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Lil Wayne Apologizes to the Family of Emmett Till During Tour Stop

Weezy atones for lyrics involving slain teen.

The weight of a huge misstep must have been heavy on Lil Wayne's heart at a tour stop in Nashville recently. Weezy took time out during the America's Most Wanted tour to pay respects to the family of Emmett Till. Wayne infamously likened Till's brutal beating and murder to his sex skills on Future's "Karate Chop" remix.

On stage in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena last week, the 30-year-old replaced the distasteful line with the statement, "I apologize to the family of Emmett Till."

The song leaked online earlier this year, causing a hailstorm of controversy. Future's label, Epic Records, apologized for the track, but that didn't stop family members from publicly lashing out against Wayne, culminating in Mountain Dew parting ways with the father of four. The YMCMB honcho remained silent for a while, and later released an official apology. "It has come to my attention that lyrics from my contribution to a fellow artist’s song has deeply offended your family," he said in a letter. "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."
Wayne promised never to "use or reference Emmett Till or the Till family" in any of his music, "especially in an inappropriate manner." The seemingly earnest address was rejected by the family.
Till was a 14-year-old boy hailing from Chicago and was killed while visiting Mississippi relatives in August of 1955. In one of the nation's most well known racially divided acts of violence, Till was abducted, tortured and thrown in a river by two white men for allegedly whistling at a white woman. His body was recovered three days later by a pair of boys fishing in the Tallahatchie River.
The teen's mother famously refused a closed casket, letting the world see her son's mangled and completely unrecognizable face. His murderers were acquitted of all charges after a jury deliberated for just over an hour.
Several media outlets and social commentators have likened Till's death to that of Trayvon Martin's, especially given the verdict delivered this past Saturday (Jul 13).

Wayne, on tour stops in Florida where the Martin death took place, tweeted, "Tampa was amazing, but just kame bak to my bus and saw da news...ain't s--t change, and I may never get to see it do so. I pray 4my kids & yours."

 

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