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X Factor winner James Arthur this weekend issued an apology for a homophobic rap track he posted online, and his excuse for the use of the term 'f**king queer' are near identical to an explanation given by Eminem for his offensive lyrics.
Arthur has since quit Twitter after enormous backlash to a song he recorded recently, in which he attacked rapper Micky Worthless in a diss track. He later issued an apology before leaving the social network, in which he stated:
"I have many many gay friends. In rap feuds/rap disses the words I used have a different intent. This is a straight man I was attacking," he wrote. "Would just like to make it completely clear that it was not meant in anyway as a reference to homosexuality."
He then blamed rap culture and his upbringing as a live performer for his use of the term, adding: "But used in the context of the rap battles I have grown up with it has come to mean something completely different… That said, I understand why it could cause offence and that definitely wasn't my intention."
However, Arthur's explanation is nearly identical to one recently given by Eminem, when he too was accused of rampant homophobia on his track, 'Rap God'.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Marshall Mathers told the magazine that he was not homophobic, and similarly blamed 'rap battles' for his continual use of the word 'faggot'.
"I don't know how to say this without saying it how I've said it a million times. But that word, those kind of words, when I came up battle-rappin' or whatever, I never really equated those words..." he told Rolling Stone, when quizzed about his use of the word.
"It was more like calling someone a bitch or a punk or asshole. So that word was just thrown around so freely back then. It goes back to that battle, back and forth in my head, of wanting to feel free to say what I want to say, and then [worrying about] what may or may not affect people.
"And, not saying it's wrong or it's right, but at this point in my career - man, I say so much shit that's tongue-in-cheek. I poke fun at other people, myself. But the real me sitting here right now talking to you has no issues with gay, straight, transgender, at all."
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