The Ghost Inside former bassist Jim Riley has discussed his previous use of a racial slur that saw him booted from the metalcore collective last week.

Last week saw U.S. metalcore band The Ghost Inside rise from the ashes of their 2015 bus accident with a new, self-titled comeback album. Shortly after the debut, bassist Jim Riley was called out for using a racial slur towards a tour bus driver, subsequently forcing him out of the band.

As racial tensions continue on the rise in the U.S. following the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, musicians worldwide have shared their support for the Black Lives Matter cause, including The Ghost Inside.

After the band announced that they had designed a new shirt to benefit NAACP, Bracewar drummer Rashod Jackson quickly accused the collective’s bassist of using a racial slur towards a tour bus driver in the past.

Shortly after the accusation, The Ghost Inside decided to part ways with Jim Riley over the slur, addressing that “while we didn’t hear these words spoken directly from his mouth, we did hear mutterings of the incident. At the time we thought this to be just a rumour, but it offended and hurt a community. A community we are meant to bring together.”

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Now, Jim Riley has spoken with The PRP in an hour long interview discussing the choices he made when using the racial slur, and has admitted the guilt of it.

“I admittedly have been reckless with that word in the past, and I don’t mean to diminish it—I don’t want to try to downplay it, I’m doing my best to be here own it in every way that I can,” he began.

As he was originally accused of using the racial slur by Rashod Jackson, Riley mentioned that he did initially apologise to him after he used the slur.

“He called me out on this in 2015. I reached out to him immediately, we spoke on the phone. I owned it that day. I said I have used this word before. And I apologised and he told me it wasn’t enough and that really shook me.

“I know people are gonna say that’s bullshit or whatever, but that incident changed my mindset. I have fundamentally changed the way that I think about things regarding race since then.”

Moving forward, Riley plans to change his ways, and wants to make proper amends: “Some people will forgive and some people will never forgive me. And I’ve gotta own that. And I’ve gotta own all the consequences that come with that. The damage I’ve done to the reputation of the band can’t be undone.

“I don’t get to demand forgiveness. I can offer an apology, I can try to change. I can try to grow. I can try to be an ally. But it’s not ever going to be enough for some people and I have to accept that and I gotta wear that and I gotta own it.”

Additionally, Riley called for social media to stop dragging Jackson “through the mud” in this ordeal, stating that Jackson is “a great dude.”

“I know he’s active in his community. His character and being called out by him is one of the reasons is why I took that so seriously. I know that he is a good person. And here I am, if I’m gonna ask for the ability grow, Rashod has to be granted that same ability to grow.”

Check out the full interview with Jim Riley formerly of The Ghost Inside:

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Addressing Jim’s use of the word nigger in the past. Acknowledging the ignorance and trying to move forward.

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