DaBaby addresses backlash to his homophobia in first gig since Rolling Loud

DaBaby addressed the reaction to homophobic comments he made at Rolling Loud festival in his first performance since the incident.

The rapper addressed the backlash with a pre-taped video which he played before his set at Hot 97’s Summer Jam yesterday (August 22), as Complex reported. “[Hot 97] allowed me to share my gift, share my blessing with y’all out here live on this stage amongst all the chaos and all the backlash,” he said in the video.

DaBaby gives his thanks to @HOT97 and lists several reasons why they let him perform tonight #SummerJam pic.twitter.com/F0d4sAoWsL

— Eric Diep (@E_Diep) August 23, 2021

“So hats off to y’all for that… They accepted my sincerity and all my apologies when I said I never, ever meant to offend anybody or say anything to make anybody feel any type of way live on that stage a few weeks ago.

"And Hot 97 was also willing to stick they neck out on the line, willing to go against all odds with everything going on out here in the world, and still allow me to come out here on this stage and utilize they platform to help the world move forward,” he added.

The 29-year old took to the Met Life stadium stage in New Jersey shortly after. He addressed the backlash during his performance of Megan Thee Stallion’s hit, ‘Cry Baby,’ which he featured on.

“Check this out,” he said. “Other than the people that, you know, was truly offended, I feel like the rest of y’all motherfuckers being cry babies.”

#Dababy #hot97summerjam pic.twitter.com/j7rFwYABeP

— pdtv (@PDTV3) August 23, 2021

The North Carolina man received heavy criticism after homophobic comments he made during his set at Rolling Loud on July 25th. “If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two or three weeks, put your cellphone light up,” he said at the Miami festival.

“Ladies, if your pussy smell like water, put your cellphone light up. Fellas, if you ain’t sucking dick in the parking lot, put your cellphone light up,” he added. He later addressed the remarks saying his gay fans “don’t have HIV/AIDS” because they’re not “nasty” or “junkies.”

The comments led to him being dropped from a number of festival lineups including Lollapalooza, Manchester’s Parklife, Governors Ball, Austin City Limits and Music Midtown.

The rapper was reportedly dropped from Lollapalooza as he failed to provide an apology video. He was also recently added to the lineup for Boosie Badazz’s Boosie Bash festival. Boosie Badazz defended DaBaby in an Instagram video where he attacked Lil Nas X using a slew of homophoic slurs and threatened to “beat his ass.”

DaBaby, whose real name is Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, posted an apology to the LGBTQ+ community on Instagram which was deleted by the rapper a week later. “I want to apologise to the LGBTQ+ community for the hurtful and triggering comments I made,” he wrote.

“Again, I apologise for my misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and I knew education on this is important."

DaBaby also referred to the incident in a number of tweets on July 27th, two days after the incident. "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," he wrote in one tweet.

"But the LGBT community... I ain’t trippin on y’all, do you. y’all business is y’all business," the tweet ended.

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

& for any brands, networks, or artists that like to profit off of black rappers influence on the culture, without understanding it or having the patience to deal with what comes with the position we play in our culture.

Keep yo money next time
us “NIGGAS” human too.#GodBless

— DaBaby (@DaBabyDaBaby) July 27, 2021

Other than that y’all cheer the fuck up & be proud of who you are cuz you can’t make me feel less of myself. 💪🏾

Aside from that

HIDALGO, TEXAS
&
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS

Get them tickets for Friday & Saturday so I can show y’all how da fuck I get down. 🔥#LIVESHOWKILLA

— DaBaby (@DaBabyDaBaby) July 27, 2021

The rapper has received criticism from Elton John, Dua Lipa and a number of other stars for his remarks. 11 HIV/AIDS organisations wrote an open letter to DaBaby urging he become “an agent for change.”

“DaBaby can be a powerful and influential voice where Black Americans need it most,” the letter read. “We urge him to learn the facts and use his platform to share the truth that can save lives.”