PepsiCo breaks ties with rapper Lil Wayne

Washington: PepsiCo has severed ties with rapper Lil Wayne after he made a crude reference to civil rights martyr Emmett Till in a song.

Wayne, who is one of the biggest stars in pop music, had a deal to promote the company`s `Mountain Dew` soda, CBS News reported. The controversy erupted after the 30-year-old rapper referred to beating someone during a sexual act and said he wants to do as much damage as was done to Till. Black teen, Till, was visiting family in Mississippi in 1955 when he was killed, allegedly for whistling at a white woman. PepsiCo released a statement on Friday saying that: "offensive reference to a revered civil rights icon does not reflect the values of our brand." ANI