Cardi B received backlash this week after she promoted a virtual fundraiser for Armenia. The post was shared amid Armenia's escalating conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. CBS News reports that over the past week, dozens of people have reportedly died and hundreds have been injured due to the clash. International leaders have since called for both sides to agree to a ceasefire.
Cardi's Instagram story for the fundraiser sparked the #cardibsupportsterrorism hashtag, with many accusing the Bronx rapper of taking sides in the dispute. Cardi addressed the backlash in an audio tweet, admitting she did not do her research before posting the flyer. Cardi explained that she and Offset had met with a consultant on Monday to discuss selling one of their properties. During that meeting, the consultant allegedly asked Cardi if she would be willing to share a post "for a good cause."
"And we said, 'Sure, why not?' We love to support everybody," Cardi said in the audio. "And then I wake up and I see a lot of people from Azerbaijan writing me things, writing me stuff, and I did not know that this is a war between two countries."
Cardi went on to say how much she enjoyed her time in Azerbaijan, saying its citizens treated her "like a princess." She then praised Armenia and Azerbaijan for their beauty and rich history, and said she just wishes both the countries would be at peace.
"My wish is, since I did a little bit of research today, because you guys left me so much comments, my wish is that both the countries would just be at peace," she said. "You guys already have big pieces of land. There's no tiny land that is worth chaos, death, fighting, especially in this year."
She continued: "This is such a bad year, there's a lot of sickness. I feel like god is trying to give us a message ... I hope just peace over there. I'm not picking sides, I love both the countries. I’m sorry that I offended anybody, that is not my style, I don't like that type of stuff ... we just really wish peace, and that's it."
Cardi also responded to a Twitter user who claimed she supported terrorism. The rapper, again, took responsibility for failing to do research before sharing the flying, but insisted she did not support any conflict in which innocent people are being harmed.
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan were formerly part of the Soviet Union. The collapse of the Soviet Union, however, resulted in new borders in the Caucasus area remaining in dispute. According to recent reports, the fighting that’s happening now is said to be the worst the area has seen since 1994. Some experts have even cautioned that the region could be on the brink of a war.
