G-Eazy has announced he will no longer be working with H&M, just months ahead of his collaboration launch.
The singer chose to distance himself from the fashion brand following controversy around a recent campaign, in which a black boy was pictured wearing a hoodie with the slogan “coolest monkey in the jungle”.
G-Eazy took to Twitter to say he finds it “truly sad and disturbing that in 2018 something so racially and culturally insensitive could pass by the eyes of so many”.
The collaboration between G-Eazy and H&M was meant to launch this spring.
The American musician had previously expressed his excitement in an interview with H&M, saying that he sees style as “another way to express yourself.”
G-Eazy went on to say style was always “important to me my whole life, long before I could afford to dress how I would like to.”
But the singer has now stated he no longer wants to be associated with a brand that could do with being “racially and culturally aware, as well as more diverse at every level.”
The Weeknd previously made the announcement of his withdrawal from working with the brand
A H&M Spokesperson to HuffPost UK: “We completely understand and agree with their reaction to the image. We have got this wrong and we are deeply sorry.
We strongly believe that racism and bias in any shape or form, deliberate or accidental, are simply unacceptable. We completely understand the criticism and we agree with it.
We have taken down the image and we have removed the garment from sale. We are now investigating internally to avoid this happening again. We will continue the discussion with G-Eazy and the Weeknd separately.
We have had a good collaboration with the Weeknd for two collections during 2017, but have no current plans for a new collaboration.”
H&M previously released a statement of apology, which they shared with their followers on Twitter.