Sexyy Red is no stranger to controversy, and she doesn’t shy away from it either. The rapper has built her brand on bold and attention-grabbing decisions, but on January 20, she may have taken things too far. In what she intended as a tribute for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Sexyy Red shared an AI-generated image of herself and Dr. King in a nightclub. The post, however, did not sit well with fans—or with Dr. King’s family. His youngest daughter, Dr. Bernice King, publicly condemned the post.

As a lawyer and an advocate for civil rights, Dr. Bernice King has dedicated her life to preserving her father’s legacy and advancing the causes he championed. She did not take kindly to Sexyy Red’s use of Dr. King’s image in a meme. In response, King called out the rapper’s actions, stating: “This is intentionally distasteful, dishonoring, deplorable, and disrespectful—to my family and my father.” She also reminded followers that her father, who sacrificed his life fighting for civil and human rights, could not defend himself from such misrepresentations.

“[He] is not here to respond himself,” King continued. “Because he was assassinated for working for your civil and human rights and to end war and poverty.” She concluded her message by urging Sexyy Red to remove the AI-generated image. The rapper complied, deleting the post, but left another controversial tribute up—an edited photo placing herself in the iconic 1963 March on Washington image, where she appears in modern clothing and holding a stack of cash.

Sexyy Red’s political stance has also sparked debates throughout her rise to fame. During a podcast interview with Theo Von, she expressed support for Donald Trump, claiming, “I like Trump. Yeah, they support him in the hood. We need him back in office. We need him back because, baby, them checks.” Her comments drew significant backlash, but when the 2024 election arrived, she stated that she actually voted for Kamala Harris.

Following the backlash over the MLK Day post, Sexyy Red 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 🙏🏾,” she wrote.

Bernice King repaid the apology by accepting it and stating, “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.

I hope you understand my concerns about the image. I know that my father has become a bit of a caricature to the world and that his image is often used with no regard to his family, his sacrificial work, or to the tragic, unjust way in which he died (a state-sanctioned assassination).

Unfortunately, I regularly challenge the disregard.

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.”

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.

I hope you understand my concerns about the image. I know that my father has become a bit of a caricature to the world and that…

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 22, 2025