Former American Idol contestant Jacob Lusk is defending the show’s producers over allegations they discriminate against blacks. Lusk, an African-American male who competed on Season 10 of the show, says the allegations made this week by a group of nine men is frivolous.

The nine man in question all have criminal backgrounds, but TMZ reports that none of them have been convicted of the crimes that led to them being booted from the competition. This has led James H. Freeman, a New York-based attorney, to submit a letter to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requesting permission to sue American Idol.

“I think me being an African-American male and being on Idol, I think I’m a pretty safe gage as to whether American Idol is racist and I can undoubtedly say they’re not,” Lusk says in an interview.

“I just think that is just so happens that those particular individuals were the ones that lied and got caught. And they tell you, don’t lie to us, we’re going to find out. I mean you have a record, you have a warrant and you get on television, somebody’s gonna tell somebody; somebody’s gonna find out,” the singer continues.

Lusk, who had his share of legal issues before trying out for the show, says he was honest from the beginning with producers and that’s what saved him in the end. “I don’t think lying ever gets anyone anywhere. I’m the perfect example. When I first auditioned for Idol I had warrants and unpaid tickets and all that stuff and I was honest, I worked it out and we got it cleared … They supported me through it because I was honest about it.”