The Weeknd has ended his partnership with H&M over an advertisement labeled by many as racially insensitive.The retailer sparked backlash after depicting a black child model in a sweatshirt that read “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle,” prompting the hip-hop artist to release a statement of his own condemning H&M’s choice.
“woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo,” The Weeknd tweeted. “i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore…”
In a statement obtained by E! News, H&M Media Relations apologized for the advertisement as well as the product: “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.”
woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. i’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hmanymore…
“It is obvious that our routines have not been followed properly,” H&M concluded. “This is without any doubt. We will thoroughly investigate why this happened to prevent this type of mistake from happening again.”As of now, the sweater is still available online but the photo of the model has been removed.
The Weeknd worked with H&M on two different collaborations, and his latest clothing collection was released last September. It’s currently unclear if and when the recording artist’s products will be removed from H&M stores.
Other celebrities that have commented on H&M’s advertisement include Questlove and Sean “Diddy” Combs.”I’m sure the apologies are a coming,” Questlove, who performs with The Roots, wrote on Instagram. “And the ads will be pulled. I’m certain there will Be media fixers and whatnot and maybe a grand gesture like a donation to some charity (donations under these circumstances are the corporate version #SomeOfMyBestFriendsAre move if there ever was one) all this tells me about @HM is that the seats in the boardroom lack something…wanna take a guess?”
Diddy shared a reimagined version of the sweater that read “Coolest King in the World,” adding, “Put some respect on it!! When you look at us make sure you see royalty and super natural God sent glory!! Anything else is disrespectful.”
Who else but hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss could “spill the tea” on their weekly show “If These Walls Could Talk” live from Pangea Restaurant on the Lower Eastside of NYC, with their unique style of honest, and emotional interviews, sharing the fascinating backstory of celebrities, entertainers, recording artists, writers and artists and bringing their audience along for a fantastic ride.
Alexis Hunter will be a featured guest on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on Wednesday, June 11th, 2025 at 2 PM ET live from the infamous Pangea Restaurant.
Wendy Stuart is an author, celebrity interviewer, model, actor, filmmaker and along with If These Walls Could Talk she hosts TriVersity Talk, a weekly web series with featured guests discussing their lives, activism and pressing issues in the LGBTQ Community.
Tym Moss is a popular NYC singer, actor, and radio/tv host who recently starred in the hit indie film “JUNK” to critical acclaim.
Joi Lansing may have been the last of Hollywood’s blonde bombshells, but she was also victim to its vile, indeed murderous system of control. With Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For, author Alexis Hunter, herself a victim of studio “indentured servitude” and Lansing’s partner and spouse during the starlet’s final years, offers the tell-all now available in a new, frank edition set for these post- #MeToo years, and just in time for the tenth anniversary of marriage equality. More so, the author is currently in talks with enthusiastic producers to cast this vital story as a film or mini-series.
Hunter, a quiet activist over decades for the rights of women and the LGBTQ community, was forced–like far too many–to endure a hidden life during her years with the noted sex symbol. “I had to pose as her little sister”, Hunter explained, “and was given the name Rachel Lansing” to explain their shared life. It is rare that such a romance can exist amidst the seductive yet destructive climate of Hollywood. Indeed, the pair forged a lasting relationship cut brutally short by the encroaching cancer Joi developed following years of breast- and buttocks- enhancement injections by a rabidly profit-mad industry. Told with a still palpable love by the author, the book places the reader into the heart of a relationship that couldn’t have known it was destined for such a meager shelf life. Joi Lansing, actress and vocalist, was the tragic biproduct of male-led business thriving on the distorted body imagery of women, particularly in the time of #BeverlyKills, which we apparently are not as far removed from as we’d thought. The book is a must-read as our society re-evaluates whether or not we’ve done all we can to assure this tragedy doesn’t happen again. As Hunter states in this unfortunately timeless tale, “Joi died for beauty”.
Watch Alexis Hunter on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on YouTube here:
