Tyler apologizes to Nicki Minaj

Steven Tyler and Nicki Minaj (WENN.COM)

Rocker Steven Tyler has issued a public apology to Nicki Minaj after the rapper accused him of making a racist comment about her judging abilities as a new panellist on reality show American Idol.

The Aerosmith frontman, who stepped down as a judge on the show earlier this year, sparked a Twitter.com feud with Minaj earlier this week when he suggested the Starships hitmaker would not be able to spot the next great artist if he showed up on stage in front of her.

He tweeted, "If it was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield. Whereas, if it was Bob Dylan with us, we would have brought the best of him out."

Minaj, who joined fellow new additions Mariah Carey and Keith Urban on the judging panel when Tyler and Jennifer Lopez quit the show this summer, promptly fired back at the ageing rocker's criticisms.

She raged, "Steven Tyler said I would have sent Bob Dylan to a cornfield??? Steven, you haven't seen me judge one single solitary contestant yet! You assume that I wouldn't have liked! Bob Dylan??? Why? Black? Rapper? What? Go f**k yourself and worry about yourself babe.

"I understand you really wanted to keep your job, but take that up with the producers. I haven't done anything to you. That's a racist comment."

Tyler insists his comments have been misconstrued - because he never intended to insult Minaj.

During an appearance on Canadian entertainment show eTalk on Tuesday, he said, "I apologize if it was taken wrong, Nicki. But I am the farthest from (being a racist). I am the last thing on this planet as far as being a racist."

He added, "I don't know where she got that out of me saying I'm not sure how she would've judged Bob Dylan. Maybe I spoke out of turn, but a racist I'm not, Nicki."