The Weeknd cuts ties with H&M over 'deeply offensive' ad

The Weeknd.
(Image credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

The Weeknd announced Monday he will no longer work with H&M, after the retailer released an ad showing a black boy wearing a hoodie that read "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle."

"Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo," the singer tweeted. "I'm deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore." In 2017, The Weeknd started collaborating with H&M on a clothing line, and he has appeared in ad campaigns.

In a statement, H&M apologized and said the hoodie is being taken off the market. "We understand that many people are upset about the image," the company told Pitchfork. "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."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.