Rapper Nas raised a few eyebrows backstage at the Grammys on Sunday night by wearing a T-shirt with the N-word on it, which also is the title of his new album, out April 22.

"Hip hop music (has) been catching a lot of flak. We use the word in our music," Nas told reporters in the print-reporters room. "And for the last year it's just been really crazy, the word thing. It's confusing for me as a black man, so since us rappers (are) getting the blame, I wanted to talk about it, and express myself."

In addition, Nas was motivated by the arrest of his wife, singer Kelis, in Miami Beach outside of her hotel last March for shouting at undercover police officers.

"There's no better time," he said. "(Kelis and I) gotta go to trial just for hanging outside, getting arrested for just being us, so that's kind of why I probably had to stick with the title, 'cause for a lot of people, they experience racial s---, they want to sweep it under the rug. 'Don't say anything, it'll go away.' That never happens. And as much as I'd like for this word to go away, the reality of it is so strong, people try to ignore it, but you can't."

Added Kelis at his side: "The word's not what's important, it's the premise behind it. And it's like Nas, at the end of the day, whether we say it or not, it doesn't change the fact that I get treated like one."