I don’t know how much context is needed when the video shows Noah and some other white kids singing a song with the n-word and saying it proudly with their chests. Even if you say he didn’t say that word, I can’t help but think that some part of him doesn’t see it as a bad thing. He may not have malicious intentions but he could have some entitled mindset based on his upbringing and who he surrounds himself with. You can’t tell me he has even been around other black people in his life to know the hardships they face especially with racial profiling and police brutality. A lot of times white people don’t understand the micro aggressions black people go through because they’ll never experience it. So in his mind, some of his actions doesn’t affect his friends can hurt and his words may affect black people specifically
I understand where your concern is coming from, and I genuinely think it’s important to approach these conversations with nuance and good faith, because the topic itself is serious.
The context of the video is actually quite straightforward: it shows a 14-year-old Noah Schnapp singing along to a popular song with friends in a car, and—crucially—making a conscious effort not to say the N-word. Instead, he censors it by replacing it with another word. At the time, some people still found that choice offensive, and he later addressed it with an apology on his Instagram story. The situation itself was relatively minor and, for years, largely forgotten. Its recent resurgence seems less organic and more tied to ongoing online discourse surrounding him, where older moments are being reinterpreted to fit current narratives.
You mentioned: “Even if you say he didn’t say that word, I can’t help but think that some part of him doesn’t see it as a bad thing.”
I want to respond to that carefully, because I don’t think this is about dismissing your feelings, but rather about distinguishing between feelings and verifiable facts. The fact is that he did not say the word, and the behavior shown in the video suggests an awareness—at a young age—that it was something to avoid. When we continue to assume wrongdoing despite evidence pointing in the opposite direction, it can sometimes reflect how powerful our initial impressions or biases are, rather than what actually happened.
Of course, you’re absolutely right about a broader point: many white individuals do not experience or fully understand the microaggressions Black people face, and that lack of lived experience can lead to blind spots. That’s a real and valid observation. However, in this specific case, the available context actually indicates that he was trying to navigate that awareness appropriately for his age—by consciously avoiding the word in the first place.
As for the idea that his mindset must be shaped by entitlement or a lack of exposure, I would just gently say that this becomes speculative. None of us truly know the full extent of his personal environment, relationships, or growth over time. It’s always possible to imagine negative explanations, but without concrete evidence, those remain assumptions rather than conclusions.
More broadly, I think there’s a risk when serious issues like racism are applied in ways that are inconsistent or disproportionate to the situation. It can unintentionally dilute the weight of those issues and shift attention away from cases where harm is clear, repeated, and impactful.
For example, public figures like Chris Brown or Kanye West have been involved in widely documented controversies over many years, yet often continue to receive significant support. That contrast raises questions about where collective energy is directed, and why.
So I think it’s possible to hold two things at once:
– Acknowledging that conversations about race, language, and impact are important and necessary.
– While also recognizing that this particular situation, when looked at in full context, does not reasonably support the conclusion that he is racist.
At the end of the day, it’s less about defending a person blindly, and more about being consistent, fair, and grounded in facts rather than assumptions.
