International rapper Cardi B has landed herself into fresh trouble. The rapper excitedly took to her official social media account to promote her debut sneaker collection with a reputed sportswear brand but little did she know that the caption and image would enrage the sentiments of Indian fans.

Cardi B

What is the caption of Cardi B's post that irked Indians?

The 28-year-old rapper shared a picture of herself posing as Hindu Goddess 'Durga', in a bid to promote her latest collaboration.

According to the captions of the images, the 28-year-old rapper was paying homage to the Hindu goddess Durga. She is the symbol of strength and protection in a gorgeous red Georges Hobeika gown to promote her sneaker collection.

Cardi captioned the image as, "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 trailing behind her.

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If Cardi’s rockin’ it, go buy stock in it. That’s a tip as FN’s November cover star @iamcardib 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 @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.⁠ ⁠ At the link in bio, Cardi B gets candid with FN’s @nikarajohns about her future in the fashion industry, upcoming Reebok collab and her relentless need to win in the FN exclusive.⁠ ⁠ --⁠ Photography: @jorafrantzis; Style Director: @shannonadducci ; Styling: @kollincarter; Style assistant: @jennijenu; Tailor: @sirbabajagne; Makeup: @erika_lapearl_mua; Hair: @tokyostylez; Nails: @marienailz; Set Design: Brielle Hubert, Pete Hickok and Yalina Flores⁠

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The pictures, which were meant as a homage to Goddess Durga, show Cardi B as a warrior woman with eight hands while holding a bright red pair of sneakers in a gorgeous red dress. Cardi captioned another picture as, "So excited for my sneaker drop this Friday, November 13th! Hope you guys love it!

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With an insatiable hunger to win, @iamcardib is ready to make her debut into the shoe industry with the Nov. 13 launch of her Club C sneaker collection with @reebok. “I’m very hard on myself,” she said. “I’m hard on my entire team. We don’t focus on nobody else, we are just focusing on our last — the last music video, the last collaboration, we always compare it to our last best. We want to do better and better.” Read the entire cover story at the link in bio. — Photography: @jorafrantzis; Style Director: @shannonadducci ; Styling: @kollincarter; Style assistant: @jennijenu; Tailor: @sirbabajagne; Makeup: @erika_lapearl_mua; Hair: @tokyostylez; Nails: @marienailz; Set Design: Brielle Hubert, Pete Hickok and Yalina Flores⁠

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Netizens unhappy with the concept of the photoshoot and called out the rapper for hurting sentiments.

Indians were not impressed and took severe offence at this representation of Goddess Durga. Many criticised Cardi B for her bare-bodied homage to the Goddess, while others were displeased that she was holding a shoe in her hand.

One user wrote, "Cardi b did not pay "homage" to the Hindu goddess Durga by holding a shoe in her hand, this is direct disrespect and in no way cultural appreciation. she can't get away with this without addressing and apologising for mocking our culture."

Another wrote, "So some people are saying Cardi B is paying homage to our Hindu goddess Durga. As a Hindu, I want to say that, Durga maa is never depicted bare-bodied. Secondly, it is prohibited to wear shoes in a temple, and this woman is holding a shoe on her hand depicting goddess Durga?"

Here are some comments:

Cardi B faces backlash

Cardi B apologises

cardi B apologises

Soon after facing massive backlash, Cardi B posted an apology in her Instagram story for posing as Goddess Durga on the cover of a footwear magazine for its November 2020 issue. 

In the video, the rapper said, "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 I love, and I'm all about. And thought it was dope, 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."

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