Outrage Over Rapper Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj’s Portrayal of Hindu Deity, Cross Incident

Rapper Tommy Genesis Faces Backlash Over Religious Imagery in New Music Video.

Indian-origin rapper Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj, popularly known as Tommy Genesis, has sparked widespread backlash over her latest music video True Blue, which features provocative religious symbolism. The video, which recently went viral, shows the Canadian artist dressed in blue body paint with gold jewelry and a red bindi — visuals many interpret as resembling a Hindu goddess. Additionally, she is seen using a Christian cross in ways that viewers from both faiths have deemed offensive.

One particularly controversial scene shows the rapper licking the cross and holding it near her backside — a moment that triggered outrage across social media platforms. Critics have accused her of deliberately mocking Hindu and Christian beliefs for shock value and online attention.

“She’s of Indian descent — this can’t be accidental. It’s clearly meant to provoke,” wrote one user on X. Another said, “Using the cross like that is beyond offensive. This isn’t art — it’s disrespect disguised as rebellion.”

Many users called the video “blasphemous” and described the visuals as a “cheap stunt” aimed at courting controversy. Several posts accused the rapper of exploiting religious iconography to generate buzz, while others urged platforms to remove the video altogether.

As of now, Tommy Genesis has not responded to the criticism.
Born in Vancouver to a Tamil-Swedish family, Genesis has often described her work as experimental, unfiltered, and genre-defying. Her music frequently explores themes of identity, sexuality, and rebellion, and she has previously referred to herself as a “fetish rapper.” In 2016, she was labeled by international media as “the internet’s most rebellious underground rap queen.”

However, critics say this time the boundary between bold artistry and religious insensitivity has been crossed. Whether Tommy Genesis addresses the backlash or not, True Blue has already ignited a fierce debate over the limits of artistic expression in the digital age.