Oliver Anthony: Conservatives turn on Rich Men North of Richmond singer after his real accent is revealed in interview

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mr Anthony's song Rich Men North of Richmond — a reference to politicians living in Washington DC — became a viral hit among conservative audiences last week. “I mean, we are the melting pot of the world,” Mr Anthony told the interviewer in the video, “and that’s what makes us strong, is our diversity, and we need to learn to harness that and appreciate it, and not use it as a political tool to keep everyone separate from each other you know?” An X user, whose pinned tweet has links to videos praising a leader of the American Nazi Party called Mr Anthony an "algorithm boosted 'based' red beard hillbilly song guy" who was "faking his accent." One user said he was trying to "become a rich man north of Richmond," while another came to a conclusion that many of Mr Anthony's left-wing critics already voiced; that he was an industry plant meant to enrapture Republican consumers starving for conservative media. Another user pointed out how conservatives insisting there was nothing inherently classist or racist about Mr Anthony's song immediately turned on him for not being racist enough.