International rap se-nsation Cardi B posted an apology in an Instagram story for posing as Goddess Durga on the cover of a footwear magazine for its November 2020 issue. The cover features Cardi B with 10 hands, but instead of w*apons, she is seen holding a shoe.
In the video, the rapper said, “When I did the sho-ot, 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 offe-nding their culture or their religion I want to say that was not my intent. I do not like offe-nding anyone’s religion; I wouldn’t like it if someone did it to my religion.”
She added, “When people dress as V!rgin Mary and Jesus, as long as they do it in a beautiful, graceful way…. But I wasn’t trying to be d!srespectful; 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 is seen wearing an off-shoulder red Georges Hobeika dress for the cover photo. The magazine, Footwear News, explained Cardi B’s pose and wrote on Instagram, “…she pays hom-age to Durga, the Hindu goddess, whose symbols of protection and inner strength res-onate as much in modern times as they have through the centuries. Like Durga, Cardi B is a dom!nant female voice at a cr!tical time.”
Netizens, however, were unhappy with the concept of the photoshoot and called out the rapper for hu-rting sentiments. One Twitter user wrote, “Cardi B did not pay ‘hom-age’ to the Hindu goddess Durga by holding a shoe in her hand, this is plain d!srespect and in no way cultural appreciation. She can’t get away with this without addressing and apologizing for mo*king our culture.”
Another said, “Apparently this is Cardi B paying ‘hom-age’ to the Hindu goddess Durga…This is straight-up rac!st.”“Coward Cardi B has deactivated her account. Otherwise, we could have taught Cardi B in how many ways she is different from goddess Durga (including she is a human),” wrote yet another user. With the magazine cover, the WAP star has made her first major for-ay into the shoe industry and debuted her Club C Cardi sneaker collection with Reebok. Here are some of her other looks featured in the magazine.
This Article First Published On INDIANEXPRESS