Cardi B has no problem acknowledging her missteps!
The rapper took to social media this week to apologize for her controversial portrayal of a Hindu goddess in a recent Reebok photo shoot, which many critics found to be disrespectful — especially at a time when cultural appropriation should be on everyone’s radar, let alone a superstar’s.
The inciting image showed the Bodak Yellow hitmaker as the deity Durga for her cover shoot in Footwear News magazine. While those involved in the shoot claimed the pic was supposed to pay homage to Hindu culture, those who practice Hinduism weren’t buying it.
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Social media users fumed at the 28-year-old:
“Cardi b did not pay ‘homage’ to the Hindu goddess Durga by holding a shoe in her hand, this is plain disrespect and in no way cultural appreciation. she can’t getaway with this without addressing and apologizing for mocking our culture”
“People are saying Cardi B is paying homeage to our hindu goddess Durga. So as a Hindu I want to say that: 1-Wearing a shoe in a temple is prohibited 2-Durga maa is not to be used as an aesthetic 3-Durga maa is NEVER depicted bare bodied 4-THIS. IS. NOT. HOMAGE. IT’S. DISRESPECT.”
“I wanna dare cardi b to actually release THAT picture alongside Durga’s picture in india. and then face the reaction with a straight face”
Ugh, so frustrating! “Homage” literally means a special honor or tribute to something, and those who actually worship Durga felt the complete opposite in this case. This, Perezcious readers, is a perfect example of cultural appropriation under the guise of cultural appreciation!
For what it’s worth, though, Cardi appreciated the criticism enough to apologize for her participation in the shoot. Admitting that she didn’t do the proper research herself beforehand, she told followers:
“When I did the Reebok shoot, the creative [team] was telling me, ‘You’re gonna represent a goddess,’ that she represents strength, femininity and liberation. That’s something that I love and I’m all about and I thought it was dope… But if people, I’m offending their culture or their religion, I want to say I’m sorry; that was not my intent. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful, maybe I should’ve done my research and I’m sorry. I can’t change the past, but I’m gonna do more research for the future.”
Way to own up to it, gurl!
It’s great when celebs can hold themselves accountable and not just react when the criticism is unfair — which is something the Grammy winner had to do last month when a bats**t, racist meme went viral claiming Black and Latinx female rappers like herself deprecate the value of Hermés Birkin handbags.
In response to the social media post that cruelly purported the expensive bags (which typically range anywhere from $12,000 to $200,000) have “literally lost their value” because rappers of color are associated with them, Bardi bit back:
“Y’all don’t do this to these white celebrities. So why is it that y’all gotta be asking us? What the f**k? It just makes you want to brag like, ‘B***h do you know who the f**k you’re talking to?’ But no, I’m not even going to take it there… Actually, we add value because when we mention brands in hip-hop, s**t go up. When Bodak Yellow came out you could actually Google that their sales went up 1000+%. That s**t went up too and that’s why they worked with me this year. Like hip-hop, we start trends. When y’all say that we devalue s**t, no we actually add value.”
Amen!
We love that Cardi’s not afraid to speak up in any situation. The question is: will critics accept her apology? Share your take in the comments (below)!
[Image via Avalon/WENN]
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