Cardi B Defends Herself After Saying Her Met Gala Designer Was ‘Asian’ Instead of Using His Name

The "Bodak Yellow" rapper made some controversial comments on the red carpet.

Individual in a voluminous feathered outfit with a towering headpiece poses for photographers
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic
Individual in a voluminous feathered outfit with a towering headpiece poses for photographers

Cardi B found herself in hot water after she forgot the name of the designer behind her 2024 Met Gala dress.

On Monday, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper took to the event’s red carpet, outfitted in a black tulle gown that required seven people to carry its train. Emma Chamberlain stopped Bardi for a brief Vogue interview and asked about her designer. Cardi hesitated before answering, “They’re Asian and everything.”

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She was slammed for the comment, which many viewed as racist. According to Billboard, Vogue’s former managing director, Gilbert Cheah commented on Cardi’s misstep on Instagram.

“For the record and recognition, and no thanks to Cardi B, the designer of her gown is Sensen Lii who’s Chinese. The gown took two months to make. I personally think it’s boring and not even on theme but she chose it and should have at least remembered his name and not just that he’s ‘Asian,’” he wrote, alongside an eyeroll emoji.

Vogue Director Gilbert Cheah was greatly offended by Cardi B’s lack of knowledge about the designer of her Met Gala gown. He also called the rapper out for referencing the Chinese designer, Sensen Lii as an Asian:

“For the record and recognition, and no thanks to Cardii B, the… pic.twitter.com/VkAr7FFyvP

— Mílagro (@MobzWorld) May 8, 2024
Twitter: @MobzWorld

Cardi later responded on IG. She fired back at her critics and Cheah, saying she “had a lot of things” on her mind and she was “very scared” because she was pushed to the head of the line at the gala.

“I kind of forgot how to pronounce the designer’s name because his name is a little bit complicated,” she added. “My mind was just racing.”

Cardi B responds to former director of Vogue after he called her out for forgetting to name the designer and referring to him as “asian or whatever” pic.twitter.com/XI9QzyJJpm

— meyechel (@mxyxchel) May 8, 2024
Twitter: @mxyxchel

She explained that she didn’t intend to “be offensive.” She continued, “I feel like the designer and my stylist worked really hard for this theme, so for you to be kind of shady because she feel offended or whatever, it just proves why you’re the former director. You’re trying to offend me but you’re actually offending the people behind-the-scenes.”

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