NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — ViacomCBS announced it was ending its long-term relationship with rapper, television personality, and podcaster Nick Cannon after he made anti-Semitic statements on his podcast.
During a recent episode of the Cannon’s Class podcast, Cannon was joined by former Public Enemy member Professor Griff and the conversation included subjects such as if Black people are the ‘true Hebrews’ and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
In the interview, Cannon appeared to support Griff’s views, noting that he was “speaking facts” and elaborated on Griff’s views that Jewish people controlled the media.
In the wake of the interview, ViacomCBS announced on Tuesday that it was parting ways with Cannon and in a statement to CNN, said they “condemn bigotry” and “categorically denounce all forms of Anti-Semitism.”
“We have spoken with Nick Cannon about an episode of his podcast ‘Cannon’s Class’ on YouTube, which promoted hateful speech and spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories,” the statement read.
“While we support ongoing education and dialogue in the fight against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him.”
Professor Griff, whose real name is Richard Griffin, is no stranger to such controversy and has been vocal in the past about his Afrocentric views. In a 1989 interview with the Washington Times’ David Mills, Griffin outlined his views in a series of inflammatory comments that included “Jews have a grip on America,” and that they are responsible for “the majority of wickedness that goes on across the globe.”
Following the interview, Griffin was fired from Public Enemy but rejoined the group shortly after, prompting Chuck D to disband and reform the group without Griffin.
After the split with Public Enemy, Griffin met with the National Holocaust Awareness Student Organization and expressed remorse for his previous statements. However, that didn’t stop him from doubling down on his seemingly anti-Semitic views in 2018 interview on YouTube when he related a discussion he had with noted label exec Lyor Cohen.
“I told him about the history of him and his people about the Ashkenazi, the Ashke-Nazis and when I laid it on him he couldn’t handle it and I’m like, all right, which is common knowledge today everybody talking about it, you understand what I’m saying people are making books about it.”
Cannon Accuses ViacomCBS Of Theft
After his firing by ViacomCBS, Cannon took to Facebook with a long post in which he claimed the conglomerate “swindled away” his ownership rights of “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out” a sketch comedy and improv game show that Cannon hosted on Viacom’s MTV network.
The series, which debuted in 2005, has run for 16 seasons and in 2019 was expanded to MTV’s sister network VH1.
In his long statement, Cannon wrote:
“My time at Viacom also birthed one of my other greatest creative accomplishments; their longest running comedy series and the most successful Hip Hop programming in Television History “Wild ‘N Out”. An idea in which I self-financed out my own pocket and presented to MTV. I created a billion-dollar brand that expanded across a multitiered empire that is still Viacom’s biggest digital brand, touring business, talent discovery and incubation system and successful restaurant franchise. Based on trust and empty promises, my ownership was swindled away from me. For Viacom to be so deceptive is no surprise; they have been mistreating and robbing our community for years, underpaying talent on their biggest brands like Love & Hip Hop, all of BET programming and of course, Wild ‘N Out.”
“I don’t have to defend myself here, the proof is in the history. I believed that the corporation was becoming more progressive and willing to create helpful spaces and dialogue in these difficult and uncertain times of 2020. Instead they chose to recently ban all advertisement that supported George Floyd and Breonna Taylor who we are all still seeking justice for. I also went as far to reach out to Ms. Shari Redstone, the owner of Viacom, to have a conversation of reconciliation and actually apologize if I said anything that pained or hurt her or her community. Dead Silence! So that’s when I realized they don’t want a conversation or growth, they wanted to put the young negro in his place. They wanted to show me who is boss, hang me out to dry and make an example of anyone who says something they don’t agree with. But like the great Shirley Chisholm, “I am unbossed and unbought and unbothered”. I respectfully stepped away from oppressive corporations in the past. NBC threatened and mistreated me for
