Another one bites the dust!
Lil Wayne will no longer do the Dew! Mountain Dew has just announced that Wayne will no longer be the spokesperson for their soda company due to a rap verse in which he compared the beating of Emmett Till to rough sex. Weezy sent the Emmett Till family an apology letter saying he’s sorry their feelings were hurt.. the Till family REJECTED the letter, saying the statement “falls short of an apology.”
Starring in several commercials, Wayne began appearing in Dew ads in early 2012. Mountain Dew is owned by Pepsico and we are unsure of when Pepsico will stop running ads featuring the codeine rapper.
With this controversy starting over 2 months ago, Mountain Dew must have been waiting to see if Wayne was going to really apologize or if they we’re gonna get picketed and protested like Reebok.
Check out Waynes apology letter:
Dear Till Family:
As a recording artist, I have always been interested in word play. My lyrics often reference people, places and events in my music, as well as the music that I create for or alongside other artists.
It has come to my attention that lyrics from my contribution to a fellow artist’s song has deeply offended your family. As a father myself, I cannot imagine the pain that your family has had to endure. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge your hurt, as well as the letter you sent to me via your attorneys.
Moving forward, I will not use or reference Emmett Till or the Till family in my music, especially in an inappropriate manner. I fully support Epic Record’s decision to take down the unauthorized version of the song and to not include the reference in the version that went to retail. I will not be performing the lyrics that contain that reference live and have removed them from my catalogue.
I have tremendous respect for those who paved the way for the liberty and opportunities that African-Americans currently enjoy. As a business owner who employs several African-American employees and gives philanthropically to organizations that help youth to pursue their dreams my ultimate intention is to uplift rather than degrade our community.
Best,
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.
Lil Wayne
