Rapper Azealia Banks has come under fire from gay rights activists after using a homophobic slur in a furious Twitter.com rant at celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.

The 212 hitmaker became embroiled in a feud with openly-gay Hilton this week (ends04Jan13) after he labelled her "pathetic", prompting Banks to hit back and brand the gossip blogger a "f**got", adding that he should "just kill" himself.

The hip-hop star initially defended her angry words, insisting, "A f**got is not a homosexual male. A f**got is any male who acts like a female. There's a Big difference", but she subsequently backed down and apologised to her fans following an online furore.

She tweeted, "My most sincere apologies to anyone who was indirectly offended by my foul language. Not sorry for Perez tho (though)."

However, Banks' apology has not gotten her off the hook with officials at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (Glaad) group, who have condemned the star's use of the derogatory term.

A statement issued by Glaad representatives reads: "Banks' claim that the word 'f**got' doesn't mean a gay male is not true. Regardless of her intent or her personal definition, what matters is the meaning given to that word by those who hear it, and the damage it causes when they do.

"Undoubtedly there are gay kids who follow her on Twitter who hear this word in an entirely different context. This word is used almost universally by bullies, often as part of a larger verbal or physical assault. This word hurts those kids, no matter what Banks meant by it."

Glaad bosses aren't the only ones to hit out at Banks for her disrespectful language - her former collaborator, gay Scissor Sisters star Jake Shears, has also expressed his disgust at her tweets.