David Bridges
Roommates, it appears that Sexyy Red has stirred controversy with the King family following her recent social media activity. On Monday, January 20, the rapper shared an AI-generated image depicting Martin Luther King Jr. on her social media to commemorate his holiday. However, Bernice King, the daughter of the civil rights leader, clearly expressed her discontent with Sexyy’s choice of visual representation!
Not only did she publicly address the issue on social media on January 21, but the esteemed activist also urged the rapper to remove the unauthorized AI-generated image from her profile. This act sparked further dialogue about the respectful representation of historical figures in contemporary media.
“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. Please delete,” Bernice King wrote on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the sensitivity surrounding her father’s legacy.
The contentious image shared by Sexyy Red was a product of artificial intelligence, showcasing a fabricated moment where Martin Luther King Jr. was shown holding hands with Sexyy as they exchanged gazes. As of Tuesday evening, it remains uncertain whether the post included a caption, as it appears that the rapper has since removed the image from her X account. Swipe below to see the picture.
This incident wasn’t an isolated one; Sexyy Red also shared another AI-generated image showing her standing alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at a fictitious protest. In this post, she cheerfully captioned it with, “Happy MLK Day!!” This particular post remains visible on her X profile, inviting further discussion about the appropriateness of such representations.
Happy MLK Day!! pic.twitter.com/YccjA6sYDX
— Sexyy Red (@SexyyRed314_) January 20, 2025
Bernice King Addresses Misinterpretations of Her Response to Sexyy Red
Shortly after her initial remarks, Bernice King took to social media once more, aiming to clarify her statement in light of the backlash she received from various online users. She emphasized that her critique was not a personal attack against the rapper but rather a reflection of her discomfort with the use of AI-generated images of her father, which she finds perplexing and concerning.
“Please don’t project your thoughts onto me. I don’t believe Sexyy Red to be a ‘degenerate,’ ‘ghetto,’ or ‘trash.’ I have spoken out in the past about the use of and comparison to either of my parents to denigrate other people. I just don’t understand this type of use of my father’s image (on #MLKDay, no less) in a way that does not convey what we know to be true about his service and sacrifice. Even if you disagree with him or with his tactics or even believe things said about him by people who hated him, why do this?” she articulated, shedding light on the complexities surrounding her father’s legacy and the responsible use of his image in modern media.
Please don’t project your thoughts onto me. I don’t believe Sexyy Red to be a “degenerate,” “ghetto,” or “trash.” I have spoken out in the past about the use of and comparison to either of my parents to denigrate other people.
I just don’t understand this type of use of my…
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 21, 2025
In spite of Sexyy Red’s apparent compliance with Bernice King’s request to remove the controversial photo, the rapper has not publicly addressed the call-out. She has continued her usual activity on X and other social media platforms, recently even responding to a unique request from Bruno Mars, showcasing her ongoing presence in the entertainment scene.
RELATED: Martin Luther King III & Bernice King Share Their Thoughts in Response to Donald Trump’s Inauguration (VIDEO)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Maya Kensington
Sophie Langley
