Sports columnist and commentator Jason Whitlock wrote a column defending Broncos quarterback and NFL all star, Peyton Manning after New York Daily News columnist and activist Shaun King wrote a piece attacking Manning’s “squeaky-clean” character. The article alleges that Manning sexually assaulted a young woman while attending college at University of Tennessee.

In the wake of that article, Whitlock's column aimed to redeem Manning’s reputation and attacking King, a controversial Black Lives Matter activist.

"The guy that wrote this story for the New York Daily News, he’s not a journalist," Whitlock said on the Dan Patrick Show Monday. "He’s a race hustler from Twitter, from the Black Lives Matter movement who stirs racial controversy to elevate himself. Listen, the guy’s been busted. First of all, he’s white and presenting himself as black. He said that as a child in high school he was allegedly attacked by a group of white people because he was black. Well, he wasn’t black and there were people saying that wasn’t why he was attacked and there’s no proof of it."

But the real brawl began when both men took to Twitter, slinging insults, including one by Whitlock alleging that King isn’t even black. Caution: strong language.

That's it. Please share my story, read the receipts and testimonials from folk who know me and know the truth.



And fuck you @WhitlockJason — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

Shaun King so white they giving him an Oscar for playing black on Twitter. #OneLove https://t.co/CYp5UiBDeZ — Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 17, 2016

I'm done engaging Whitlock. Had no idea he was all over white radio and TV dissing me and @deray and others this week. A damn fool. Sellout. — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

You're white. Don't claim it. I'm black. Love it. Who's the sellout? https://t.co/rWALecQZXq — Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 17, 2016

The fight, of course, couldn’t end there. King proceeded to defend his “blackness.”

Months ago, I shared every single detail of my journey with race. I'm bi-racial from birth. Identify as Black.https://t.co/1qxGabtmfp — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

I have NEVER in my life been white or classified as such. Period.



From a respectable woman who knew me since 1991. pic.twitter.com/6kK6brepv4 — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

And King went to great lengths to back his claims:

In 1995 I was brutally beaten by a racist mob. This random stranger was traumatized by it. https://t.co/SPiggzfyxs pic.twitter.com/9ZTUcgZWdw — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

Where the REVERED band teacher, Nat Carter, (a Black man) at my high school backs this account of my assault up. pic.twitter.com/3oIaWl4HbY — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

Where @DeacTheVillain - who visited me during my 20 month recovery speaks out.



LINK: https://t.co/nstpbESJyA pic.twitter.com/dJEPYZckkn — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

Where a random (white) neighbor had to scare racist rednecks from my house while I recovered from the assault. pic.twitter.com/mVjR7Ky0zX — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

Where the police officer says in 1995 EVERYBODY in our whole damn town knew I was bi-racial, including him. pic.twitter.com/fJhMjeWfgg — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

Where my dear wife pours her heart about me, the assault, my race, etc.



LINK: https://t.co/MECW7bNfOL pic.twitter.com/I53c5oBgcF — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

Where I tell my whole story, at great length. Painful parts and all. https://t.co/L28CtF1tJp pic.twitter.com/JoyAawSngj — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

This is John Hope. The first BLACK President of my alma mater @Morehouse College. Could've passed. Chose not to. pic.twitter.com/PUq9Kz7EK0 — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

This is Mordecai Johnson. The first BLACK President @HowardU. A Morehouse man. Could've passed. Chose not to. pic.twitter.com/Y0BTCDcZVC — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

This is Walter White - the BLACK President of the @NAACP. Fascinating story. Could've passed. Chose not to. pic.twitter.com/x09dw84ZUl — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

What's wild is this...



White folk didn't GIVE A SHIT about my racial receipts & story until I spoke out on police brutality. — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

At the end of the tweetstorm, King admitted that though his skin is actually white, he is biracial and has never been accepted by the white community:

Of course my color is not Black. Of course being bi-racial means I am also white, but white folk have NEVER wanted or accepted me. EVER. — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

This was followed by a few more tweets targeted specifically at Whitlock and the comments he made regarding King’s race:

So, Jason Whitlock and the racists at Fox who sign his checks can delight in calling me white as an insult, but I am who I am. Complex. — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

This is my life.



When I debunk the lies, folk say "He's being defensive."



When I'm silent they say "he must be a liar."



Doing my best. — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

That's it. Please share my story, read the receipts and testimonials from folk who know me and know the truth.



And fuck you @WhitlockJason — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 17, 2016

After the lengthy rant, here’s what Whitlock had to say:

Shaun King so white they giving him an Oscar for playing black on Twitter. #OneLove https://t.co/CYp5UiBDeZ — Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 17, 2016

And apparently this was a satisfactory response. One Twitter user even called it the “mother of all mic drops.”

@iowahawkblog @WhitlockJason - I actually heard the slap in Phoenix — Brian D (@UCBearcat90) February 17, 2016

@WhitlockJason lolol BREAKING: @WhitlockJason just kilt a clown on twitter — Zack (@McMurphey1) February 17, 2016

This isn’t the first time someone has called King’s race into question. Last August, a website published a copy of King’s birth certificate, which lists that both of his parents are white, despite King’s claims that he was born to a white mother and a black father. TheBlaze reported that MSNBC correspondent Joy Reid defended King, stating that his father was in fact black, but that his biological father is not the same man who is listed on his birth certificate.