Cardi B’s husband, Offset, gifted her with three Hermes bags worth almost $500,000 for her 31st birthday on Wednesday and animal rights organization PETA is not too pleased with the lavish presents.
The 31-year-old rappers have been blasted by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) as the organization shared the letter they sent to Offset with DailyMail.com exclusively on Friday.
Celebrity Relations Assistant Manager Nicole Cummins wrote a strongly worded letter to the Migos member Offset which began: ‘We saw that you gifted Cardi B three Hermès Birkin bags for her birthday. Everyone deserves a little luxury, but in this case, it came at a high price for animals.’
Offset had gifted his wife three bags made out of animals which totaled nearly $500,000.
Cummins went on to cite PETA’s investigation in Asia from 2021 in which they found the barbaric ways animals were treated in order to make these luxury goods.
They wrote: ‘Crocodiles k.i.l.led for the bags you bought are packed into severely crowded, barren concrete pits for months or even years before they’re finally slaughtered for their skin.
‘A PETA Asia investigation into the crocodile-skin trade revealed that workers stabbed crocodiles with a metal blade in an attempt to sever their spinal cords—but this method simply causes paralysis and likely extreme pain, but not death. The crocodiles were most likely alive and suffering horribly when they were inflated, skinned, and disemboweled.
‘The bags you purchased were once living, feeling individuals who endured unbearable pain, moment by moment, while they were being k.i.l.led.’
The organization insisted that it is not the entirety of the high-fashion industry who participates in animal cruelty as they cite luxury brands like Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, Victoria Beckham, Burberry, and Hugo Boss for correcting their practices by banning exotic skins from their products.
Cummins concluded the message to Offset writing: ‘If you’re dead-set on splurging half a million on birthday gifts, please consider animal-free products from luxury brands like these in the future. It’s a win-win.
‘Animals get to live, and you get to maintain that high-roller status. Give it a thought, please.’
Earlier in the day, the organization’s vice president Lisa Lange released a scathing response on Friday via a public statement.
Lange said: ‘Instead of using his wealth and influence for good, Offset chose to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars into a gruesome, violent industry that electroshocks crocodiles, shoves metal rods into their heads in an attempt to scramble their brains, and mutilates them while they’re still alive.’
Lange continued: ‘PETA reminds everyone that people who still spend their money on a closet full of dead animals’ body parts either are clueless or simply don’t care about the extreme cruelty they’re perpetuating—it’s just not worth it.
This comes days after the power couple celebrated the special occasion at Delilah in West Hollywood, and Offset left his wife in tears after he sent out the extremely lavish gifts in a stack of three orange boxes during their dinner.
The star, who recently hit out at her online ‘haters,’ was giddy over the sought-after bags and she screamed with happiness after pulling a $92,000 hot pink crocodile Kelly bag out of the first box – while flashing her extremely ample cleavage in a plunging red dress.
Cardi B was then presented with a particularly rare Faubourg Birkin bag, which she described as ‘my favorite’ and is worth more than $298,000.
The hitmaker became emotional after unwrapping her third gift, a gold-colored crocodile Birkin – which sells for around $72,000, bringing the total value of Cardi’s birthday gifts to approximately $462,975.
Offset, who is best known for his work with rap group Migos, also encouraged his wife to ‘take a shot’ before she opened her final present.
Cardi B wore a plunging red dress that exposed much of her upper chest during her birthday celebration.
The Bodak Yellow rapper accessorized with several pieces of jewelry as she received her gifts.
Her gorgeous brunette hair fell onto her shoulders and contrasted well with the bright tone of her clothing.
Offset’s displays of affection did not start at the restaurant, however, as Cardi B shared a video on her Instagram account to show off her husband’s efforts to impress her on her special day.
The rapper had thousands of rose petals, as well as a heart-shaped display and numerous balloons brought into his house to surprise his wife on her birthday.
The Grammy Award-winning hitmaker also wrote a short message in her post’s caption to speak about her affection for her husband.
Cardi B wrote: ‘You always go beyond for me. I love your skin, I love your face, I love your body, your ankles, I love your soul, I love your heart, I love your fart, I love your faith, I love your talent, I will BITE anybody for you.’
The performers initially began dating in early 2017, and they secretly tied the knot in September of that year.
The happy couple went on to start a family with the birth of their daughter Kulture, five, in July of 2018.
Cardi B shocked many when she filed for divorce in September of 2020, although she ultimately reconciled with her husband.
The pair went on to add a son named Wave, two, to their family in September of 2021.