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Among the most talked-about aspects of the film is Aquafina’s involvement. Best known for her role in Marvel’s Shang-Chi, Aquafina voices Scuttle in The Little Mermaid. Her casting has been controversial for multiple reasons. Critics have targeted her simply for being a rapper and for her cultural background, accusing her of having a “black scent”—a common yet divisive criticism that many dismiss as racial stereotyping and cultural appropriation.
More recently, controversy escalated when Aquafina was revealed to perform a rap in the film alongside Sebastian. This scene has been met with widespread mockery and disdain from fans, many of whom have called it cringe-worthy and out of place in a family film.