Rapper Lil' Zane has backed out of appearing in a commercial for the Tommy Hilfiger fashion line, honoring the current Screen Actors Guild strike against shooting TV or radio advertisements.

The spot featuring Zane was part of a planned $4 million ad campaign for Hilfiger, and despite withdrawing from the shooting, the rapper says he hopes to continue working with the company if and when the strike is settled.

"I was flattered that Tommy Hilfiger, one of the biggest clothing companies in the world, would want me to participate and be part of their commercial," Zane said in a statement.

On April 19, the Joint Board of Directors for the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) voted to "withhold performing services and auditioning for English and Spanish language television commercial (on film or tape) and recorded radio commercials."

The strike, which arose because of a pay dispute between the union and several advertisers and advertising agencies, began on May 1.

Despite the free publicity the Hilfiger spot would bring, Zane is being particularly mindful of the S.A.G. strike because of his plans for a possible film career.

The 17-year-old Atlanta native has just completed work on the upcoming flick, "Finding Forrester," which also features Sean Connery and Busta Rhymes (see "Lil' Zane Works On Sean Connery Film, Debut Album").

Lil' Zane's debut album, "Young World: The Future," is due out on August 22, and he has already released a video for "Callin' Me," the first single from the record, which features an appearance by the R&B outfit 112.