Piers Morgan takes on Kanye West over the N-word

From Digital Spy

The ever-controversial Piers Morgan has launched himself into yet another debate – this time claiming that white listeners shouldn't be blamed for singing the N-word in hit rap songs.

In his column for the Daily Mail, Piers singles out Kanye West and his 2005 hit 'Gold Digger' for its use of the N-word, after a video of a group of students at the University of New Hampshire singing along to the uncensored version went viral.

Arguing that there might be a difference between "n***a" and "n****r", Piers asks whether "n***a" is even racist at all, quoting the likes of Chris Rock and Tupac Shakur on the topic.

Related: Katie Price's son Harvey called Piers Morgan a "c**t" backstage at Loose Women

After targeting the lyrics of 'Gold Digger', Piers then comes to the conclusion that actually, there is no difference.

"They sound exactly the same, and are therefore open to permanent confusion and the exact same capacity to offend," he writes.

Adding that he wishes the N-word would be "expunged from society altogether", Piers then concludes by blaming rappers for continuing to use it in their music.

"Superstars like Kanye West target and exploit white audiences for their music just as enthusiastically as they target and exploit black audiences," he argues.

"So how can they, or anybody else for that matter, complain if a white person sings the very words they have written in [a] No1 hit song?"

Arguing that it is "absolutely predictable and understandable" that fans will sing along to their songs "regardless of the colour of their skin" – including the N-word – Piers then firmly puts the blame at the artists' door.

"If you want someone to blame, then blame Kanye West," he said.

Suffice to say, many Twitter followers disagreed with Piers' column pretty strongly:

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