On September 4, Cardi B engaged in a heated debate on social media after describing herself as “light skin,” prompting backlash from some users who argued that the term should be reserved for lighter-complexioned Black individuals. One Twitter user questioned, “Who [the f**k] told Cardi B she’s light skin? That term is used for lighter complexion Black folks, but y’all got everybody claiming it now.” In response, Cardi asserted, “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?”.
Another critic suggested that Cardi and others should create their own terms, to which she retorted, “What you [are] saying is automatically invalid. The fact that you use whites… [White] is a color and a race. Dominicans are a nationality with people that are different colors and shades, not a race… Get your glitter hole out of here [with] this fake rule you just came up [with]”. Cardi emphasized that the term “light skin” is simply an adjective for skin complexion and is not exclusive to any single race, noting that individuals from various nationalities, including Jamaicans and Haitians, also identify with a range of skin tones.
This incident is not the first time Cardi B has had to clarify her racial identity. As an Afro-Latina, she often faces scrutiny regarding her background. Her father is Dominican, and her mother is Trinidadian. In 2021, she shared family photos to address speculation about her racial identity.
In addition to this controversy, Cardi recently denied rumors of skin bleaching after a fan suggested she looked pale in a photo, explaining that her appearance was due to pregnancy-related anemia. Her candid responses highlight the ongoing complexities of racial identity and the societal pressures surrounding it, particularly for those who identify as Afro-Latina.