Anthony Fantano Faces Backlash Over Resurfaced Racist Clips — And His Response Isn’t Helping
Anthony Fantano, the self-proclaimed “internet’s busiest music nerd” and host of Complex’s hip-hop podcast, is facing serious heat after old videos resurfaced showing him using racist and homophobic slurs — including the N-word. But instead of issuing a full-throated apology and taking accountability, Anthony is doing what many online celebs do when the internet turns against them: he’s playing the victim.
In a recent video, Fantano addressed the uproar by saying, “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m getting torn apart on Twitter.” Uh, yeah — people noticed. The backlash erupted after DJ Akademiks reposted a particularly disturbing clip in which Fantano appears to casually quote someone calling him the N-word and a homophobic slur during an online feud.
Rather than immediately owning up to the harm, Fantano doubled down with a long-winded explanation. “Early on in my YouTube career, I had some pretty lax views when it came to quoting the language of others,” he said. “My point of view was: What does it matter? It’s not me saying it.” That’s… not the win he thinks it is.
To be clear, Anthony wasn’t just reviewing albums or analyzing lyrics. The clip in question features him using slurs while “quoting” internet trolls, a move that many see as a paper-thin excuse for perpetuating hateful language.
And this isn’t the first time his content has raised red flags.
Back in 2017, The Fader published a now-deleted article that examined Fantano’s second YouTube channel thatistheplan— a space where he shared edgier, more politically tinged content. The article pointed out that Fantano featured interviews with far-right figures like Sargon of Akkad (Carl Benjamin) and alt-right comedian Sam Hyde. The implication? That Fantano was at best brushing elbows with controversial ideologies, and at worst giving them a platform.
Fantano responded back then by going on the defensive and even threatening legal action, but the damage was done — many people already began to question the true intent behind his “edgy” humor and associations.
Fast-forward to now, and the internet is not so quick to forgive.
His current defense hinges on the idea that he was quoting others and that people are taking things out of context. While he does admit that he “could have and should have censored” himself, it feels more like a strategic move to quiet the noise rather than a sincere apology. It’s giving, “I’m sorry you were offended.”
Here’s the thing: quoting a slur still spreads the slur. And for someone who’s built a brand on “music commentary” — especially in the hip-hop space, which is deeply rooted in Black culture — there’s a certain responsibility that comes with that platform. Using Black art for clicks while casually tossing around slurs is a bad look. Period.
Many fans, particularly Black viewers and LGBTQ+ followers, are feeling betrayed. They’re asking: How can someone claim to be a champion of hip-hop culture while dismissing its communities’ pain as “quoting someone else”?
It’s worth noting that Fantano hasn’t been entirely canceled (yet). But the internet has a long memory, and if he hopes to regain trust, he’ll need more than legal threats and gaslighting explanations. A sincere apology — with some real reflection and commitment to growth — would go a long way.
Until then, the jury’s still out on whether Anthony Fantano is just “misunderstood”… or if this is who he’s really been all along.