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Mary J. Blige: I Didn’t Sign Off on Burger King Ad

Mary J. Blige says the controversial ad was not what she expected.

A day after executives at Burger King pulled a controversial ad featuring Mary J. Blige, the R&B icon has issued a statement telling her side of the story following a storm of backlash from fans.

In a statement to TMZ.com, Blige revealed that she did not sign off on the version of the ad that features her signing about the restaurants fresh new crispy chicken wrap sandwich.

“I agreed to be a part of a fun and creative campaign that was supposed to feature a dream sequence,” the statement read. “Unfortunately, that's not what was happening in that clip."

While an admittedly catchy jingle, the spot did not play well to fans that saw it as playing to the stereotype that African-Americans love chicken. The criticism for the commercial came fast and furious on Twitter. Burger King pulled the ad to the delight of critics and MJB fans. The fast food giant explained that the spot was released prematurely without the proper music clearances in place.

"We would like to apologize to Mary J. and all of her fans for airing an ad that was not final,” BK offered in a statement.

Blige also issued a mea culpa to her fans.

"I understand my fans being upset by what they saw,” the Grammy Award-winning songstress said. “But, if you’re a Mary fan, you have to know I would never allow an unfinished spot like the one you saw go out."

Burger King plans to release a new approved version of the ad soon.

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(Photo: Burger King)

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