The Weeknd has ended his partnership with clothing store H&M, after a controversial ad featuring a black child wearing a hoodie that read “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” appeared on the company’s website.
“Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. I’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore,” The Weeknd tweeted on Monday afternoon.
woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore… pic.twitter.com/P3023iYzAb
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) January 8, 2018
After feeling the burn from all the backlash, the retailer released a cookie cutter statement. “We sincerely apologize for offending people with this image of a printed hooded top,” H&M said. “The image has been removed from all online channels and the product will not be for sale in the United States. We believe in diversity and inclusion in all that we do and will be reviewing all our internal policies accordingly to avoid any future issues.”