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Key Points

Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis is facing severe criticism for her portrayal of Goddess Kali in her song 'True Blue.' Social media users accuse her of cultural appropriation and disrespecting Hindu religious sentiments. Many have demanded she take down the video and educate herself on the deity's significance. The backlash highlights ongoing tensions around artistic expression versus religious sensitivity.

Key Points: Tommy Genesis Sparks Outrage Over Goddess Kali Depiction in True Blue

  • Tommy Genesis painted blue with gold jewelry in 'True Blue'
  • Netizens accuse her of disrespecting Hindu deity Kali
  • Critics demand song removal over cultural appropriation
  • Hindu followers call it religious mockery
2 min read

Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis faces backlash for her look in 'True Blue', netizens call out Culture appropriation

Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis faces backlash for portraying Goddess Kali in her 'True Blue' video, accused of cultural appropriation by netizens.

"Depicting yourself as Goddess Kali... is not artistic expression, it's straight-up cultural and religious mockery. – Social Media User"

Mumbai, June 22

Canadian rapper and model Tommy Genesis is facing backlash over social media for her look in the latest song 'True Blue'.

Taking it to her Instagram, Genesis shared a post in which she is seen painted blue, adorned in gold jewellery, and wearing a red bindi on her forehead. The rapper is under fire for "depicting" herself as "Goddess Kali" as she bears a striking resemblance with the diety.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLIP1PkxGwW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Netizens reacted to the post and criticised her. Many of them asked her to "delete the song" .

One of the social media user wrote, "Delete your new song dont play with hindu religion"

The rapper was called out on social media for disrespecting the sentiments of the Hindu religion.

Another user wrote, "This is beyond disrespectful. Depicting yourself as Goddess Kali--one of the most powerful and sacred deities in Hinduism--and then using that image for vulgar, sexualized moves is not artistic expression, it's straight-up cultural and religious mockery. You may not realize the depth of what you're doing, but for millions of people, Kali is a symbol of fierce protection, divine feminine power, and spiritual strength--not your costume for shock value....Take accountability. Take this down. And educate yourself before turning someone's belief system into your aesthetic gimmick."

Another commented, "This is not art "

"This creator must be canceled.... , stop using our religion for your cheap publicity. Take art classes , do something creative," another user wrote on Instagram.

"This is not funny, this is called culture appropriation," another commented.

Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj, known by her stage name Tommy Genesis, is a Canadian rapper and model. Her debut album titled Tommy Genesis was released in November 2018. Her second album Goldilocks X was released in September 2021.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
As an artist, she should understand the difference between inspiration and appropriation. Using sacred Hindu imagery for shock value is disrespectful. Our deities aren't costumes! 😔
R
Rahul S.
While I don't support cancel culture, this is clearly crossing the line. Imagine if someone did this with Christian or Islamic religious figures - the outrage would be global. Double standards much?
A
Ananya M.
Maa Kali represents shakti and divine power, not some rapper's edgy aesthetic. This is exactly why we need better cultural education in the West. So disappointing! 🙏
V
Vikram J.
The problem isn't using Indian elements - Bollywood does fusion all the time. But there's a fine line between appreciation and mockery. The sexualized context makes this clearly the latter.
S
Shreya P.
I'm all for creative freedom, but not at the cost of hurting religious sentiments. Maybe she should collaborate with Indian artists next time to understand the cultural significance properly.
K
Karan D.
While the outrage is justified, we Indians also need to be consistent. We can't get angry at this but stay silent when our own filmmakers sexualize goddesses in item songs. Hypocrisy cuts both ways.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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