Singer/ rapper Cardi B landed in a soup after posing for a shoe magazine as a Hindu goddess recently. She was accused of cultural appropriation for featuring on the cover of Footwear News -- a shoe magazine – in a Goddess Durga avatar.
The cover page of the November issue of the magazine featured Cardi B posing as the 10-armed Goddess Durga, brandishing shoes instead of weapons. The post, which was eventually deleted from her Instagram page, was for the launch of her signature shoe collection 'Club C Cardi sneaker' in collaboration with Reebok.
Posting a video on Instagram, Cardi B said: “When I did the shoot, the creatives told me I was going to depict a Goddess who 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 am 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."
She added: “I was not 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 in future.”
Later, the shoe magazine also offered an explanation that read: “She (Cardi B) 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.”
However, it seems that the internet was not convinced with the half-baked clarifications that intended to cover up for a “racist” creative.
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