Rapper Wiley arrives for the Brit Awards, at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, Feb. 22, 2017. Photo: Reuters / Neil Hall.

British rap artist Wiley apologized on Wednesday and said he was not racist after posting a string of antisemitic comments on his social media accounts.

The rapper’s Twitter account, which had half a million followers, published a series of tweets last week asserting that Jews systematically exploited Black artists in the music industry, continuing a pattern of exploitation dating back to the slave trade.

His account has now been permanently suspended by Twitter and the social media company has apologized for the time it took to respond.

Wiley said his disagreement was with his Jewish manager and he would hand back the UK government honor given to him for his contribution to music in 2018.

“I just want to apologize for generalizing and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in,” he said in an interview with Sky News.

“My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologize for generalizing, and I want to apologize for comments that were looked at as antisemitic.”

Wiley, 41, whose real name is Richard Cowie, released a number one single in Britain in 2012 and had several other top 10 hits as a leading figure in grime music, a British genre of rap.

The rapper’s former manager John Woolf, who is Jewish, said he would no longer represent the artist.

Wiley said: “I’m not racist, you know. I’m a businessman. My thing should have stayed between me and my manger. I get that.”

His comments led to condemnation from celebrities and lawmakers, including British Interior Minister Priti Patel.

In a statement on Wednesday, three top British Jewish groups took Twitter to task for what they called its “incredibly slow and faltering” handling of the situation.

The statement ‐‐ published by the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BoD), the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) and the Community Security Trust (CST) ‐‐ said, “We will need to see significant changes [at Twitter] going forward.”

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) tweeted, “We’re pleased @Twitter finally banned Wiley over his antisemitic posts. This wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our friends and allies in the UK. Antisemitism knows no borders and we’re proud to have stood with them!”

We’re pleased @Twitter finally banned Wiley over his antisemitic posts. This wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our friends and allies in the UK. Antisemitism knows no borders and we’re proud to have stood with them! #NoSpaceForJewHate https://t.co/7RwDt16ocl

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 29, 2020