Cardi B Apologizes For Controversial Magazine Cover Following Backlash

Rapper Cardi B has apologized for posing as the goddess Durga while promoting her debut sneaker line for Reebok, saying she doesn’t like to offend anyone’s religion.

Her apology comes almost a day after the “WAP” hitmaker posed as the Hindu deity on the cover of Footwear News for its November issue. On the cover, the rap star has 10 hands and is carrying a shoe to promote her collaboration with Reebok.

The cover image, which was posted on Instagram, led to social media outrage. Netizens slammed the rapper for “cultural appropriation,” and said the photo shows disrespect for the Hindu religion.

The “I Like It” hitmaker also uploaded a video on Instagram, in which she said that hurting other people’s religion was never her intention.

“When I did the shoot, the creatives told me I was going to represent a goddess; that she represents strength, femininity and liberation, and that’s something I love and I’m all about. And though it was dope, if people think I’m offending their culture or their religion I want to say that was not my intent. I do not like offending anyone’s religion; I wouldn’t like it if someone did it to my religion ,” the rapper said in the clip.

The rap star admitted she should have done a little bit of “research” on the matter before the shoot.

“When people dress as Virgin Mary and Jesus, as long as they do it in a beautiful, graceful way. But I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful; maybe I should have done my research. I’m sorry, I can’t change the past but I will do more research for the future,” Cardi B added.

But there are some tough critics on social media, and many users called out the rapper for disrespecting the religion.

“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 get away with this without addressing and apologizing for mocking our culture,” one user wrote.

“Another day, another celebrity mocking out culture, what’s new? Cardi B, this isn’t 'homage,' this is downright disrespectful. Learn the difference,” another user wrote.

Footwear News has since deleted the controversial mag cover from its official Instagram page.