Rick Ross apologized Thursday for his controversial statements about female rappers from a recent interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club show. In a Facebook post, he described his “insensitive comment” as a “mistake [he regrets]” and praised the many women in his life.

During the original radio interview, the rapper revealed why he has never signed a female rapper to his record label, Maybach Music Group. “You know, I never did it because I always thought, like, I would end up fucking a female rapper and fucking the business up,” he said, “I’m so focused on my business. I just, I gotta be honest with you. You know, she looking good. I’m spending so much money on her photo shoots. I gotta fuck a couple times.”

Now, the “She on My Dick” rapper is walking back that stance, explaining that his “comment is not a reflection on [his] beliefs on the issue.”

“I want to address an insensitive comment I made on a very sensitive issue, especially in a minority-dominated industry like hip-hop,” Ross wrote. “My entire empire’s backbone is led by two of the strongest people I know, and they happen to be women, my mother and sister. The operations wouldn’t run without them, and I have the highest regard and respect for women in this industry. I have a daughter myself, my most cherished gift in the world.”

The MC said he hopes to “create positive discussion to implement change” on the issue of sexism in the industry. He added that he “[looks] forward” to continue working with and supporting female artists, combining his apology with a plug for his new VH1 reality series, Signed. Ross is a mentor on the show, in which artists battle for the chance to earn a slot on Maybach Music Group.

“My discovery process was documented by VH1 on #signed, which premiered last night,” he continued. “Many of the most talented artists you’ll see in the running to be the next #MMG superstars are female artists. I look forward to clarifying my comments through my support.”

Ross previous faced a widespread backlash in 2013 for his verse in a remix of Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.,” which included lyrics some interpreted as celebrating rape (“Put Molly all in the champagne/ She ain’t even know it/I took her home and I enjoyed that/ She ain’t even know it”). Reebok subsequently dropped Ross as a representative for the brand, and the rapper issued an apology “to every woman that has felt the sting of abuse.”

See Facebook Post below: