Rapper Sexyy Red Apologizes For ‘Disrespectful’ AI Images Of Herself In A Revealing Dress With Martin Luther King Jr.

Bernice King, daughter of late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., spoke out against rapper Sexyy Red after AI-generated images featuring the rapper and MLK were posted on her social media account. The images have since been deleted. 

“This is intentionally dishonoring, deplorable, and disrespectful of 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,” King announced on her X account.

Sexyy Red posted another AI-generated image not long after the first image was posted. The image features her holding a stack of cash while attending the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Dr. King delivered his iconic “I Had a Dream” speech at the march in a historic moment. In the image caption, Red wrote, “Happy MLK Day!” 

The rapper had since deleted the images following Bernice King’s request. “You ain’t wrong. I never meant to disrespect your family. My apologies. I just [reposted] something I saw that I thought was innocent,” she responded. 

Bernice thanked Sexyy Red for the apology and showed that she did not hold a grudge against her. “I value you as a human being,” she wrote, adding that she was concerned over the image as her father had become a “caricature to the world” and that his image was often used without reference to his family, work or tragic death. 

“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.,” Bernice wrote.