Grime artist Skepta has issued an apology after backlash over the artwork for his upcoming single ‘Gas Me Up (Diligent)’ which was uploaded onto social media on January 9. The artwork, which featured a group of shaved-headed people in matching shirts, included the track name tattooed on the back of one person’s head, leading some social media users to draw comparisons to photos of Jewish prisoners from concentration camps taken during World War II. In response to the criticism, Skepta deleted the post and issued a statement on Twitter on January 10 explaining that the inspiration behind the image was ’80s skinhead football culture’, adding that he would be ‘more mindful going forward’.
The statement continued on Twitter: “I’ve been waiting to drop Gas Me Up (Diligent) since teasing it April last year, worked hard getting the artwork right for my album rollout which is about my parents coming to the UK in the ’80s, Skinhead, Football culture and 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 – Skepta.”
Subsequently, Skepta uploaded another statement on Twitter sharing a screenshot from the mood board behind the album artwork. The end of the statement said, “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. But 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. So to help with context here are some pictures from our mood board for the 1980’s UK story for my album ‘Knife & Fork’”.
The release date for Skepta’s album ‘Knife And Fork’ has yet to be confirmed, but his single ‘Gas Me Up (Diligent)’ is still scheduled to be released on January 26th
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