People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has slammed Kanye West and The Game for using a photo of a skinned monkey as the cover art for their new single ‘Eazy’.
The rappers shared the image ahead of the release of ‘Eazy’ on Friday alongside the caption: “My life was never easy”.
Speaking to Billboard, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said: “The photo is reminiscent of the monkeys PETA has found, sometimes heads, sometimes hands, sometimes the whole body, in meat markets around the world and it makes it clear that when you remove the fur you can’t miss that there’s a person in there, that they are fellow primates, and do not belong to us to abuse for any purpose – not in laboratories, roadside zoos, movies, or meat markets.”
The pic has been flagged on Instagram as “sensitive content” and fans have noted the disturbing nature of the cover art.
Taking to Twitter, PETA added: “The disturbing image of a skinned monkey that Kanye West shared serves as a reminder that there’s no real difference between humans & other animals. Their lives aren’t easy when we abuse & kill them for food, experiments, clothing, or entertainment.”
The disturbing image of a skinned monkey that @kanyewest shared serves as a reminder that there’s no real difference between humans & other animals.
Their lives aren’t easy when we abuse & kill them for food, experiments, clothing, or entertainment. #EndSpeciesism pic.twitter.com/ApA8McboJy
— PETA (@peta) January 14, 2022
The song made headlines upon its release over a scathing lyric in which Kanye West threatens to beat comedian Pete Davidson, the new boyfriend of his ex missus, Kim Kardashian.
“God saved me from that crash / just so I can beat Pete Davidson’s arse,” he raps.
The lyric references how West was involved in a nearly fatal car accident in 2002.
