By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
In the case of Rick Ross, things went from bad to worse for him, but he managed to take the heat off Lil Wayne in time for I Am Not a Human Being 2 to be released. Reebok ended up pulling their sponsorship of Rick Ross. Suddenly, the family of Emmett Till resurfaced and they began targeting Lil Wayne’s sponsors.
Throughout February and March, Emmett Till’s family demanded an apology from Lil Wayne. Instead, Lil Wayne spent his time taunting the Miami Heat before ending up hospitalized in Los Angeles. Emmett Till’s family wished him well, but Lil Wayne never replied to them.
Disrespecting Emmett Till on Future’s “Karate Chop (remix),” the family has been after an apology from Lil Wayne for some time. But, with Emmett Till’s family threatening to put the heat on advertisers, Lil Wayne finally issued an apology. Lil Wayne recently penned an open letter to Emmett Till’s family.
Read Lil Wayne’s letter to Emmett Till’s family below:
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
