She may be the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul, but Mary J. Blige‘s ill-advised Burger King commercial has garnered everything but a royal reception.
Indeed, so negative has the response been to the ad – which sees Blige profess her love for friend chicken – that it has been pulled by the big BK.
And we can’t say we disagree.
For, while the likes of Selena Gomez, David Beckham, and Jay Leno have signed on for the campaign (which plugs the fast food outlet’s new chicken wrap), they don’t have the same socio-historical stereotypes attached their participation as Blige does. Beyond any such politics, Blige – as much as we love her – doesn’t even strike as any kind of “fit” for such campaign anyway.
Put simply, this is the sort of commercial a Rihanna or a Katy Perry can add their name to – and that’s not to knock either. They simply embody more of that “tongue-in-cheek” so lacking here.
I mean, in the way we’d never expect Beyonce to attach her brand to this, we wouldn’t expect from Blige (regardless of the $2 million cheque she was coaxed to sign on for).
In any case see what all the fuss is about below and let us know what you think!
Should the commercial have been axed?
7 COMMENTS
Kay
April 4, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Pahahahahahahaha
BEEyonced
April 4, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Ugh. No.
@dirtypeaches
April 4, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Its honestly not that bad. She sang the hell out of it and that’s what they signed her to do. It had a comical effect that worked and MJB looked great. People need to stop disrespecting royalty.
Ste Wedge
April 5, 2012 at 11:14 am
How on earth is the racist?? I think the word racist must mean something completely different in my world see i thought it meant insulting someone for their background and original race??? Not some chick dancing eating Chicken wtf people
Whitney RIP
April 5, 2012 at 11:27 am
This is NOT racist !
Go Mary get that money while they hate
MISHKA
April 8, 2012 at 11:41 pm
I think the issue is more related to her as a living legend, singing for HER LIFE about some chicken wrap.
The song is easy and catchy but seeing the Queen of Hip Hop Soul jumping out of nowhere and doing her ‘Mary’ in a BK is somewhat embarrasing…but just for her not for Black People.
Black folks do love chickenn they also love complaining, we got the proof with this commercial and the backlash it ensues. Nothing new, NEXT.
Burger King should use the song but replace all the shots where MJB appears. Case closed.
“Tasty…Flour…TORTILLA!” LOL
Renee
April 13, 2012 at 7:56 pm
There have been many celebrities that have done things. NO ONE said anything about Michael Jackson singing and dancing for Pepsi. This is not racist, and I love this commercial. Singing is singing, and she is expressing her talent, still. Those that think that she shouldn’t have done the commercial are haters.
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