Pop star Justin Bieber quickly apologized for a patently racist remark he made on video when he was 15-years old, and which he apologized for at the time, that has been resurrected by a British tabloid.

The video shows a boyish Bieber asking: "Why are black people afraid of chainsaws?"

Like Us on Facebook

He then answered his own question with the punch line, "Run n-----, n-----, n-----, n-----, n-----," making chainsaw noises as he did so.

Entertainment news website TMZ said it got hold of the video four years ago but decided not to post it "in large part because he was 15 and immediately told his friends what he did was stupid."

The video was shot backstage at a promotional event early in Bieber's career.

The Sun made an issue of Bieber's hurtful racist comments again by resurfacing the video and claiming Bieber's people tried unsuccessfully to buy the footage to keep it from coming to light, despite TMZ having gotten its hands on it four years previously.

Bieber immediately made a public apology following the expose by The Sun.

"I'm very sorry," Bieber told TMZ. "I take my friendships with people of all cultures very seriously and I apologize for offending or hurting anyone with my childish and inexcusable mistake. I was a kid then and I am a man now who knows my responsibility to the world and to not make that mistake again."

The 20-year old Canadian also blamed youthful ignorance. "As a young man, I didn't understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt," he said.

"I thought it was OK to repeat hurtful words and jokes, but didn't realize at the time that it wasn't funny and that in fact my actions were continuing the ignorance."

"Five years ago I made a reckless and immature mistake and I'm grateful to those close to me who helped me learn those lessons as a young man. Once again ... I'm sorry."

Bieber was discovered by marketing man Scooter Braun in 2007. Braun then arranged for Bieber to meet with pop musician Usher or Usher Raymond IV. Bieber was signed to RBMG and then to an Island Records. Usher, an African-American, has since been a mentor to Bieber.

TagsJustin Bieber, racist, chainsaw, joke, black people, apology