Justin Bieber's former bodyguard insists the singer isn't racist.

Old video footage emerged at the weekend of the 'Believe' singer telling a joke and repeatedly using the word n****r but his ex-employee Kenny Hamilton insists the 20-year-old star is not prejudiced.

He tweeted: ''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 of 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.

''What I do know whole heartedly is @justinbieber is not prejudice nor is he racist. He wasn't raised that way and his family isn't either. (sic)''.

Kenny believes Justin - who has since apologised for his remarks - would want to ''take back'' the comments if he could and insisted the star is not the same person now as he was when the footage was shot.

He added: ''Yes he said some bad jokes and I know if he could he would take back what was said. He's grown a lot in 5 years and as we all grow we learn.

''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.(sic)''

Following the publication of the footage, the 'Confident' singer admitted he made a ''childish and inexcusable mistake'' and insisted he has ''grown up'' since making the remarks five years ago.

He said: ''As a young man, I didn't understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt. I thought it was ok to repeat hurtful words and jokes, but didn't realise at the time that it wasn't funny and that in fact my actions were continuing the ignorance.

''Thanks to friends and family I learned from my mistakes and grew up and apologised for those wrongs. Now that these mistakes from the past have become public I need to apologise again to all those I have offended. I'm very sorry.''