The Weeknd says he’s no longer working with H&M after offensive photo

The brand posted an image of a black boy wearing a sweatshirt that reads “Coolest Monkey In The Jungle” on their website.

January 08, 2018

The Weeknd says he's cutting ties with H&M over an offensive photo posted on the brand's website that features a black boy wearing a sweatshirt reading, “Coolest Monkey In The Jungle.”

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“Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo," The Weeknd wrote on Twitter along with the offending photo. "I’m deeply offended and will not be working with H&M anymore.” The Toronto singer began working with H&M in February 2017, launching a collaborative collection and video. He recently released an XO-themed menswear collection with H&M in September.

Following backlash from The Weeknd, Questlove, and others on social media, H&M issued a statement:

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We understand that many people are upset about the image. We, who work at H&M, can only agree. We are deeply sorry that the picture was taken, and we also regret the actual print. Therefore, we have not only removed the image from our channels, but also the garment from our product offering globally. It is obvious that our routines have not been followed properly. This is without any doubt. We will thoroughly investigate why this happened to prevent this type of mistake from happening again

Representatives for The Weeknd and H&M were not immediately available for comment.

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Thumbnail image: Suzanne Cordero / AFP / Getty Images.

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The Weeknd says he’s no longer working with H&M after offensive photo