This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
On June 30, 2020, Nick Cannon appeared on his podcast Cannon's Class where he made comments that included calling white people "savages" and stating that black people are the true Hebrews. He was speaking to Professor Griff, who claimed to have left the rap group Public Enemy in 1989 due to comments he made about Jews.
Professor Griff told Nick, "I'm hated now because I told the truth," to which Nick responded, "You're speaking facts." However, ViacomCBS, the network that employed Nick, was not satisfied with his response and fired him on July 17, 2020, citing his failure to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism.
Before his termination, Nick had written a statement on Facebook addressing the backlash, saying, "Anyone who knows me knows that I have no hate in my heart nor malice intentions." However, he later released a lengthy statement on Facebook, claiming that ViacomCBS had misused the opportunity for reconciliation and had instead chosen to silence him.
He wrote, "I will not be bullied, silenced, or continuously oppressed by any organization, group, or corporation. I am disappointed that Viacom does not understand or respect the power of the black community." Nick also slammed ViacomCBS's behavior, stating that they had recently banned advertisements supporting George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and that they had refused to engage in a conversation about reconciliation.
He quoted civil rights figures Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, saying, "Right now is the time for strong voices and compassionate thinkers to step up and create a dialogue of healing." Nick also demanded an apology from ViacomCBS and demanded ownership of the "billion-dollar 'Wild 'N Out' brand".
He concluded by saying, "I demand that the hate and back door bullying cease and while we are at it, now that the truth is out, I demand the Apology!"
