Gov. Cuomo dropped the N-word during a live radio interview Tuesday while quoting an op-ed about the use of slurs against Italian-Americans.

“They used an expression that southern Italians were called, I believe they were saying southern Italians, Sicilians — I’m half Sicilian — were called, quote-unquote and pardon my language, but I’m just quoting the [New York] Times: ‘n—– wops.’ N-word wops, as a derogatory comment,” Cuomo said, saying the inflammatory epithet in its entirety.

Earlier in the interview, Cuomo had been asked about the controversy over a Mother Cabrini statue after the governor announced at the Columbus Day parade Monday that the state would fund the monument.

Cuomo said he believes there are still rampant anti-Italian-American stereotypes being used, citing The Post cover portraying him, brother Chris and their father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, as the cast of “The Godfather” as an example. The cover came after Chris was caught on camera flying into a rage over being called “Fredo” — the pathetic son of Don Vito Corleone in the film.

Cuomo also went after Albany Times-Union Managing Editor Casey Seiler, who penned an op-ed over what he called the Cuomo brothers’ misconception of Italian-American insults.

“When I said that ‘wop’ was a derogatory comment, that was when the Times-Union told me, no, you should look in Wikipedia, ‘wop’ really meant a dandy,” Cuomo said laughing.

Later in the interview, host Alan Chartock asked Cuomo about the state’s Medicaid spending — and Cuomo returned to Italian-American discrimination.

“Oh, the Times also said in an article the other day, apropos of nothing, they were talking about, going back to the Italian Americans . . .”

Then he quoted the Saturday op-ed about slurs once used against the Italian community.

African-American state leaders backed the governor.

State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said he “didn’t take any offense” to Cuomo’s comments.

“The Governor was quoting a New York Times story and was using it for context,” he said.

State Sen. Kevin Parker said also that he was “not at all offended by [Cuomo’s] comments” and that “people are overreacting.”

“The way he said it, it might have been inartful, but it wasn’t inaccurate and he was giving a source of context,” Parker said.

But Assemblyman Charles Barron — a longtime activist and former Black Panther — blasted Cuomo’s remarks as “very inappropriate” and “disrespectful” and said the gov “owes the black community an apology.”

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also denounced Cuomo.

“The flippant and unnecessary use of the word on live radio gives people further permission to use this racist term,” he said

Reps for Cuomo didn’t return requests for comment.

Additional reporting by Carl Campanile and Tamar Lapin