J Balvin has apologised for his 'Perra' music video
The 36-year-old star has been widely criticised for the controversial video, which features him walking two black women on leashes, who are made up to look like dogs - and he's now taken to Instagram to issue an apology
28 October 2021
Balvin - whose track is a collaboration with Dominican rapper Tokischa - said on his Instagram Story: "That's not who I am.
"I'm about tolerance, love and inclusivity. I also like to support new artists, in this case Tokischa, a woman who supports her people, her community and also empowers women."
Balvin also explained that he took the decision to remove the controversial video from YouTube.
He said: "As a form of respect, I removed the video eight days ago. But because the criticism continued, I'm here making a statement."
Balvin offered an apology to his own mother, too.
He said: "Mom, I'm sorry too. Life gets better each day. Thank you for listening to me."
Raymi Paulus, who directed the video, has discussed the controversial scenes in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.
Raymi told the publication: "I understand that there will never be a unanimous opinion about what constitutes art, but, for me, art not only communicates beauty and positivity – it also communicates the shortcomings of society, taboo subjects, and other ways of seeing reality that do not always align with the pop vision that dominates the current market."
Elsewhere, Tokischa has apologised for offending people.
However, she's also pointed out that "art is expression".
In response to the backlash, the 25-year-old star said: "I understand the interpretation people had and I’m truly sorry that people felt offended. But at the same time, art is expression. It’s creating a world."
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