Young Money rapper Lil Wayne has lost his Mountain Dew sponsorship because of a controversial lyric referencing martyred civil rights figure Emmett Till.
According to USA Today, PepsiCo issued a statement concluding that it was necessary to cut ties with the popular rapper because of his “offensive reference to a revered civil rights icon,” that “does not reflect the values of our brand.”
Wayne’s controversial rhyme – in which he uses Till’s brutal beating in a simile with a violent sexual act – was a part of his feature on Future’s “Karate Chop Remix.” Future's label has responded by pulling the lyric from the song.
Lil Wayne and his representatives issued an open letter of apology to the Till family for any pain that the insulting lyric and the ensuing controversy may have caused them, but the family members – like PepsiCo – are unsatisfied with his response. The Till family requested to sit down with Wayne, but such a meeting has yet to occur.