Rapper and singer Sexyy Red has issued an apology to Bernice King for posting an AI-generated photo featuring her and the latter’s father, Martin Luther King Jr. Red shared the image on social media on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The original post reportedly garnered over 50,000 likes. However, it also drew sharp reactions from many netizens, including Bernice.
Here are all the details of the photo shared by Red and her subsequent apology to King.
Sexyy Red’s apology to Bernice King explained
Sexyy Red, whose birth name is Janae Wherry, took to X(formerly Twitter) on January 20 and reposted an AI-generated image of herself and Martin Luther King Jr.
In the now-removed photo, the rapper and the celebrated leader were shown holding hands and looking at each other. Red also shared another image in which she had been photoshopped beside King Jr. in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, Bernice, quoted the post, and wrote, “This is intentionally distasteful, dishonoring, deplorable, and disrespectful to my family and my father, who is not here to respond himself because he was assassinated for working for your civil and human rights and to end war and poverty.” She also urged the “SkeeYee” rapper to delete the post.
Sexyy Red did just that and promptly posted an apology on X. She wrote, “You ain’t wrong, never meant to disrespect your family my apologies.” Red added that she had reposted something she saw thinking that it was “innocent.”
Eventually, in the comment section of the rapper’s apology post, Bernice King thanked the rapper. She further stated that she “sincerely” accepted the apology. King continued, “Please know that it was not my intention that you be denigrated. I value you as a human being.”
In the same post, King also offered details of what her concerns were about the image. She added, “I earnestly wish that people would imagine what it would feel like to see their deceased, murdered father repurposed for party fliers, unjust legislation, etc. All the best to you, young lady.”
Notably, Bernice King is the youngest child of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. She serves as the CEO of the not-for-profit organization, The King Center.
Originally reported by Tamal Kundu on ComingSoon.net.
