Nick Cannon may have pushed the envelope a little too far in promoting his upcoming album White People Party Music. The actor/singer/television host is being labeled a racist for dressing up in white face to bring attention to the record, his first in 11 years. 
The Real Husbands of Hollywood star showed off his new alter-ego, Connor Smallnut, in a series of online videos. "It's official… I'm White!!! #WHITEPEOPLEPARTYMUSIC #Wppm in stores April 1st!!!!!!Dude Go Get It!!!Join The Party!!!!" he wrote on Instagram, alongside an image of himself in the offending disguise.

Cannon's sense of humor has been lost on many of his fans. On Twitter, he's been labeled everything from "racist" to "ignorant" and even "hypocritical" for pulling the stunt. 

In response to the backlash, Cannon tweeted back: ""Duuuude everybody Chil-lax!!!!" ~ Connor Smallnut'." He then added: "It's funny how people take themselves so seriously. People love drama! We feed off of it. Just relax and have fun!!"

To further illustrate his point, he referenced actor Robert Downey, Jr., who donned blackface to play Kirk Lazarus in comedy Tropic Thunder. "Shout out to @RobertDowneyJr This is one of my favorite characters of all time! Hilarious!!! There is a big difference between Humor and Hatred," he said.
It remains to be seen how this controversy will affect Cannon's album sales, but the stunt certainly managed to get the album on people's radar.
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(Photo: Nick Cannon via Instagram)