Iconic American singer/musician Bob Dylan has landed in hot water with the French authorities.

The 72 year-old has been placed under judicial investigation in France for allegedly making racist remarks towards Croatians.

The comments stem from an interview Dylan did with Rolling Stone magazine last year in September 2012, a Croatian community organization claim the 'Blowin in the Wind' singer incited racial hatred.

In the interview Dylan spoke about the racial divide in America, "Blacks know that some whites didn't want to give up slavery", he said. "If they had their way, they would still be under the yoke, and they can't pretend they don't know that."

"If you got a slave master or (Ku Klux) Klan in your blood, blacks can sense that," he continued. "That stuff lingers to this day. Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood and the Serbs can sense Croatian blood."

See 3 very cool pictures from Bob Dylan's show at the Royal Albert Hall.

At the time of been informed about the investigation Bob was in Paris receiving the Legion of Honour, a distinguished French award.

After the interview was published the organisation, CRICCF, which is based in France, claimed the comments violated French racial hatred laws, these complaints automatically triggered a formal investigation.

According to BBC's Hugh Schofield, just because the complaint has been put under investigation does not mean the French authorities will take any further action, however it will be taken very seriously.

Dylan is considered one of the most influential names in the music industry, first finding fame in the 1960s, mainly due to his public support of the US civil rights movement.

Bob Dylan
Dylan is under investigation for racial comments