Culture

DaBaby doubles down on homophobic views in bizarre music video

By Zoya Raza-Sheikh

29th July 2021

American rapper DaBaby has released a questionable music video in which the star indirectly acknowledges his ignorant comments towards the LGBTQ+ community.

In his latest music video, released on Wednesday (28 July), DaBaby is seen holding up a sign that says ‘Aids’, while rapping problematic lyrics: “B****, we like AIDS, I’m on your ass, we on your ass, b****, we won’t go ‘way.”

The nonsensical lyric alludes to the previous controversy where the 29-year-old has come under fire for his disgusting remarks about HIV positive people and gay men.

During his set at Rolling Loud Miami earlier in the week, he told the audience: “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.”

DaBaby felt the need to continue further: “Ladies, if your p***y smell like water, put your cellphone lighter up. Fellas, if you ain’t sucking d**k in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.”

In the background, someone could also be heard saying, “let’s be real about this shit”.

In his new music video for Giving What It’s Supposed To Give, the video ends with a title card that reads: “Don’t fight hate with hate”. Beneath the all-caps line, the non-apology continues with “My apologies for being me in the same way you want the freedom to be you”.

In a puzzling move by the artist, DaBaby has chosen to equate the right for LGBTQ+ to exist without being publicly discriminated against with his “right” to spew homophobia on his platform.

Social media condemned the star for his vile comments. One Twitter user wrote: “DaBaby being homophobic talking about spreading HIV/AIDS while performing in front of a crowd of 1000s of ppl in a global pandemic is a juicy contradiction.”

Another said: “DaBaby: Black Lives Matter UNLESS you’re gay, have HIV AIDS, or are a woman. Police brutality is bad, but shoot your girlfriend in the foot during an argument? BRING THAT MAN UP ON STAGE.” 

Some fans have even called for Dua Lipa to remove the ignorant rapper from the remix of her viral pop anthem Levitating, which is still sitting comfortably in the top five of multiple charts around the world.

Social media user Conscious Lee debunked DaBaby’s original comments on why his comments were both wrong and unethical.

Lee poignantly summarises the latest events around DaBaby, saying: “When you correlate disease, AIDS, HIV and homosexuality, you’re literally trying to conjure up fear about this community which is textbook homophobia.”

Lee continues: “When you conflate HIV and AIDS together, ’cause they’re two separate things, as something that makes you drop dead in 2-3 weeks this pushes misinformation which is also wrong.”

BoohooMAN has taken a stand against DaBaby’s homophobia by dropping him from their campaign.

In a statement posted to Instagram, the fashion retailer said they “will no longer be working” with the rapper following his vicious and uneducated rant about HIV positive people at Rolling Loud Miami.

“Diversity and inclusion are part of the boohoo Groups DNA and we pride ourselves on representing the diverse customers we serve across the globe,” their statement reads.

“We stand by and support the LGBTQ+ community, and do not tolerate any hate speech or discrimination in any form.”

Users online have also called out DaBaby, through the format of memes, as to why the artist has addressed the LGBTQ+ community in such a negative, misinformed light.

Related: DaBaby dropped by boohooMAN because homophobia has consequences