Twitch and Fortnite star Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins has apologised for twice using the n-word during a livestream.
In a clip shared online, Ninja is heard ad-libbing the slur twice when singing to Logic track ‘44 More’ - despite the word not being present in the original lyrics. The term was not used to directly insult another player.
"Fumbled the lyrics"
Ninja claimed that he was not trying to say the word at all, but fumbled the lyrics and got tongue tied "in the worst possible way".
He said he was “confident that most of this is a misunderstanding” but recognised it was his responsibility to ensure this kind of controversy didn’t happen in the first place.
“I apologise for offending anyone and appreciate you all rocking with me,” he said.
While I am confident that most of this is a misunderstanding, I recognize that it’s my responsibility to never let there be THIS kind of a misunderstanding. More than anything, I hate that any of my friends, fans, or viewers might feel disrespected. (Tweet 1)
— Ninja (@Ninja) March 29, 2018
It is my job, and hopefully I’m usually good at it, to make everyone feel welcome, valued, and safe to be themselves. So I apologize to anyone who might feel hurt because I NEVER want that. It’s my stream, and it’s on me to make that right. (Tweet 2)
— Ninja (@Ninja) March 29, 2018
The best way I can explain it is that I promise that I understand how much pain that word causes, even if it gets used a lot in music and elsewhere. It’s a word historically used to divide people, and I’m about bringing people together. (Tweet 3)
— Ninja (@Ninja) March 29, 2018
I promise that there was no mal intent (I wasn’t even trying to say the word-I fumbled lyrics and got tongue tied in the worst possible way). Again, I apologize for offending anyone and appreciate you all rocking with me.
— Ninja (@Ninja) March 29, 2018