Stevie Wonder Comments on Lil Wayne's Controversial Emmett Till Line

Word is really getting around about Lil Wayne’s controversial lyric that referenced Emmett Till, the black teen who was murdered in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman. And, you can add Stevie Wonder to that list.

The Grammy-winning music legend and global icon has called out the YMCMB general for his brazen line, “Beat that p*ssy up like Emmett Till.”

“You can't equate that to Emmett Till," Wonder told the Associated Press. “You just cannot do that…I think you got to have someone around you that – even if they are the same age or older – is wiser to say, ‘Yo, that's not happening. Don't do that.’”

For Wonder, who fought for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday to become a national holiday, Till’s death still cuts deep. Many attribute his senseless killing by the hands of a racist group as the spark of the Civil Rights movement. And while Wonder added that he is still a fan of Wayne’s music, he hopes the fallout from the over-the-top punchline, which was featured on Future’s remix for “Karate Chop,” will help the 30-year-old MC to understand the enormity of such a statement.

“Sometimes people have to put themselves in the place of people who they are talking about,” Wonder continued. “Imagine if that happened to your mother, brother, daughter or your son. How would you feel? Have some discernment before we say certain things. That goes for me or any other (song)writer.”

Most recently, the family of Till condemned the song, demanding an apology from the lyricist. And while Wayne has yet to personally apologize for his derogatory rhyme, Future’s parent label Epic Records said that when the track is officially released the line will be taken out.—Keith Murphy (@murphdogg29)