It has been a headline-filled week for Jonathan “DaBaby” Kirk. His performance at the Rolling Loud Miami festival has been marred with controversy. In particular, a certain moment involving the 29-year-old rapper was widely viewed as homophobic.
“If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, or any of [those] deadly sexually transmitted diseases, that’ll make you die in two to three weeks, then put your cellphone lighter up,” DaBaby told the Rolling Loud Miami crowd.
The Charlotte native continued, “Ladies, if your p#### smell like water, put your cellphone lighter up. Fellas, if you ain’t sucking a n####’s dick in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.”
DaBaby’s words were condemned by members and supporters of the LGBTQ community. Pop singer Dua Lipa denounced her “Levitating” collaborator, and music industry legend Elton John expressed outrage over the comments. DaBaby also lost an endorsement deal with boohooMAN.
While DaBaby did receive backing from fellow rappers T.I. and Boosie Badazz, the Blame It on Baby album creator offered a public apology. He tweeted, “Anybody who done ever been [affected] by AIDS/HIV y’all got the right to be upset, what I said was insensitive even though I have no intentions on offending anybody. So my apologies.”
In addition to initially showing remorse via social media, DaBaby addressed the controversy again at the end of his new “Giving What It’s Supposed To Give” music video. The self-directed visuals closed with a message that read, “Don’t Fight Hate With Hate… My apologies for being me the same way you want the freedom to be you.”
DaBaby also posted on Instagram:
You ever wrote a video, you and 3 others produce it, you direct it while starring AND rapping in it, film the video for 16 HOURS straight wrap up at 4am, take a shower & jump on a jet to @rollingloud and with only 2 hours of rest give one of the BEST performances of the entire festival yet the most controversial and emotion provoking performance as well; due to things deemed “insensitive” said during your performance even though you’re an ENTERTAINER, try to apologize and explain that you meant no harm & that you were only entertaining as you are paid to do, & have no problem with anyone’s sexual preference that is outside of yours, only to have a substantial amount of people refuse to understand your logic, tag along with a trending topic & play with your character and do everything they can to take money out of your pockets and food out your kids mouth, and have everybody around you panicking only for you to apologize anyway stand on the fact that you were entertaining and truly didn’t mean to offend anybody or start no commotion, although they’re currently offending you, & COINCIDENTALLY the video you were shooting till 4am the DAY OF @rollingloud touches on EVERY controversial topic trending in the headlines, so you then go against the grain in the opposite direction of every scared person around you & stay true to yourself & DROP DAT B#### in the height of the commotion & show the world once again that you CANT BE F##### WIT?😴I have🙋🏾♂️. I just did. God’s Work.
@dababy Instagram