Bieber also apologized for his past racist jokes.
Justin Bieber wasn't aware of Morgan Wallen's recent controversy. The 27-year-old singer issued an apology for expressing how much he loved Wallen's latest album, explaining that he "had no idea" that the country crooner "was recently found saying racist comments."
"I had no idea that the guy's music i posted was recently found saying racist comments, as you know i don't support or tolerate any sort of racism or discrimination," Bieber wrote on his Instagram Story on Wednesday. "I had no idea, I sincerely apologize to anyone i offended."
In a since-deleted Instagram Story, Bieber posted a screenshot of Wallen's album with the caption "Love this album."
Bieber, meanwhile, followed up his statement with another apology for his past "hurtful racist jokes that clearly were not funny." He wrote that when he was a kid he was "incredibly ignorant" and "hurt a lot of people especially in the Black community."
"But [I] was fortunate enough to have had them educate me on the horrifying origin of the n word," Bieber wrote. "This brings those painful memories back up. I will always take ownership for my ignorance and my past because i know i am not that person."
The "As Long As You Love Me" singer added that while he's apologized before, he believes it's "important to bring this up to hopefully educate people who may be ignorant to the topic of racism and how hurtful it is."
Bieber concluded his sentiments by noting that he has "so much more to learn" and "grateful for my Black brothers and sisters for being patient with me."
As for Wallen, the 28-year-old country singer was caught on camera in February using a racial slur. After being dropped from various award shows, radio, events and more, he apologized in a video message, expressing his disappointment in himself.
In July, Wallen sat down for his first televised interview since the incident with Michael Strahan for Good Morning America.
"I was around some of my friends and we say dumb stuff together. In our minds it's playful, you know?" Wallen said of using the N-word. "That sounds ignorant, but that's really where it came from. And it's wrong."
Wallen claimed that he did not say the racial slur "frequently," but admitted that when he previously had used the word that it was around that "certain group of friends."
Strahan asked if he understood why the slur "makes Black people so upset," to which Wallen responded, "I don't know how to put myself in their shoes because I'm not. But I do understand, especially when I say I'm using it playfully or whatever, ignorantly, I understand that that must sound, you know, like, 'He doesn't -- he doesn't understand.'"
Wallen said he spoke with BMAC (Black Music Action Coalition) as well as Black men in the music industry, including record executive Kevin Liles, Eric Hutcherson, executive vice president and chief people and inclusion officer at Universal Music Group (UMG) and gospel singer BeBe Winans. The musician also checked into rehab, and told Strahan that the discussions he's had since the incident have opened his eyes to why this was such a serious matter.
See more in the video below.
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