J Balvin apologized on social media on Sunday after his music video Perra featuring Tokischa was removed from YouTube over its controversial depiction of Black women.
The 36-year-old Colombian singer took to his Instagram Stories wearing a plain white T-shirt and black shorts for his mea culpa.
‘I want to say sorry to whomever felt offended, especially to the Black community,’ said Balvin, real name José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, in his Spanish-language video clip.
Saying sorry: J Balvin apologized on social media on Sunday after his music video Perra featuring Tokischa was removed from YouTube over its controversial depiction of Black women
‘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,’ he added.
The so-called ‘Prince of Reggaeton’ also explained that he removed the Perra video, which showed Black people as dogs and Tokischa inside a doghouse, from YouTube.
‘As a form of respect, I removed the video eight days ago. But because the criticism continued, I’m here making a statement,’ he said.
He added: ‘Mom, I’m sorry too. Life gets better each day. Thank you for listening to me’.
Offensive video: ‘I want to say sorry to whomever felt offended, especially to the Black community,’ said Balvin, real name José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, in his Spanish-language video clip
Perra, a collaboration with Tokischa, was taken down from YouTube last Sunday, amid controversy over its depiction of Black women.
In the music video, which is directed by Raymi Paulus, the Medellín, Colombia native was seen walking a pair of Black women on leashes, prompting outrage over misogynoir, an oversexualized depiction of Black women.
Colombian Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez and Presidential Counselor for Women’s Equality Gheidy Gallo Santos issued a statement last week critical of the video, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Popular singer: The so-called ‘Prince of Reggaeton’, shown earlier this month in Orlando Florida, revealed that he removed the Perra video from YouTube after it was removed last week without an official explanation
The leaders in the statement criticized how the video ‘uses images of women and people of African descent – a population group with special constitutional protection – to whom he presents with dog ears.’
The leaders noted that ‘in addition, while walking, the singer carries two Afro-descendant women tied with neck chains and crawling on the floor like animals or slaves.’
According to the paper, Tokischa is seen on her hands and knees in a doghouse in the clip.
On the track Perra, Tokischa and J Balvin compare looking for sex to the way canines do. Her verses include the lyrics, ‘I’m like a dog in heat/Looking for a dog to hit it.’
Tokischa was snapped in Coral Gables, Florida last month at the Billboard Latin Music Awards
Journalist Nuria Net was also critical of the clip, as she tweeted in Spanish that imagery in the clip was ‘totally despicable and racist,’ adding, ‘Taking it down from YouTube without making any kind of statement or mea culpa is very cowardly and does not solve anything.’
Paulus has taken down his Instagram account, which had more than 74,000 followers, according to the paper.
Tokischa has past faced controversy over her work, which includes allusions to sexual elements such as BDSM, according to the outlet. Her video for the track Yo No Me Voy Acostar was also taken off YouTube last December for undetermined reasons.
J Balvin was asked by Paper magazine earlier this month about how Black contributions have been marginalized in the reggaeton genre.
He said, ‘We know where reggaeton comes from, and if you’re in this game you should know where you come from… Once you’re doing the right thing, we’ll find you.’
J Balvin was snapped earlier this month in concert in Miami