Cardi B apologises after posing as Maa Durga for Reebok shoot

Rapper Cardi B isn't new to controversies. The latest issue comes around the release of her debut sneaker collection with Reebok that is due on November 13.

According to the social media posts, the 28-year-old was paying homage to the Hindu goddess Durga, who is the symbol of strength and protection in a gorgeous red Georges Hobeika gown to promote her sneaker collection. Cardi captioned one image, “So excited for my sneaker drop this Friday, November 13th! Hope you guys love it! Cardi’s glamourous image for the magazine cover showed her with her hands (eight of them, like Goddess Durga) stretched around her in different positions, her long black hair tailing behind her.

The Instagram handle, Footwear News shared the image of Cardi, captioning it, “If Cardi’s rockin’ it, go buy stock in it. That’s a tip as FN’s November cover star Cardi B makes her first major foray into the shoe industry with the Nov. 13 debut of her Club C Cardi sneaker collection with Reebok.”

“In a Georges Hobeika 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.”

Soon after the post went viral, a certain section of the social media began to lash out at the WAP rapper. As per reports, Indians were extremely displeased by Cardi’s 'revealing homage' to the Goddess and in no time, Cardi began to trend on Twitter for upsetting the sentiments of believers. Cardi, however, decided to clear the air by posting a series of apology videos on Instagram.

She said, “A lot of my fans have been telling me that I’m getting dragged through social media…. And they say it’s because of my Reebok shoot and saying that I disrespected a Goddess…. 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 that I love and I’m all about, and though it was dope. But 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. 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.”