parallel is offensive & the inference is antisemitic. Jews and money. Dress it up however you like. https://t.co/sKtQYHqaKm
— Danny Stone (@DannyStone1) July 24, 2020
Wiley who is often labelled as the “Godfather of Grime,” is renowned for his controversial tweets. Earlier this year he got involved in a Twitter feud with fellow rapper Stormzy.
