The rapper Wiley has been accused of antisemitism after posting a stream of messages on social media about Jewish power and Israel – including a comparison between Jews and the Ku Klux Klan.
The grime star – whose real name is Richard Kylea Cowie - wrote a succession of tweets to his 494, 200 followers on Friday including the claim; “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 [sic] why.”
He added:” Red Necks Are the KKK and Jewish people are the Law...Work that out.”
In a further message he wrote: “If you work for a company owned by 2 Jewish men and you challenge the Jewish community in anyway of course you will get fired.”
The rapper, who has regularly used social media to create controversy as he promotes his music, also asked:” Is it anti semetic (sic) to say Jewish people have power ?”
Turning his attention to Israel, Wiley wrote:” “Listen to me Jewish community Israel is not your country I’m sorry.”
He then claimed:” The Star of David that’s our ting … Some people have gotten too comfortable on lands that don’t belong to them.”
Wiley wrote: "Some people have gotten too comfortable on lands that don’t belong to them"
The music producer added: “Israel is ours”. This appeared to reference the Black Hebrew Israelites, a group of black people who believe that they are the descendants of the biblical residents of Israel..
Not content with attacking Jews, Wiley then wrote:” “I can see and feel the Arab control presence around Africa and I don’t like it...Looks like a big ol set up...infact I know the set up Europeans and Arabs have got Africa in a headlock”.
Danny Stone, chair of the Antisemitism Policy Trust, reacted to Wiley’s messages writing: “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.”
But Wiley later denied his comments were antisemitic writing: "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".
In recent weeks the veteran American rapper Ice Cube has caused anger with a serious of tweets circulating tropes about Jewish power on Twitter.
Wiley also addressed the coronavirus pandemic, saying: “Fuck the mask and virus it’s all bullshit … it’s a fucking lie.”
The rapper is hailed as one of the leading forces in grime music – although in recent years he has struggled to match the sales of artists such as Stormzy in this country, who he also criticised over Twitter.
