Gwyneth Paltrow is known as a successful actress, wife of Coldplay's Chris Martin, a cookbook author and a red carpet maven. She is not known to be particularly inflammatory. On Friday, Paltrow took to Twitter to share a photo from Jay-Z and Kanye West's concert in Paris with her followers, using the N-word in her tweet.

Gwyneth Paltrow tweeted, Ni**as in paris for real @mrteriusnash (the dream) tyty, beehigh http://say.ly/ySc3rTP, with a snapshot from the stage where she watched the show with Beyonce and Kelly Rowland.

Paltrow was referring to Jay-Z and West's song, N---as In Paris, off their Watch the Throne album. The celebrity Oscar-winner is a dear friend of Jay-Z and Beyonce's. Her children even refer to the rapper as Uncle Jay.

Not everyone was pleased with the actress' language.

Some Twitter users took offense to Paltrow's use of the N-word, despite it being the title of the song. Perez Hilton asked, Was Gwyneth hacked? If you hate Gwyneth Paltrow, you'll like her less now, tweeted msnNOW. Amanda Seales called Paltrow's comment wreckless, according to Yahoo Music's Billy Johnson Jr. And a post from the popular African American blog, Bossip.com, read: Gwyneth might be getting a little too comfortable around her black friends ...

On Sunday, Paltrow took to Twitter again to defend her use of the world. Hold up. It's the title of the song! she said in response to a post from blogger B. Scott.

Terius Nash, known as The Dream, defended his friend.

At first he tweeted, Fyi Sorry for the Confu I typed Ni**as in paris for real from Gwens Phone my bad I was Fkd up please excuse it! We were lit! according to Jezebel; however, that tweets seems to have been deleted.

Nash followed up with a series of tweets further supporting Paltrow.

Being Black as my grandfather said isn't a skin color its a Attitude! A Persona. A feeling! Paris was Black for two nights Witnessed! tweeted Nash. Should not be judged by the color of there [sic] skin but the content of there [sic] character. That quote works both way! TLC! From Slaves To Kings!

On Monday, the debate continued and Nash responded in Paltrow's defense again.

Yall still on that shit! Yall Give N---a To Much power somewhere the actual racist People are Laughing there asses off, so much energy.... he continued. Let that Word hold power over me but yet use it as Power. Those same slaves Great,Great grands are Wiser now and Free! I'm not Saying don't forget but be logical and use common sense. If it meant the Same as it Did then WE wouldn't use it, that would make us ignorant We USE IT because Evidently it doesn't mean the same if u really give a shit u stop using it.

Sure Attack her you know she's not going to do anything, you know in your heart she didn't mean it in anyway, wrote Nash. The world is just full of Bull shitters who act like they give a shit haven't did one righteous act in there lives. Its a Hot Topic because people aint got shit To Do! Period. Say what u want. No one called Trayvon N---a before he shot him it was an action. Racism is an Action!

Others attempted to make sense of the situation from a different perspective.

Yahoo Music's Johnson said Paltrow just got caught up in the moment.

As an African American person, I agree that Paltrow's use of the N-word was inappropriate. But I believe I understand why she thought making the reference was okay, wrote Johnson. He went on to detail how, while at a Kanye West concert some years ago, West told the crowd they all had permission to use the N-word that night. I cringed amongst an audience of mostly non-African Americans.

Johnson believes the actress was probably overcome with excitement from the show, especially since it took place in Paris.

But Paltrow isn't the only person confused about the etiquette for using the N-word. There's one simple rule. If you are not African American there is no instance for using the word that is not going to be taken offensively. It doesn't matter if you're friends with the most prominent African Africans on the planet, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Oprah or President Obama. Don't. Use. The. Word.

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