Madonna Rebel Heart Controversial Photos Mandela MLK

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Madonna's upcoming album Rebel Heart is already climbing the charts, but the success hasn't stopped her from causing some drama.

The singer found herself in hot water (yet again) after she posted altered photographs of iconic civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela on Instagram.

King and Mandela's faces appear in closeup with black cords wrapped around them. The images emulate the cover of Rebel Heart, which features Madonna's face wrapped in a similar fashion.

Many feel the singer went too far, and voiced their complaints on social media. Madonna responded to critics in a Facebook post, claiming that she did not intend to compare herself to Mandela and MLK, but to admire their "Rebel Hearts."

Madonna also noted that the images were fan-made and not intended to be racist or insulting. She directed fans to similarly altered images of Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, and Frida Kahlo that were also posted to her account.

Click ahead to check out the controversial photos.

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