Lil Wayne Hate Crime Lyric Threatens Corporate Endorsement Deal

It was just 7 words on a remix for another artist but unfortunately for Lil Wayne he happened to pick 7 words that would probably never be mentioned in civil company. A highly unflattering reference to civil rights figure Emmett Till has resulted in a sea of backlash directed at the rapper, and now might be the reason he loses his biggest corporate endorsement, Pepsi’s Mountain Dew.

The lyrics were quickly removed from the track in question but it seems the Till family still want an apology, which may never come. In response to his lack of sympathy the family have hit Weezy where it hurts, in the wallet.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the family and the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation stated:

“We also support blocking and banning the endorsements. I’ve maintained through February, Don’t do the Dew. His biggest endorsement is through Pepsi’s Mountain Dew. Stop buying it, stop lining his pockets. People are outraged because they feel that he should apologize to our family.”

Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American who was beaten and murdered after supposedly flirting with a white woman. His murderers were acquitted of all charges despite later revealing, protected by double jeopardy laws, that they had in fact killed the boy. The case is seen as a pivotal moment in the African American civil rights movement.

Wayne’s lyric “Beat the pussy up like Emmett Till” landed on Future’s remix of Karate Chop, but only for a short period of time. Sony affiliate Epic Records quickly censored the record after massive public disapproval.

The possibility of Mountain Dew feeling the heat and burning this particular bridge is very real. In a similar incident recently, Reebok cut their ties with Rick Ross who seemingly endorsed gang rape in a cameo on another artist’s track.

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