Madonna has never been one to shy away from making bold, controversial statements. But her most recent promotional bid for her upcoming album Rebel Heart may have just pushed it a little too far.
In a series of images, the singer transposed her face, which is prominently featured as her new album art, wrapped in black rope—onto iconic images of iconic figures who fought against social unrest—most notably, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
Captioned on the image of King, Madonna wrote: "This #rebelheart had a dream!" Which was premised on King's infamous speech.
On Mandela's image, the South African president who died last year, she posted: "This #rebelheart fought for freedom!"
It wasn't long before the public spoke about their outrage on Madonna's inappropriate album promotion, pointing out how in her attempt to make a statement, the musician instead came across as offensive and distasteful.