Homies.

It was the tweet heard ‘round the world — at least the portion of the world that pays attention to Twitter.

One weekend in early June, actress Gwyneth Paltrow tweeted a picture while onstage at Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Watch the Throne” concert in Paris, with the caption “Ni**as in paris for real” (the asterisks are Paltrow’s).

It was a reference to the rap duo’s wildly popular song, “Ni**as in Paris.” And naturally, chaos ensued.

Twitter followers and random rap fans blasted Paltrow for using the n-word in her tweet, to which she responded, “Hold up. It’s the title of the song!”

Rap icons weighed in. Business mogul and hip hop pioneer Russell Simmons, who previously attempted to ban the n-word from rap music, came to Paltrow’s defense and said he knew her intentions were not offensive.

A Tribe Called Quest wordsmith Q-Tip pushed back, acknowledging that while Paltrow may not have meant harm, she should have apologized in light of the historical weight of the word.

Rap legend Nas gave Paltrow a “pass” because she’s “the homie,” she’s “cool,” and she’s a “real ni**a.”

Confused yet? …continue reading at the Bay State Banner.