Cardi B has issued an apology after a “Real Housewives” parody of her portraying the late icon Coretta Scott King drew criticism from the leader’s children.
On Tuesday, a clip dropped on TMZ of the “I Like It” rapper playing King in a clip called “The Real Housewives of the Civil Rights Movement.” The comedic skit features portrayals of Rosa Parks, Jesse Jackson’s late wife Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, and the late Betty Shabazz, who was married to Malcolm X. The women discuss supporting their husbands through the civil rights movement of the 1960s while throwing shady digs at one another.
(Rick Diamond/WireImage/TMZ)
“All these hussies wanna sleep with my husband!” Cardi’s King says in the clip of Martin Luther King Jr. “But it’s all right. ‘Cause I know he marches home to me.”
“Let me tell you something about Coretta,” Shabazz says. “Everybody done had a piece of Martin.”
The parody, which is part of a show called “Off the Rip,” makes references to Dr. King’s infidelities. It concludes with a white woman named Margaret saying, “I thought you guys were fighting for equal rights and, like, I’m pretty sure me f—ing Martin Luther King is a perfect example of that.”
The skit was swiftly condemned by the Kings’ children Bernice King and Martin Luther King III.
Bernice told TMZ the parody, which was released on the 55th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, was “repulsive” and “false.” Adding that the former reality star used the path paved by her parents atrociously, Bernice also said she wanted to have a personal talk with the rapper.
Her older brother, King III, also slammed the video.
“It’s a distraction and is beyond offensive today, on the anniversary of the March on Washington where my father delivered one of the greatest speeches. … [That] the focus would be on something so shallow and superficial, something made up … I would wonder why today, that would be the focus.”
“My mom didn’t talk like that,” he added. “So it’s all fictitious kind of garbage.”
By Wednesday afternoon, however, Cardi had reached out to apologize to Bernice, according to a tweet from the activist.
Thank you, @iamcardib, for reaching out to me and apologizing for the skit that aired on @TMZ. I look forward to talking with you soon.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) August 28, 2018
Meanwhile, Twitter users have been sounding off on the comedy bit.
“This is so disgusting and disrespectful. I can’t with this one….😢😨😞😡🤬.”
“Why is Cardi B participating in anything even remotely related to Coretta Scott King 🙄🙄.”
“That Cardi B skit where she plays Coretta Scott King, is disgusting. TMZ is trash.”
