X Factor viewers slam rapper Honey G as a ‘racist caricature’

X FACTOR finalist Honey G has been accused of "mocking black culture" on the ITV talent show.

As judges praise her performances on X Factor, including Saturday's rendition of Diana Ross hit I'm Coming Out, viewers are taking to social media to blast the star, whose real name is Anna Gilford.

One tweeted: “R to the A to the C to the I to the S to the T. It’s racist ITV.”

Another said: “Appropriating black culture 4 the sake of comedy is racist", while a third slammed her as a "racist caricature".

A fourth exclaimed: "As a fan of hip hop and rap, honey g is not funny! She is a parody of a culture mocking the artform. All ver [sic] racist in my opinion."

The previous week she faced similar criticism, with one fan tweeting "Not sure I understood cultural appropriation until I watched Honey G on X Factor and then I wanted to die", and another saying "All jokes aside, cultural appropriation actually upset me on Saturday night".

Honey G, 35, has hit back, saying: “Any claims about me being racist are completely false and ridiculous. I’ve been heavily influenced by rap and hip-hop culture and involved in it for a number of years.”

Previously she told The Sun Online: "I have been a musician my whole life. I’m a heavyweight producer, I’m not a bedroom producer.

"I’m the finished article and I’m no different to the likes of Pharrell or Jay-Z.

"I find it quite insulting that people would think I am a novelty act, but maybe people have a problem with a white woman rapping."

One person who doesn't have a problem with it is rapper Snoop Dogg, who said last month: “Straight up, you can tell Honey G comes from the streets.

“If Simon doesn’t take her through to the live shows, she ain’t got to worry, I will work with her.

“I’ll fly her over [to the US], and we can record a song together, maybe even shoot a video.”

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