The said photo which apparently and according to the caption of the post was meant to be a homage to Goddess Durga, shows Cardi B posing as a warrior woman with eight hands while holding a bright red pair of sneakers.
Rapper Cardi B and controversies go hand-in-hand. But little did the songstress know that her promotional campaign for her debut sneaker collection with Reebok would backfire and how.
It all started when the 28-year-old star posed as Hindu Goddess Maa Durga in a leading shoe magazine's cover photo that she had shot in a bid to promote her new shoe collection. The picture which was shared on the publication's Instagram handle soon went viral and raged Indians and other social media users, who called out the magazine and Cardi B for 'cultural appropriation.
The said photo which apparently and according to the caption of the post was meant to be a homage to Goddess Durga, shows Cardi B posing as a warrior woman with eight hands while holding a bright red pair of sneakers.
"In a @GeorgesHobeika dress, she pays homage to Durga, the Hindu goddess, whose symbols of protection and inner strength resonate as much in modern times as they have through the centuries. Like Durga, Cardi B is a dominant female voice at a critical time.," read a part of the caption.
However, the photo where the rapper is seen in a revealing outfit did not go down well with netizens and she received severe backlash for engaging in a shoot like this.
“People are saying Cardi B is paying homage 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,” wrote a Twitter user.
"This is mocking other people's religion. Shame on you" wrote a user on Instagram.
Consequently, after receiving massive flak, Cardi B took to her Instagram stories to apologise for hurting religious sentiments. She also mentioned that didn't intend to do so and would be more 'cautious' next time onwards.
Meanwhile, to support the launch of her new collaboration with Reebok, Cardi B will be headlining an all-new campaign with Reebok titled "B Unexplainable", celebrating her personal growth, passion for design, and equality. Through "B Unexplainable", Cardi B and Reebok aim to explore society's expectations of women: how they are told to be perfect but humble, strong but caring.
In other news, Cardi B grabbed headlines early in October after she accidentally posted a topless picture of herself on her verified Instagram account. The photo was removed after some time but it remained long enough for people to take notice and grab headlines.
A day after the picture got posted, Cardi B also addressed the issue and wrote that it was accidental and that she posted the photo by mistake.
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