- People are slamming former "Bachelorette"
Hannah Brown after she sang the N-word during an Instagram live video on Saturday night. - Brown, who was singing along to rapper DaBaby's song "Rockstar," said the racial slur, then tried to blame it on her brother Patrick after fans got angry.
- The reality star then issued an apology on Sunday, after other Bachelor Nation fixtures like Tyler Cameron and Rachel Lindsay called her out.
- "I owe you all a major apology. There is no excuse and I will not justify what I said," Brown said in her typed message to fans.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
"Bachelorette" star Hannah Brown is facing backlash after she sang the N-word during an Instagram live video on Saturday.
The reality star was singing along to DaBaby's song "Rockstar" when she said the racial slur. Brown subsequently tried to deny that she said the slur, and then attempted to pin the blame on her brother Patrick after fans got angry.
After other Bachelor Nation stars like Tyler Cameron, Rachel Lindsay, and Mike Johnson called her out, Brown issued a typed apology to her fans on Instagram Sunday, calling her language "unacceptable" and promising to do better.
But some fans were still disappointed and angry, and took to social media to continue to denounce Brown for her actions.
Here's a full breakdown of Brown's controversial weekend, so far.
During an Instagram Live video on Saturday, Brown sang the N-word, and quickly tried to cover her tracks
The reality star was trying to learn a TikTok dance to rapper DaBaby's song "Rockstar," and was filmed singing parts of the song during an Instagram live video on Saturday. But while Brown reportedly skipped over the word "f---" in the chorus of the song, she sang the following lines — including the N-word — in their entirety.
The star didn't appear to register that she sang a racial slur at first, but as her livestream went on, she began to notice comments from fans calling her our for singing the word.
"I did? I'm so sorry," she told viewers. After the person filming her told Brown that it wasn't her, Brown said, giggling, "No, I was singing — I'm so sorry."
But Brown quickly backtracked after her unseen camerawoman insisted that she didn't think it was Brown who said the word.
"I don't think — maybe I did," the former "Bachelorette" said, suggesting that it might have been her brother, Patrick, and changing the subject by saying, "Um, anyway."
But fans continued to call out Brown for her language, and the reality star addressed the controversial moment again during her Instagram live.
"I really don't think I said that word," she told viewers. "I don't think I said that word, but now I'm like, 'Oh, god.'"
"I'd never use that word. I've never called anybody that. We don't say that word," Brown continued. "So, you know what, I'm going to stay here, and y'all can think I said whatever I did or think I'm something I'm not, but I'm not that."
Fans were understandably upset, and Bachelor Nation stars like Rachel Lindsay and Tyler Cameron called Brown out for her language
Brown's video led to some swift backlash for the reality star, including call-outs from Lindsay, the first (and so far, only) black bachelorette, and Mike Johnson and Cameron, who both competed on Brown's season of "
"I'm personally offended by what was done," Lindsay said in a heartfelt Instagram live video of her own on Sunday, explaining to viewers that she'd personally reached out to Brown to explain how she was hurt and upset about the incident.
But according to Lindsay, Brown didn't take the chance to issue a personal apology as Lindsay had hoped — instead, she shared a typed apology to her Instagram stories on Sunday.
"It's easy to make a statement, it's easy to hide behind words, but when you're bold enough to say the N-word on camera, on your platform… then you need to be bold enough to use your face on camera and apologize in the same way that you said the word," Lindsay said.
According to the former bachelorette, numerous people were defending Brown (or telling Lindsay to "ease up") in her comments and in her DMs — something she felt was also a huge issue.
Lindsay wasn't the only Bachelor Nation personality to speak out against Brown. Cameron, who was recently quarantining with the disgraced reality star, shared Lindsay's video to his Instagram story.
"Rachel hit the nail on the head. Y'all need to go look at the comments. We have a long ways to go on this issue and a lot to learn," Cameron captioned the story. "If you find yourself getting defensive, you are part of the problem."
When followers sent Cameron DMs, expressing their disbelief that "non black people cant use the N word" and defending Brown, who they believed "did nothing wrong," Cameron reposted screenshots of the messages and continued to share his thoughts on the issue. "
"This is not about dragging HB. This is about using your platform for reasons like this. So we can educate those who don't get it. This is bigger than HB. This is a societal problem," he said on his story.
"Those that say that it's part of the song and that they can sing it are so out of touch. HB is not a racist. I know," Cameron added in a subsequent story. "But blaming the rap artist is not the answer. Educate yourself and listen to what Rachel has to say about the word b---- and hopefully it'll start to click for you."
He concluded his message by telling followers, "In these moments you have the opportunity to burry someone or lift them up. We need to lift HB up from this. She is learning and growing just like every single one of us. Love rids hate. Hate only makes more hate. Let's learn and lift each other up with love."
And Johnson shared a response to Brown's video on his Instagram as well, after "a few" fans called him out for "not defending women of color because of something that Hannah Brown did."
"She shouldn't have said the N-word, it's pretty damn simple to me. I haven't seen the video, I would like to see the video, but people, don't come at me like I'm watching everything that's going on between all my cast members on the show," Johnson said in an impassioned Instagram story, adding, "I love my black women, it's that simple."
Other former "Bachelor" stars, including Bekah Martinez and Nick Viall, also took to social media to denounce Brown's actions.
Brown shared a typed apology to her Instagram story on Sunday, calling her use of the racial slur 'unacceptable'
After the backlash against her mounted, Brown shared a typed apology to her Instagram stories on Sunday, telling followers, "I owe you all a major apology. There is no excuse and I will not justify what I said."
"I am terribly sorry and know that whether in public or private, this language is unacceptable," she continued. "I promise to do better."
But the damage was done for some fans, who continued to call out Brown and express their disappointment with her on social media
Despite her typed apology, plenty of fans were still angry with Brown for saying the N-word and then seemingly trying to minimize her use of the racial epithet.
— ✨ (@pastelhour) May 17, 2020
— | #bloodandwater (@Rosincaxpearl) May 17, 2020
—. (@uncoollove) May 17, 2020
—ss (@berberfan) May 17, 2020
—Daniela (@DanielaEspo) May 17, 2020
—Ameerah (@missameerah_) May 17, 2020
—uThato (@u_Thato) May 18, 2020
—Brett S. Vergara (@BrettSVergara) May 18, 2020
Other users pointed out that Brown's use of the N-word was causing lots of non-black people to attempt to justify her actions, thereby adding more fuel to the racially-charged fire.
—reality steph (@realitybysteph) May 17, 2020
—Captain Save a Rose (@captainrosepod) May 17, 2020
—sunny (@officialurmum) May 18, 2020
—Brianna Garrett (@BREshaeallday) May 18, 2020
In an email, representatives for Brown said they didn't have any further comments, and instead directed Insider to Brown's typed apology on Instagram.
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