Cardi B Said She "Should've Done Research" After She Was Accused Of "Mocking" Hindu Culture To Promote Her New Sneakers

    "Maybe I should've done my research and I'm sorry."

    Ben Henry
    by Ben Henry

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Cardi B has apologised after facing backlash for cultural appropriation and being accused of "mocking" Hindu culture in a recent photo shoot.

    Prince Williams / WireImage

    It all went down after the "Bodak Yellow" rapper unveiled her latest collaboration with Reebok in a cover interview for Footwear News.

    However, one of the images, which was apparently meant to depict the Hindu goddess Durga, sparked criticism across social media, with people accusing Cardi of "mocking" the culture and religion.

    Hana 🤍 @MissAmericHANA

    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

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    Others argued that it wasn't homage to Hindu culture and that it was instead just disrespectful.

    This user does not exist :) @wotermelonsugrx

    People are saying Cardi B is paying homeage 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.

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    ✨diviˣ⁷✨ @divyonce4

    why is it homage? why would cardi b out of nowhere, just randomly pay homage to a hindu goddess? she's not hindu, she wasn't styled by a hindu, she's never appreciated hindu culture before, and to add to all that, she's holding a fucking shoe while posing as a religious figure

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    Catching wind of the backlash from fans, Cardi quickly jumped on Instagram to apologise for the picture, admitting in a video that she should've done her research beforehand.

    "When I did the Reebok shoot, the creatives were telling me, ‘You're going to represent a goddess,' that she represents strength, femininity, and liberation," Cardi explained. "That's something that I love and that I'm all about and I thought that it was dope."

    "But if people think I'm offending [their] culture or their religion, I want to say I'm sorry," Cardi went on. "That was not my intent, I do not like disrespecting nobody's religion."

    Instagram: @iamcardib

    She added: "I wouldn't like people to offend my religion — when people dress as the Virgin Mary and Jesus, as long as [they're] doing it in a beautiful, graceful way and respectful way, I don't feel a certain type of way and I wasn't trying to be disrespectful."

    "Maybe I should've done my research and I'm sorry," Cardi finished her video. "I can't change the past, but I'm gonna do more research for the future."

    Natalia11 @Natalia11

    Cardi B. issued an apology for recent photo shoot.

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    But while doubling down on her apology in a following Instagram Live video, Cardi also called for people to stop insulting her while teaching her about where she'd gone wrong.

    Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/iamcardib/?hl=en / Via youtube.com

    "I do respect your opinion and I do respect your feelings, so I apologise for it," she said. "I do gotta do my research. I'm sorry, guys. I think people want us to know every word or every religion or everything, and sometimes we just don't know. But it's good to learn so I won't do it again."

    "But while ya teaching me a lesson, and while ya telling me what to do, don't disrespect me neither," she continued. "Don't call me a bitch. Don't call me a whore. Don't call me a slut. Don't go saying that I'm a terrible person."

    In response to the backlash, Footwear News changed the cover image of the interview, removing the original picture altogether and apologising for the "oversight".