Kanye West and The Game slammed by PETA for posting image of skinned monkey

PETA has criticised Kanye West and The Game for using a picture of a skinned monkey to promote their track 'Eazy'.

The rappers uploaded the first photograph with the caption "My life was never easy" ahead of the launch of "Eazy" on Friday (January 14).

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Similar photos have since been posted by the pair to promote their track, with The Game even changing his profile picture to the skinned primate - Instagram has flagged some of this content and has removed it for being sensitive.

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.

"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.”

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In a Twitter caption the animal rights organisation wrote: “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.”

Ye originally hinted at the existence of 'Eazy' earlier last week, telling DJ Premier in a taped phone call – which designer Tracey Mills published on Instagram – that he wanted to release the song.

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Pusha T and producer Mike Dean also worked on this track.

The track appears to be a diss directed towards Pete Davidson; “God saved me from that crash… Just so I can beat Pete Davidson’s ass,” West raps on the track.

It's unclear whether 'Eazy' will appear on a future West and/or The Game album- earlier this month, it was claimed that West has begun work on the follow-up to his 2021 album, 'DONDA,' with the working title of 'DONDA 2'.

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The image is still available on Ye's Instagram account.

'Eazy' is out on all major streaming platforms now.

[Via: NME]

Aneesa Ahmed is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter