Shut Down: Emmett Till's Family Does Not Consider Lil Wayne's Letter An Apology

Lil Wayne's week isn't going to too well. Yesterday, before we knew he had been treated and released from the hospital for yet another seizure, the YMCMB rapper revealed a letter he wrote addressed to Emmett Till's family. Weezy acknowledges the hurt his now infamous "Beat the pu--y up like Emmett Till" lyric on Future's "Karate Chop (Remix)" caused, but the Till family, like many others, have noted that he falls short of an actual apology.

Reports TMZ:

Nowhere in the letter did Wayne say he was sorry for what he did.

Visit Now, Airickca Gordon-Taylor -- Executive Director, Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation and Till Family Representative -- tells TMZ the family does not view the letter as a formal apology.

"While it's commendable that he has vowed to respect the legacy of Emmett Till and his memory to ‘not use or reference Emmett Till or the Till family in his music,' this statement falls short of an apology, as none is mentioned."

We're reaching out to Lil Wayne for comment -- stay tuned.  It is the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation that has vowed to urge Wayne's business partners, like Mountain Dew which is a product of Pepsico, to drop the rapper if he doesn't properly apologize.

Looks like a phone call, instead of a letter, may be in order, too.

Apology Delivered: Lil Wayne Finally Apologizes To Emmett Till's Family

This took long enough. Lil Wayne has penned a letter of apology to Emmett Till's family over the use of the late 14-year-old's name in a vile lyric on his verse from Future's “Karate Chop (Remix).”

In said song, Weezy raps, “Beat the pu--y up like Emmett Till,” which angered the family and many aware of the significance of Till's death to the Civil Rights Movement.


Besides mentioning that he understands the pain the family feels since he is a father himself, the YMCMB rapper acknowledges Till's cultural significance in his letter. “I have tremendous respect for those who paved the way for the liberty and opportunities that African-Americans currently enjoy,” reads the letter. “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.”

Wayen's formal apology comes after the family vowed to pressure Mountain Dew to drop Tunechi as a spokesman. Till's family wrote an open letter to Wayne back in February shortly after the song was first heard. In his letter, the “No Worries” rapper also vows to never perform the song. Coincidentally, or not, Mountain Dew just announced a deal with Complex Media to launch a new website.

What have we learned here? Rappers only respond to something when it can effect their pockets (see: Rick Ross)