Tom Morello Declares He's 'Not White' in Response to Criticism of His Friendship With Ted Nugent Celebrity The Rage Against the Machine guitarist and political activist is accused of 'white privilege' after saying he and the right-wing rocker are still friends despite their different political beliefs. Mar 5, 2021 Tom Morello has set things straight about his ethnicity. The Rage Against the Machine guitarist has reminded everyone that he's not white after he was accused of "white privilege" due to his friendship with right-wing rocker "I'm not white," Tom simply tweeted on Wednesday, March 3 in response to a user who wrote in a now-deleted tweet, "Tom Morello's white man privilege is showing." The New York City native was in fact born to an American mother, Mary, who is of Irish and Italian descent, while his father, Ngethe Njoroge, is a Kenyan diplomat who served as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in the 1970s.