Justin Bieber's former bodyguard Kenny Hamilton has backed Justin Bieber after a video of the singer making a racist joke appeared online.

As previously reported, The Sun obtained a clip of the singer several years ago saying: “Why are black people afraid of chainsaws?”

The Canadian then went on to say: "Run n****r, n****r, n****r, n****r, n****r."

Bieber has apologised for the video and Hamilton took to Twitter to defend the embattled 20-year-old.

He said: "We all make jokes about people's size, look, or race. That doesn't mean it's right but comedians make millions of dollars profiting off these jokes. If someone is racist or prejudice you would know from a persons actions. Not because of a joke a 15 year old says. Yes he said some bad jokes and I know if he could he would take back what was said (sic).

"As a black man I am telling the world that @justinbieber is not a racist. I have known him since he was 12 years old and I know his heart."

Watch the offending video below: