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Stormzy has criticised NME for putting him on its cover without permission for a story about depression.
This week’s front cover of the free music magazine sees a picture of the grime artist alongside the headline “Depression: It’s time to talk.”
Stormzy says he did not speak to NME – the quotes the magazine ran were from a different interview.
NME’s editor Mike Williams apologised and said: “Our intentions were only positive.”
In a expletive laden series of tweets, Stormzy branded NME “sly”, “foul”, “below the belt” and “paigons” – a slang term for traitors.
He tweeted: “[Depression] is a subject that isn’t the easiest thing to speak about. And I’ve been careful in how I’ve dealt with it in the media.
“After I spoke on it I realised how widespread the issue is which made me think ok kool maybe that was the right thing to do at first.
“@NME However using my face as a poster boy for it to sell your magazine is so foul and below the belt I will never respect you lot.”
“The reason I’m so angry is because NME have been begging me to be on their cover. I have refused. Then they do this,” Stormzy added.
“My issue is not about me speaking out about it. That is fine and I’m happy I’m able to help but [NME] have been very foul here.”
Stormzy has previously spoken to Channel 4 News about depression – an interview which the NME covered on its website at the time.
Responding to Stormzy’s tweets, editor Mike Williams said: “@Stormzy1 We were inspired by your words and wanted to use them as a springboard to talk about depression and how it shouldn’t be taboo.”
BBC