Rapper Sexyy Red faced backlash from Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., for sharing an AI-generated image depicting herself holding hands with the late civil rights leader.
The post, made on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was deemed offensive by Bernice, 61, who called it “distasteful, dishonoring, deplorable, and disrespectful.”
The image sparked outrage, prompting Bernice to publicly request the 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is Janae Nierah Wherry, to remove it. “This dishonors my family and my father, who was assassinated while fighting for your civil and human rights,” Bernice wrote on Twitter. Sexyy Red subsequently deleted the post and issued an apology.
“You ain’t wrong, never meant to disrespect your family. My apologies. Just [reposted] something I saw that I thought was innocent,” the rapper wrote in response to Bernice’s concerns.
Bernice accepted the apology, replying, “Thank you for your apology, which I sincerely accept. Please know that it was not my intention that you be denigrated. I value you as a human being.”
In her posts, Bernice clarified that she held no personal animosity toward Sexyy Red but took issue with the misuse of her father’s image. She emphasized her concern over the trivialization of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, particularly on a day meant to honor his service and sacrifice.
“I hope you understand my concerns about the image,” Bernice added. “My father has become a bit of a caricature to the world, and his image is often used without regard to his family, his sacrificial work, or the unjust way he was assassinated—a state-sanctioned assassination.”
Bernice concluded by reiterating her broader critique of how her father’s legacy is sometimes misrepresented or misused, urging respect for his contributions to civil rights and social justice.
