Who is Tommy Genesis? Controversial rapper dressed as Goddess Kali
What's the story
Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis, whose real name is Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj, has come under fire for her latest music video, True Blue. The video features her dressed as Hindu goddess Kali, a portrayal that has been widely criticized for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Born in Vancouver to parents of Malayali-Tamil and Swedish descent, Genesis's music often explores provocative themes related to sex and gender.
Career beginnings
Genesis studied film and sculpture
Genesis graduated from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, where she studied film and sculpture before starting her music career. She began making music in the early 2010s and recorded rap for a project called G3NESIS in 2013. Later, she signed with Awful Records and released her debut mixtape World Vision.
Professional associations
Collaborations with artists like MIA and Calvin Klein campaign
Genesis has worked with several well-known artists, including Charli XCX, Austin Millz, and Nessa Barrett. She also ventured into modeling and was featured in Calvin Klein's Fall 2016 campaign alongside other musical artists. Additionally, she worked with rapper MIA at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Video backlash
Controversial music video and defense of choices
The True Blue music video features Genesis as Goddess Kali, sparking outrage for disrespecting Hindu and Christian faiths. In an interview with Office Magazine, she defended her choices, saying, "If you like it, you like it, and if you don't, you don't. We don't care." Indian rapper Raftaar also slammed Genesis for the controversial video on Instagram, calling it a "mockery" of his religion. He then shared a screenshot of him reporting her YouTube video.