Thrift Shop rapper Macklemore apologized on Monday for a stage costume many considered anti-Semitic. The performer, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, wore a wig, false beard, and large prosthetic nose for a guest appearance on Friday at Seattle’s EMP Museum for the opening night of its “Spectacle: The Music Video” exhibition.

Social media responded fiercely over the weekend, including a tweet from Jewish actor Seth Rogan who wrote “@macklemore, first you trick people into thinking you’re a rapper, now you trick them into thinking you’re Jewish?”

Macklemore, who is also known for his pro-gay-rights hit “Same Love,” released a statement on his webpage to explain his actions and apologize to his fans. In the post, Macklemore claimed his costume was a last minute decision to allow him to surprise the guests at the show by arriving incognito. He clarified that his costume choices were completely random and that, “the character I dressed up as on Friday had no intended cultural identity or background. I wasn’t attempting to mimic any culture, nor resemble one. A ‘Jewish stereotype’ never crossed my mind.”

The statement continued on to “truly apologize to anyone I may have offended” and to also reproach the media for “sensationalizing” the story.