MOBO Award-winning podcast duo James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu, known as Shxtsngigs, have issued a public apology following backlash over their appearance on a US podcast in which they laughed at racist jokes about black women. The controversy stems from a July recording of Flagrant, hosted by comedian Andrew Schulz, where Schulz made derogatory remarks about black women that many listeners found offensive.

The contentious segment discussed the so-called “black girlfriend effect,” a TikTok trend in which interracial couples share how their relationships have influenced them. During the conversation, James and Fuhad agreed with Schulz’s comment that black women "glow up the other culture." However, things took a turn when Schulz went on to make jokes about white men feeling stressed and physically changing when in relationships with black women. He quipped that white men shave their hair due to the stress of being with “black girls complaining all the time” and grow beards “for protection when they get slapped.”

James and Fuhad, who have millions of followers and gained significant recognition after winning a MOBO Award in February, faced a wave of criticism after the clip went viral. Many accused the pair of perpetuating harmful stereotypes, including the offensive "angry black woman" trope.

In a statement, the duo apologised, expressing regret for not confronting Schulz's remarks during the recording. "We were in shock during the session, and there is no excuse for our behaviour," they said, blaming a "fight or flight" response for their lack of reaction. The pair admitted it was a mistake not to challenge Schulz or ask for the material to be cut before the episode aired.

On his own podcast, Schulz addressed the controversy, claiming the Shxtsngigs team had asked to cut other parts of the show they found inappropriate but did not request the removal of the joke about black women. "The fight or flight thing wasn’t really there afterwards," Schulz said, suggesting James and Fuhad only apologised because of the negative feedback that followed. He also criticised the pair's decision to apologise, arguing that it had "amplified" the situation and empowered those attempting to cancel them.

Fans of Shxtsngigs have expressed disappointment, with many feeling let down by the duo’s reaction. Social media users criticised the comments for reinforcing the damaging stereotype of the "angry black woman" and promoting toxic racial narratives.

As the backlash continues, the incident has sparked wider discussions about the responsibility of public figures, particularly those with large platforms, to challenge harmful rhetoric when they encounter it. The Shxtsngigs duo has vowed to learn from the experience, but the episode has raised questions about the fine line between humour and harm in public discourse.

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