Indian-origin rapper Tommy Genesis has come under fire after portraying what many saw as a depiction of theHindu goddess Kali in her latest music video. In the video for her explicit track True Blue, the Canadian artist (real name Yasmine Mohanraj) is seen wearing a golden bikini, with her body painted blue.
The portrayal triggered outrage on social media, with many users accusing the rapper of disrespecting religious sentiments by using sacred imagery in a provocative context.
Who is Tommy Genesis?
Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Tommy Genesis comes from a mixed ethnic background. Her father is a Tamil-Malayali Christian from South India, while her mother is of Swedish descent. She was raised in a Christian household but has publicly embraced her South Asian roots.
Mohanraj studied at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, where she earned a degree in film and sculpture. It was during her student years in the early 2010s that she began making music.
She released her debut mixtape World Vision in 2013 after signing with Awful Records, followed by her self-titled debut album Tommy Genesis in 2018. One of her breakout singles, 100 Bad, was remixed by pop star Charli XCX.
Over the years, she has collaborated with prominent artists including Lana Del Rey and Charli XCX, and was featured in Calvin Klein’s Fall 2016 campaign. She also teamed up with fellow Tamil-origin artist M.I.A. at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Backlash over music video
{{/usCountry}}Over the years, she has collaborated with prominent artists including Lana Del Rey and Charli XCX, and was featured in Calvin Klein’s Fall 2016 campaign. She also teamed up with fellow Tamil-origin artist M.I.A. at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Backlash over music video
{{/usCountry}}The rapper was criticised for her portrayal of Hindu and Christian symbols in the music video and received widespread backlash.However, she defended her music video, dismissing the negative feedback
“If you like it, you like it, and if you don’t, you don’t. We don’t care. It’s not for you. It could be not for you for a lot of reasons—where you are in your life or your beliefs," she told Office Magazine.