DaBaby is facing backlash from fellow music artists, fans and the gay community for a homophobic rant last weekend during his set at the Rolling Loud Festival in Miami.
The rapper made the controversial comments Sunday night (July 25), when he asked the audience to shine their cellphone lights if they “didn’t show up today with HIV/AIDS, any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that will make you die in two to three weeks.”
He continued by making crude comments about women and gay men, saying: “Fellas, if you ain’t sucking d-ck in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.”
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Music legend and HIV/AIDS activist Elton John is among those calling out the “Rockstar” performer for his remarks.
“We’ve been shocked to read about the HIV misinformation and homophobic statements made at a recent DaBaby show. This fuels stigma and discrimination and is the opposite of what our world needs to fight the AIDS epidemic,” the British singer-songwriter wrote on Instagram.
The post included a series of statistics about the virus and a statement saying: “HIV misinformation and homophobia have no place in the music industry. We must break the stigma around HIV and not spread it. As musicians, it’s our job to bring people together.”
Just weeks after announcing a new collaboration with DaBaby, menswear company BoohooMan said Wednesday it’s dropping the rapper.
“BoohooMAN condemn the use of homophobic language and confirm we will no longer be working with DaBaby,” the company said in a statement on Instagram. “Diversity and inclusion are part of the boohoo Groups DNA and we pride ourselves on representing the diverse customers we serve across the globe. We stand by and support the LGBTQ+ community, and do not tolerate any hate speech or discrimination in any form.”
The rapper has since apologized on Twitter, writing: “Anybody who done ever been effected 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, but the LGBT community… I ain’t trippin on y’all, do you. y’all business is y’all business.”
Anybody who done ever been effected 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 ??
But the LGBT community… I ain’t trippin on y’all, do you. y’all business is y’all business.
— DaBaby (@DaBabyDaBaby) July 27, 2021
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