Terry Crew and Wale showdown over Liam Neeson's 'racist' rant

Liam Neeson's controversial comments about once attempting to get revenge for his friend's brutal rape by killing a black person has not only rattled fans around the world,  but also caused a social media showdown between actor Terry Crews and muso Wale this week.

Speaking to The Independent recently to promote his new film Cold Pursuit, Liam recounted how he once "went up and down areas with a cosh, hoping I'd be approached by somebody – I'm ashamed to say that – and I did it for maybe a week, hoping some 'black ba*t**d' would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could … kill him."

While Liam faced a firing storm for his comments, Terry tried to calm things down by claiming that the star was just describing his "fork in the road".

But Matrimony hitmaker Wale was not having any of it and hit back straight at Terry.

He wasn't about that excuse life and said Liam remained trash.

That time fans were grabbing pitchforks and already splitting themselves into #TeamTerry or #TeamWale.

While some called for peace, others were outraged.

Terry took eventually returned Wale's message by asking him what would happen now.

Cue frosty stare-down that could make February in Chicago look like a sauna.

Wale dropped the subject but Terry was still in the room and waiting for answers.

He finally took to Twitter again to clarify that he was not defending Liam but that people need to learn to read well.

Meanwhile, Liam has responded to the outrage over his comments, telling ABC's Good Morning America that he is not a racist.

"We all pretend we're all politically correct in this country ... in mine, too. You sometimes just scratch the surface and you discover this racism and bigotry and it's there."