Rapper J. Cole recently featured on Drake's track 'Jodeci Freestyle' and in the song he made a derogatory reference to autism, which he has now issued a public apology for.

In the cut he boasted, "I'm artistic, you ni**as is autistic, retarded", but over the weekend addressed the fact that the line prompted a series of complaints and admitted that he's very sorry for the offence he has caused. Writing on a blog, J. Cole explained:

"Last week, when I first saw a comment from someone outraged about the lyric, I realized right away that what I said was wrong. I was instantly embarrassed that I would be ignorant enough say something so hurtful. What makes the crime worse is that I should have known better."

He continued: "To the parents who are fighting through the frustrations that must come with raising a child with severe autism, finding strength and patience that they never knew they had; to the college student with Asperger's syndrome; to all those overcoming autism, you deserve medals, not disrespect. I hope you accept my sincere apology."