PepsiCo cuts ties with Lil Wayne

Published 5:00 am Saturday, May 4, 2013

PepsiCo is cutting its ties with Lil Wayne after the rapper made a crude reference to civil rights martyr Emmett Till in a song.

Lil Wayne, one of the biggest stars in pop music, had a deal to promote the company’s Mountain Dew soda.

Earlier this week, PepsiCo also pulled an online ad for the neon-colored soda that was criticized for portraying racial stereotypes and making light of violence toward women. The ad was developed by rapper Tyler, the Creator.

PepsiCo said in a statement late Friday that Wayne’s “offensive reference to a revered civil rights icon does not reflect the values of our brand.”

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