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 feud with Nicki earlier this week when he suggested the singer would not be able to spot the next great artiste 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.”Nicki, who joined fellow new additions Mariah Carey and Keith Urban on the judging panel when Steven 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???”She also said she thought his comments might have been triggered by her being black and a rapper.Nicki said: "Why? Black? Rapper? What? Go f*** yourself and worry about yourself babe.”Steven insists his comments have been misconstrued - because he never intended to insult Nicki.He said: "I apologise 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.” The Sun