Rapper Wiley apologises for 'generalising' during his anti-Semitic social media rants – before blaming 'a community of Jewish lawyers' in the music industry for 'using systemic racism' against black artists

Grime star Wiley today apologised for 'generalising' during anti-Semitic social media rants which prompted Twitter to permanently suspend his account amid a wave of furious criticism.    

The musician, 41, appeared to blame 'a community of Jewish lawyers' in the music industry for 'using systemic racism' against black artists during an interview with Sky News. 

The rapper denied he is racist and apologised for 'generalising' with his inflammatory remarks, saying the argument should have stayed between himself and his manager, John Woolf.  

'I just want to apologise for generalising and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in,' he said.

+8

Grime star Wiley today apologised for 'generalising' during anti-Semitic social media rants which prompted Twitter to permanently suspend his account

'My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologise for generalising, and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti-Semitic.' 

Wiley also appeared to try to justify his provocative comments by suggesting 'the Jewish community is powerful within the music business.'   

'The music industry people that I’m talking about, they are the ones who get to benefit from it, that’s what this is all about,' he explained.

'It's systemic racism from their side. The system and that man, and a community of Jewish lawyers have made me feel that way.

'Not anti-Semitic, they’ve made me feel angry and upset because they are showing me the systemic racism that they’re allowed to use on us.'    

The musician, whose real name is Richard Cowie, was widely condemned for a series of anti-Semitic posts he made on social media, including a video shared on Friday telling Jews to 'crawl out from under your little rocks.'

Twitter said on Wednesday it has permanently suspended him over posts - including one which called Jewish people 'cowards and snakes' - and is 'continuing to assess the situation internally'. He was initially given a temporary ban.  

+8

The musician, 41, appeared to blame 'a community of Jewish lawyers' in the music industry for 'using systemic racism' against black artists during an interview with Sky News

+8

The rapper also denied he is racist and apologised for 'generalising', saying the argument should have stayed between him and his manager, John Woolf

Wiley has also been banned from Instagram and Facebook after continuing to post inflammatory comments on social media until Tuesday.     

The musician caused further controversy when he claimed his Jewish associates in the music and entertainment industry 'still see us as slaves' in an interview with The Voice newspaper.  

He said: 'Without generalising, there is no point saying all [Jews], it is the people I work with in the music and entertainment industry, the Jewish community that I have experienced.

'The things that need to change is the way that the system was set up, why all of these families are rich, or all of these people have heritage, not just England, like, worldwide. They still see us as slaves.

'Slavery hasn't stopped, it's just dressed-up in a million-pound record deal.' 

Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has called for Wiley to be charged with Incitement to Racial Hatred for his earlier comments, which were shared with his 500,000 Twitter followers. 

+8

John Woolf, pictured above, has said he no longer represents grime artist Wiley

'The alarm and offence he's caused is unimaginable and he’s clearly not sorry whatsoever,' she said.   

'This is a man also with 500,000 Twitter followers. He needs to be charged with Incitement to Racial Hatred, he needs face the full force of the law.'    

Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, the grime artist claimed his manager is in possession of his MBE, but a spokesperson for Mr Woolf said the honour has been framed for Wiley and is 'ready for his collection'.

Wiley said he 'never felt comfortable' going to get the MBE, making reference to Britain's colonial past. 

The rapper, known as the Godfather of Grime, was made an MBE for services to music in 2018.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism has said it will contact the Cabinet Office to ask for Wiley's MBE to be revoked.

Speaking to Sky News, Wiley said he would be willing to give it up as he 'never wanted it'.

He told the broadcaster: 'I never felt comfortable going to get it. Just look at Britain's colonialism history.' 

The manager, who is Jewish, said he no longer represents Wiley and has cut ties with the rapper.

Wiley added: 'I'm not racist, you know. I'm a businessman. My thing should have stayed between me and my manager, I get that.'

Speaking on what he would tell his fans and whether they would be influenced to carry out violent acts against Jewish people, the rapper said he has never been seen committing such acts against Jewish people or the Jewish community.

He went on to describe fans as 'fickle', saying he is not 'current' and comparing himself to popular rapper Dave, before adding he is 'at the end' of his career rather than at the beginning.

+8

Wiley, pictured, was permanently suspended from Twitter today six days after his series of anti-Semitic posts sparked a 48-hour walkout by users in protest

Wiley's account, above, was permanently suspended today. Twitter apologised for 'not moving faster' and said they are 'continuing to assess the situation internally'

Both Wiley's Facebook and Instagram accounts have also been removed following his tirades

It comes as Twitter issued a statement after finally bowing to public pressure to kick the star off their platform.

A spokesman said: 'Upon further investigation, our teams have permanently suspended the account in question for repeated violations of our hateful conduct policy.

'Let us be clear: hateful conduct has absolutely no place on our service and we strongly condemn anti-Semitism. We are sorry we did not move faster and are continuing to assess the situation internally. '

The company added: 'We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates, and we will continue to work closely with government, NGOs, civil society partners and our industry peers to tackle antisemitism on Twitter.'

The Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the news that 'Twitter has finally listened', but said the action was 'too little too late'. 

It said in a statement: 'It is at least a start for this deeply irresponsible social network.

'After Twitter's abysmal response to the blatant ant-Jewish incitement on its platform, last night we decided to literally shine a light on the company and project onto its London headquarters some of the hateful tweets that Twitter permits on its platform. 

Wiley shared a series of anti-Semitic posts on the social media site starting on Friday. The comments made on Twitter and Instagram are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police

'From their pitiful responses to the hate spewed daily on their platform, it is evident that social media companies will stop at nothing to make a profit. It is time for these deeply damaging and irresponsible companies to be held accountable for the hatred they help spread.' 

Yesterday the group protested outside the social media company's London office, projecting on to the building a message that read: 'Twitter, we are all sick of your mess. CLEAN IT UP!' 

Social networks have faced criticism for not acting sooner to take down the content, with Downing Street saying their response 'has not been good enough'.

The Facebook and Instagram accounts of grime star Wiley were finally removed yesterday, after the musician had been suspended from the sites for seven days over the posts.

But Twitter and Instagram's alleged slowness to act prompted politicians, celebrities and other prominent names to carry out a 48-hour walkout from both platforms, using the hashtag #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate.  

Wiley launched a number of attacks on the Jewish community over the weekend, including posting a video on Friday telling Jews to 'crawl out from under your little rocks.' 

+8

Yesterday the Campaign Against Antisemitism protested outside Twitter's London office, projecting a message onto the social media company's building

He also shared a conspiracy theory to Instagram about Jews funding and creating the Klu-Klux Klan.

Metropolitan Police are investigating the comments made on Twitter and Instagram, which prompted Wiley's management company to severe ties with him.  

Wiley also took aim at Priti Patel during his two-day Facebook rant, after the Home Secretary described his anti-Semitic posts as 'abhorrent.'

'They should not have been able to remain on Twitter and Instagram for so long and I have asked them for a full explanation,' she said.

'Social media companies must act much faster to remove such appalling hatred from their platforms.'

Appearing to post in response, Wiley said: 'Priti Patel, you wanna see me?'  

Ahead of his ban, Wiley took to his personal Facebook page to share another stream of provocative comments which appear to be aimed at the Jewish community

Wiley had taken to his personal Facebook page after he was blocked from accessing Instagram and Twitter to share a stream of provocative comments - which again appeared to be aimed at the Jewish community.

In one post, Wiley claimed that 'certain people' viewed black people as 'below them' in society. 

He wrote: 'Black people we have always been below them in their eyes this is what f****d me up in the head... Why do certain people from other races want us below them?'  

In another post, the grime star added: 'This is what they fear, that one day black people will be in control...  So they keep doing everything to make sure that doesn't happen.' 

+8

In one post on his personal Facebook, Wiley claimed that 'certain people' viewed black people as 'below them' in society

+8

Wiley also took aim at Priti Patel during his two-day rant, after the Home Secretary described his anti-Semitic posts as 'abhorrent'

He also mentioned BBC Radio 5 host Emma Barnett and Jewish comedian David Baddiel, demanding they both 'come and talk to my face' after they spoke out about his previous comments.

Barnett, whose Jewish grandmother escaped the Nazis in Austria, yesterday condemned Wiley's string of anti-Semitic posts to social media as 'deeply dispiriting', adding: 'Those words burn'. 

A Facebook spokesperson said: 'There is no place for hate speech on Facebook and Instagram, and we don't want it on our platforms. 

'After initially placing Wiley's accounts in a seven day block, we have now removed both his Facebook and Instagram accounts for repeated violations of our policies.'