Skepta has apologised and taken down the artwork for his new single Gas Me Up (Diligent), following allegations that it referenced the Holocaust.
The image showed a group of men with shaved heads. One had the words “Gas Me Up” tattooed across his head.
People quickly drew parallels between the photograph and the deaths of Jewish people in Nazi gas chambers during World War Two.
Skepta later apologised and acknowledged the potential for offence.
“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 80’s, skinhead, football culture and it has been taken offensively by many,” the rapper wrote on social media.
“I can honestly see how my single artwork without context can be deemed offensive, especially in a time like this,” he continued, adding: “I vow to be more mindful going forward.”
The Mercury Prize-winning musician later shared the “mood board” for his album on X (formerly Twitter).
The collage included 1980s images of football hooligans, skinheads and prison canteens, as well as the logo for 2 Tone Records – whose multi-racial acts, including the Specials and the Selecter, made a point of standing up to bigotry.
Skepta said he’d decided to post the imagery after further reflection on the backlash surrounding Gas Me Up, whose title is slang for hyping someone up or praising them.
Credit: bbc.com
