By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Nov. 12, 2020: Caribbean-roots rapper, Cardi B, was today forced to apologize after Hindus on Twitter began slamming her over the appropriation of the Hindu Goddess Durga in a shoe promotion.
Cardi B disguised himself as the Hindu Goddess with a photo on the cover of a prestigious shoe magazine taken to promote her new sneaker collection with Reebok.
The photos shared on the publication’s Instagram handle quickly spread on social media, infuriating Indians and other social media users who slammed the rapper and the magazine or cultural appropriation.
“In the dress of @GeorgesHobeika, she pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga. The symbol of Durga’s protection and inner strength has resonated for centuries today. Like Durga, Cardi B is the dominant voice of critical women. Time,” read part of the caption that triggered the criticism.
“God when will celebrities realize that my religion is not their aesthetic,” wrote Twitter user @yourlocalbicc. “Stop being racist towards Asians, it’s not that f…ing hard, oh my god.”
“She’s so disrespectful for this no excuse,” wrote @Lolamon88882024 as @MissAmericHAN added: “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.”
After apologizing on her Instagram Story, Cardi B went live to further apologize to Hindus.
“I cannot tell people what not to take offensive, I do respect your feelings, so I apologize for it,” she said. “It’s good to learn, I’m glad you guys gave me a lesson, and I won’t do it again… i’m sorry, I don’t mean to offend nobody.”
Cardi has roots in both the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago.
Durga is identified as the principal Hindu goddess of war, strength and protection. Durga is also a fierce form of the protective mother goddess, who unleashes her divine wrath against the wicked for the liberation of the oppressed, and entails destruction to empower creation.
