Skepta is facing backlash over the official artwork for his upcoming single, “Gas Me Up (Diligent).” The picture portrayed a group of men with shaved heads — one had the song’s title tattooed across his head.
Many people believed it referenced the Holocuast as they quickly drew comparisons between the image and the death of Jewish people in Nazi gas chambers during World War II. The British rapper took to Twitter to respond to all the criticism.
“I’ve been waiting to drop ‘Gas Me Up (Diligent)’ since teasing it April last year, [and I] worked hard getting the artwork right for my album rollout, which is about my parents coming to the U.K. in the ’80s, [skinheads], [and] football culture,” Skepta wrote. “It has been taken offensively by many and I can promise you that was definitely not our plan, so I have removed it, and I vow to be more mindful going forward.”
In a follow-up tweet a few moments later, he returned to Twitter to share a mood board to help his fans understand the vision for both his new single and his upcoming album, Knife and Fork. “I can honestly see how my single artwork without context can be deemed offensive, especially in a time like this but, again, that was not my intention. After some thought, I don’t feel like I could continue being the artist you all know and love if my art is policed. I have to quit if I can’t express my art as I see it,” the 41-year-old continued.
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