PepsiCo ending ties with Lil Wayne following controversial lyrics

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FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2013 file photo, recording artist Lil Wayne meets fans and celebrates his contemporary street wear apparel brand TRUKFIT at his hometown Macy\'s, in New Orleans. A letter from Lil Wayne to the offended family of Emmett Till did not go far enough and relatives of the late civil rights icon are seeking a meeting with the rapper and representatives from PepsiCo to discuss their commercial partnership. The New Orleans rapper made the brief offensive reference to Till on Future\'s song "Karate Chop" earlier this year. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK, N.Y. – PepsiCo says it cutting 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.

The controversy erupted after Wayne referred to beating someone during a sexual act and said he wants to do as much damage as was done to Till.

The black teen was visiting family in Mississippi in 1955 when he was killed, allegedly for whistling at a white woman.

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

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