Burger King has pulled a controversial ad starring R&B singer Mary J. Blige. The spot debuted this week and features Blige singing about chicken snack wraps. Some in the black community criticized the ad as stereotypical. The black female-oriented website Madame Noire called the commercial “buffoonery.”
“This harmonizing about chicken is a move I would associate with someone whose glory days were far behind them,” writes Madame Noire contributor Renay Alize. “You still have so much more to contribute to the arts and entertainment game that there was no reason for you to stoop to stereotypes. And I know what you’re thinking, everybody across the world loves chicken. It’s true, most people get down with the poultry; but as a black woman, singing passionately about chicken is not the move!”
Despite the criticism, the fast food giant claims it ran into licensing issues for the ad. It borrows the melody of Blige’s song “Don’t Mind” and hopes to have it back on the air soon.
