Cardi B found herself at the center of another online debate on Wednesday (Sept. 4) after describing herself as “light skin.”
The Grammy-winning entertainer faced criticism, with one Twitter user questioning her use of the term. “Who [the f**k] told Cardi B she’s light skin? That term is used for lighter-complexioned Black folks, but now everyone is claiming it,” the tweet read.
In response, Cardi defended her description, highlighting the diversity in skin tones within the Dominican community. She replied, “Dominicans are so diverse when it comes to skin color: dark, brown, tan, light, and white. So what am I supposed to say when I’m describing my complexion? I’m Dominican skin?”
The exchange didn’t stop there. Another user suggested, “Y’all need to come up with your own terms,” sparking an even stronger reaction from Cardi B. In a now-deleted tweet, she shot back, “What you’re saying is automatically invalid. The fact that you use whites… White is a color and a race. Dominicans are a nationality with people of different colors and shades, not a race.”
She added: “The term light skin is an adjective to describe complexion, not exclusive to one race. Should Jamaicans, Haitians, and West Indians not say they have brown or dark skin? They’re also nationalities, just like Dominicans. Now move, JAWS.”
Cardi B has often reminded her critics that she identifies as Afro-Latina, with her father being Dominican and her mother Trinidadian. In 2021, she shared family photos and a VIBE VIVA cover to address ongoing questions about her racial identity.
On the music front, Cardi has been busy this year, releasing tracks like “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough.” Although neither has been confirmed for her upcoming sophomore album, she did tease in June that the album is “coming real soon.”
Cardi has also featured on high-profile collaborations, including Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me (Remix)” with SZA and “Puntería” with Shakira.
As she pointed out on Twitter, the ongoing conversation around race, ethnicity, and identity is particularly pertinent to communities with complicated histories of cultural mixing.