Food influencer Keith Lee is at the center of controversy he says led to his family being harassed.
Lee, an MMA fighter turned TikTok star, is receiving backlash online after MMA fighter Sean Strickland accused him of saying “I don’t like white people” during a heated exchange at a gym. The Black food critic has disputed the claims about the conversation that he says took place over a year ago.
Sean Strickland, left, and Keith Lee, right (Photos: Instagram/strickland_mma_ and keith_lee125)
“I received a week straight of false allegations, negative comments and negative backlash for something that I didn’t do,” Lee said in a four-minute TikTok video response on July 21.
Strickland aired his version of events on the July 15 episode of his podcast where he engaged in a profanity-filled debate about racial systematic oppression with Kevin Lee, Keith’s brother who was also present during the controversial discussion. Keith also seemed to be confused about Strickland’s version of events.
While in the conversation about race, Strickland admitted that he tried to provoke Lee by saying, “So I’m like, “Yo, Lee, I’m not racist. I’ve f***ed more Black women than you have, bro. How am I racist?”
“Anytime you’re talking to somebody racist — and I know this because I used to be a little racist — anytime you’re talking to someone racist, and you want to really piss them off, you just got to talk about f***ing the sex of the race of whatever they are,” Strickland said introducing the comment, he said set Lee off.
Lee, on the other hand, described the conversation as initially intelligent and productive until Strictland started making inappropriate comments.
“This conversation didn’t go anything how he depicted it. Sean Strickland is an MMA fighter known for saying divisive things,” Lee said.
He denied saying “I don’t like white people,” and added that Strickland “spun” his “words into saying what he said.”
“Never at one point did I say I don’t like anybody. I simply disagreed with what he said. And instead of fighting ignorance with ignorance, I said, ‘No, I’m happily married with children, and I’m very proud of the family that God has allowed me to build,’” Lee said.
Lee added that the false narrative gaining traction online has impacted him and his family financially and emotionally. The Black TikToker said that he doesn’t hold any ill feelings toward Strickland. He only wants the MMA fighter to set the record straight.
Strickland on the other hand claimed on the podcast that he was honest to a fault.
“I’m the most honest motherf***er there is,” Strickland said.
