#DaBaby references Rolling Loud homophobia controversy in “Giving What It’s Supposed To Give” video

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“#DaBaby references Rolling Loud homophobia controversy in “Giving What It’s Supposed To Give” video”

His festival performance included anti-gay statements and AIDS misinformation, leading to condemnation across the music industry.

DaBaby’s performance at Rolling Loud in Miami over the weekend was the most controversial of the weekend thanks in part to some homophobic statements and AIDS misinformation the rapper gave between songs. Now, the rapper has referenced the blow-up in a new music video for the song “Giving What It’s Supposed To Give,” directed by the rapper himself.

In one scene, DaBaby holds up a sign with the word “AIDS” on it. The video concludes with a message written in a rainbow font — “Don’t Fight Hate With Hate.” — followed by a weird, non-apologetic statement: “My apologies for being me the same way you want the freedom to be you.” Watch above via Pitchfork.

DaBaby made his inflammatory comments at the festival on Sunday. “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,” he said, adding “Fellas, if you ain’t sucking dick in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.” In a later statement posted on Instagram, DaBaby dug himself deeper, saying he accepts his gay fans because they aren’t “nasty” or “junkies.”

The comments were condemned the next day by Dua Lipa, who enlisted DaBaby on the remix for the pop hit “Levitating.” She was “surprised and horrified at DaBaby’s comments,” according to a post on Instagram Stories. “I really don’t recognize this as the person I worked with,” she continued. “I know my fans know where my heart lies and that I stand 100% with the LGBTQ community.”

DaBaby more directly addressed the issue on Twitter yesterday evening. “Anybody who done ever been effected by AIDS/HIV y’all got the right to be upset,” he wrote, “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 has yet to speak on the other controversy with his Rolling Loud performance: a guest appearance from Tory Lanez, the rapper accused of shooting DaBaby’s frequent collaborator Megan Thee Stallion in the foot. Lanez has denied the charges.

On Wednesday, Elton John shared a series of Twitter posts seeking to combat DaBaby’s HIV/AIDS misinformation. See those below:

(1/5) 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 facts are: pic.twitter.com/MqCv3vWiz2

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) July 28, 2021

(2/5)

👉 HIV has affected over 70 million people globally: men, women, children and the most vulnerable people in our communities.

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) July 28, 2021

(3/5)

👉 In America, a gay black man has a 50% lifetime chance of contracting HIV. Stigma and shame around HIV and homosexuality is a huge driver of this vulnerability. We need to break down the myths and judgements and not fuel these.

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) July 28, 2021

(4/5)

👉 You can live a long and healthy life with HIV. Treatment is so advanced that with one pill a day, HIV can become undetectable in your body so you can’t pass it onto other people.

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) July 28, 2021

(5/5)

👉 Homophobic and HIV mistruths have no place in our society and industry and as musicians, we must spread compassion and love for the most marginalised people in our communities.

A musician’s job is to bring people together.

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) July 28, 2021

By Jordan Darville

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