Embattled rapper DaBaby has issued another apology following the barrage of criticisms he received over comments he made about gay men and HIV/AIDS during his now-infamous performance at the Rolling Loud festival on July 25.
The 29-year-old was called out by the LGBTQ+ community, celebrities and other people on social media who accused him of spreading misinformation and making anti-gay comments. During his performance, the rapper, born Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, was heard encouraging people in the crowd to put their “cellphone light up” if they did not “show up” at the event with HIV/AIDS and “any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two, three weeks.”
The rapper also went ahead to pass comments about the private parts of women before saying, “Fellas, if you ain’t sucking d**k in the parking lot put your cellphone light up. Keep it real.”
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Following his comments, the Rockstar rapper was dropped from the Lollapalooza music festival as well as the Governor’s Ball. Online fashion retailer Boohoo also announced they were severing ties with him.
The rapper had initially defended his comments in the wake of the backlash. He, however, issued an apology last week and followed it up with another lengthy apology on Tuesday, saying his comments were “hurtful” and “misinformed.”
“I want to apologize to the LGBTQ+ community for the hurtful and triggering comments I made,” he shared on Instagram. “Again, I apologize for my misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and I know education on this is important.”
Prior to apologizing, however, DaBaby appeared to insinuate some of the people who criticized him for his comments had been trying to pull him down instead of giving him a chance to actually learn.
“Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate and learn from your mistakes,” he wrote. “As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me — knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance — has been challenging.”
The rapper added: “I appreciate the many people who came to me with kindness, who reached out to me privately to offer wisdom, education and resources. That’s what I needed and it was received.”
Responding to his statement, a section of people on social media were adamant the rapper was only apologizing because he was losing money. Take a look at some of the reactions below:
DaBaby apology is hilarious because not only do we know he’s only doing it because he’s losing money it also dispels all that “IDGAF” posturing he’s been doing so he looks like trash *and* a coward
— David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) August 2, 2021
DaBaby is a multi-millionaire who can afford image consultants, PR reps, and crisis management professionals.
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) August 2, 2021
No, it was never the job of LGBTQIA people to “educate” him for free.
We are too busy fighting to survive in a world where his uneducated hate is costing us our lives.
Dababy wanted to antagonize Megan Thee Stallion and just fumbled all his bags. Be careful of the energy you invest in.
— Stephanie. (@qsteph) August 2, 2021
The emotional manipulation in the first half of Dababy’s apology is wild pic.twitter.com/SKbXnyiCnE
— ClosetQueen (@ClosetQueen5) August 2, 2021
dababy apologizing cuz he’s losing dabookings and damoney-
— sharon (@mamasuckyy) August 3, 2021
and ik his ass did not write that
dabye- pic.twitter.com/W1pTsSY86N
Dababy apologized because he was loosing money! He doesn’t care about LGBTQ+ people
— Son of the Rainbow AKA LGBTQ+ CLASS CAPTAIN?️? (@Blaise_21) August 2, 2021
Dababy grossly overestimated his star power, you have no classic work, you’re not Kanye West, they can literally replace you with Roddy Ricch at every show you got booked and nobody gone notice lol
— Lip Gallagher (@tonestradamus) August 2, 2021
DaBaby saw his mortgage and pulled up the notes app.
— Ahmed?? (@big_business_) August 2, 2021
Me reading DaBaby’s second DaApology. pic.twitter.com/zEE0QbyiNv
— Hilario (@OnikaSedai) August 3, 2021
