J Balvin apologizes for the video of "Perra", his collaboration with Tokischa

Controversial music video of J Balvin disappears from YouTube 2:23

(CNN Spanish) - 

J Balvin broke the silence regarding the controversy generated by the video clip of "Perra" that he recorded with the Dominican singer Tokischa.

Through four Instagram

published on Sunday, the native of Medellín apologizes to women and the black community.

"I want to offer my apologies to all the people who felt offended, especially women and the black community. That is not part of what I have always expressed. My thing has always been tolerance, love and integration," said Balvin.

"I have also always liked to support new talents, in this case Tokischa, a woman who supports her people, her community and also empowers women," he added.

Balvin explained that "as a form of response and respect" he decided to remove the video clip from his YouTube channel a week ago.

"Seeing that they continued with the criticism for this whole situation, that's why I'm here, showing my face, talking about it," he said.

In the minute-long video, Balvin apologized to his mother and concluded that life keeps getting better every day.

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Tokischa's reaction

Through an interview with the Colombian station W Radio, Tokischa, co-author of the topic, told journalist Daniel Coronell that: "I express everything that already exists, I am not inventing it. Everything I say, everything I do, everything I show exists in society, "said the Dominican.

"This song came to me out of pure creativity, (because of) my personality, I am a girl who is not afraid to express my sexuality," she said in the interview.

According to Tokischa, she proposed several songs to Balvin for his collaboration and "Perra" was the one the Colombian singer chose.

"Since he contacted me to collaborate, he told me that he wanted to enter my world," Tokischa said.

Why did the video generate controversy?

The video clip for "Perra", the collaboration between J Balvin and Tokischa, generated controversy for showing two black women chained and walking on all fours, while Balvin held said chains.

Criticism rained on social networks for considering the images not very sensitive to the fight for women's rights and for what some users considered racist attitudes.

One of the strongest criticisms came from the same vice president of Colombia, Martha Lucía Ramírez, who on October 11, through an open letter, referred to the issue of Balvin, indicating that her lyrics were sexist and macho and that she objectified women. .

"The lyrics of the song have direct and open sexist, racist, macho and misogynistic expressions that violate the rights of women, comparing them to an animal that must be dominated and mistreated, with expressions that are not worth repeating," the letter says.

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Regarding the images, the vice president of Colombia said "the artist uses images of women and Afro-descendant people - population groups with special constitutional protection - whom he presents with dog ears. In addition, while walking, the singer carries two Afro-descendant women tied with neck chains and crawling on the floor like animals or slaves. "

The Colombian government's petition to Balvin

In the letter, the vice president and foreign minister of Colombia urged Balvin to commit to promoting the rights of women in music.

"We publicly invite the singer J Balvin and the music and record industry to sign a pact that includes various commitments to promote the rights of women in music and prevent violence against them, a scenario in which we hope to have the Universidad Externado de Colombia and other universities whose work has been outstanding on the subject, "says the letter.

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