The world seems to keep crashing around DaBaby.
After going on a homophobic rant last week during the Rolling Loud Festival, the rapper continues to lose gigs. He was dropped from the Lollapalooza lineup in Chicago this past weekend for his derogatory comments about the LGBTQ community and people who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Now, Governors Ball, a popular musical festival in New York City, will no longer let him perform at the end of September.
In a statement released Monday, organizers of Governors Ball said the festival “does not tolerate hate or discrimination of any kind.” In turn, Founders Entertainment—which puts the event together—provided an update to its New York City 10th anniversary schedule— with DaBaby noticeably missing from the lineup. The rapper has also been kicked off the list of performers for the Day N Vegas concert in November.
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On Monday afternoon, DaBaby finally apologized to the LGBTQ+ community for the “hurtful and triggering comments” he made. “Again, I apologize for my misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and I know education on this is important,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
The controversy erupted during his July 25 Rolling Loud performance in Miami, where DaBaby took the stage and told the crowd, “If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, or any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two to three weeks, then put your cellphone lighter up.” Then, he added, “Fellas, if you ain’t sucking dick in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.”
Social media users were quick to share their outrage over DaBaby’s homophobic comments.
Later, the musical artist tried to defend himself on social media—but only caused more controversy when he doubled down on his vile comments. On Instagram, he posted that his fans do not have AIDS because they “ain’t no nasty gay n---as.” Meanwhile, he took to Twitter to say that people “digested” his statement wrong. He added that anyone who has been affected by HIV/AIDS had the right to be offended—while insisting he had “no intentions on offending anybody.”
To make matters worse, the rapper didn’t stop with social media. In a new video released Wednesday for his song “Giving What It’s Supposed To Give,” DaBaby holds up a sign reading “AIDS” while rapping: “We’re on your ass like AIDS. We don’t go away.” The video, which takes place during a funeral, ends with the statement: “Don’t Fight Hate With Hate” in rainbow font. There’s an additional statement, reading: “My apologies for being me the same way you want the freedom to be you.”
Since doubling down on his comments, DaBaby has received a wave of backlash. Celebrities and social media users have slammed the rapper for being insensitive and tone deaf. Dua Lipa, who has collaborated with DaBaby, said she was “surprised and horrified” by the remarks. The Roots drummer QuestLove indirectly blasted the rapper in an Instagram post, saying “Homophobia/Transphobia/Xenophobia/Misogyny/Racism——this should go [without] saying is morally wrong.” Even singer Chris Brown chimed in, implying that DaBaby needs to stick to the music and nothing else.
For Harriet’s Kimberly Foster summed up the majority of social media users’ sentiments perfectly, tweeting: “Not only did DaBaby not have to go out like this. He could’ve issued an apology and gotten immense praise for being a Black man who rejected the homophobia he learned. Such a missed PR opportunity.”
