Justin Bieber is once again embroiled in controversy after footage of him making an offensive racist joke at the age of 15 has surfaced online.

In the video, Bieber sits backstage at an event with friends and takes the opportunity to use the offensive n-word while his cameraman films.

The singer has already apologised for the incident in a statement:

“As a kid, I didn’t understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt,” Bieber said.

“I thought it was ok to repeat hurtful words and jokes, but didn’t realize at the time that it wasn’t funny and that in fact my actions were continuing the ignorance. Thanks to friends and family I learned from my mistakes and grew up and apologized for those wrongs. Now that these mistakes from the past have become public I need to apologize again to all those I have offended. I’m very sorry.

“I take my friendships with people of all cultures very seriously and I apologize for offending or hurting anyone with my childish and inexcusable mistake. I was a kid then and I am a man now who knows my responsibility to the world and to not make that mistake again.

“Ignorance has no place in our society and I hope the sharing of my faults can prevent others from making the same mistake in the future.

“I thought long and hard about what I wanted to say but telling the truth is always what’s right. Five years ago I made a reckless and immature mistake and I’m grateful to those close to me who helped me learn those lessons as a young man. Once again….I’m sorry.”

While some are dismissing the video as irrelevant given the now 20-year-old star’s young age, many are adding it to the long list of bad behaviour the singer has recently been leaving in his wake.

WARNING: Video contains offensive language