Simmons, Dupri react to Mayer interview

Russell Simmons and Jermaine Dupri have reportedly reacted to John Mayer's recent controversial interview with Playboy.

The Your Body Is A Wonderland star has faced criticism for some of his remarks to the magazine, including statements on race and ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson.

Speaking to MTV News, Simmons said: "He's a nice guy. He don't know. If you live in Beverly Hills, you might think there's a post-racial society and the pain is gone.

"A lot of black people use that word, all the time - myself included - kind of as a way to ease the pain from it. You sort of forget that it even existed. We can do that. But when you see people outside of the community do that, it's more hurtful."

He added: "He didn't mean anything by it. I give him a pass. He's hard on his [ex-girlfriends], though, ain't he! On the black community, it's not so hard. That's my opinion."

Dupri claimed that he thought it was "a funny-ass interview" and suggested that Mayer had "underestimated his power and how famous he is", when he made the comments.

"Most of the time stuff that happens in Playboy, the world don't talk about," he explained. "Not to say what he said was cool, but I thought it was a funny interview.

"It's his private parts and whatever he wants to do with 'em, that's what he wants to do with 'em. That's not for us to judge."

Mayer has since apologised for his language, and suggested that it was "time to stop trying to be so raw in interviews".