John Mayer has made a public apology after using the “N” word in an interview published this week.
Mayer said in the interview, "Someone asked me the other day, 'What does it feel like now to have a hood pass?' And by the way, it's sort of a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a hood pass, you could call it a nigger pass."The comment has created furor in the USA where the term is considered offensive to African-Americans.
Mayer took to Twitter to try and explain himself saying how he never intended to become a shock jock.
“Re: using the 'N word' in an interview: I am sorry that I used the word,” he wrote. “And it's such a shame that I did because the point I was trying to make was in the exact opposite spirit of the word itself. It was arrogant of me to think I could intellectualize using it, because I realize that there's no intellectualizing a word that is so emotionally charged”.
“And while I'm using today for looking at myself under harsh light, I think it's time to stop trying to be so raw in interviews. It started as an attempt to not let the waves of criticism get to me, but it's gotten out of hand and I've created somewhat of a monster. I wanted to be a blues guitar player. And a singer. And a songwriter. Not a shock jock. I don't have the stomach for it”.
“I just wanted to play the guitar for people. Everything else just sort of popped up and I improvised, and kept doubling down on it”.
Last night, during a concert in Nashville he stopped the show midway to explain his quest to be clever. Watch what he said here:
