Dua Lipa, More Make Statements Against DaBaby Controversial Rant

DaBaby is facing major backlash following the homophobic statements he made during his Rolling Loud Miami Festival performance over the weekend, which he attempted to defend earlier this week.

Legendary British artist Sir Elton John spoke out against DaBaby’s insensitive statements, which targeted individuals with HIV and AIDS as well as gay men and more, via social media this morning (July 28), writing, “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.”

John went on to offer some facts about the sexually transmitted disease.

“HIV has affected over 70 million people globally: men, women, children and the most vulnerable people in our communities,” he continued. “In America, a gay black man has a 50 percent 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. 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 added, “Homophobic and HIV mistruths have no place in our society and industry and as musicians, we must spread compassion and love for the most marginalized people in our communities. A musician’s job is to bring people together.”

Singer Demi Lovato chimed in on the conversation as well. She reposted an upload shared by Matt Bernstein, a gay makeup artist and photographer, which features an image of a chest with the words “HIV IS NOT A GAY DISEASE” written in what appears to be red lipstick. The post also contains video clips from DaBaby’s performance where he offended many people, including the LGBTQ community.

In Demi’s caption, she encouraged her followers to listen to the original version of Dua Lipa’s “Levitating,” sans DaBaby.

The former Disney Channel star came out as pansexual back in March.

Pop star Dua Lipa, whose hit record “Levitating” featuring DaBaby is holding strong on the Billboard charts, was among the first celebrities to speak out against the statements made by the Charlotte, N.C. rhymer.

“I’m surprised and horrified at DaBaby’s comments,” she wrote on Tuesday (July 25). “I really don’t recognize this as the person I worked with. I know my fans know where my heart lies and that I stand 100 percent with the LGBTQ community. We need to come together to fight the stigma and ignorance around HIV/AIDS.”

The Billion Dollar Baby Ent. CEO has addressed his Rolling Loud statements on two occasions. On his IG Story earlier this week, DaBaby attempted to defend his homophobic remarks.

“I said if you don’t got AIDS, put a cell phone light up,” he said in the video. “I said if you ain’t suckin’ dick in the parking lot, put your cell phone lights up. So I can drop my next song. I wasn’t going on no rant. That’s called a call to action. That’s what that’s called ’cause I’m a live performer, I’m the best live performer. I’m the live show killer. You interact with your fans, you get what I’m saying? Look, all the lights went up, gay, straight. You wanna know why? ’Cause even my gay fans don’t got fuckin’ AIDS, stupid-ass niggas.”

Baby went on to say: “They don’t got AIDS. My gay fans, they take care of they self. They ain’t going for that. They ain’t no nasty gay niggas, you know what I’m saying? They ain’t no junkies, you know what I’m saying? On the street. The hell you talking ’bout, nigga? Then I said, if ain’t suck dick in the Rolling Loud parking lot, put your cell phone light up. You know what my gay fans did? Put that muthafuckin’ light up, nigga. ’Cause my gay fans, they ain’t going for that. They got class, nigga. They ain’t suckin’ no dick in no parking lot. Nigga, you gotta get a room, nigga. A good one. Five star hotel for them nights or goddamn… Yeah, you gotta wait ’til niggas go to the crib.”

Last night (July 28), DaBaby offered an apology for his offensive comments.

“I tell fans to put a cellphone light in the air y’all start a million man March,” he said in an initial tweet. “I told you y’all digested that wrong but I ain’t gone lie I’m impressed. Now show this same amount of support when a racist cop kill one of our black ass…YA NOT.”

He then spoke to individuals who have HIV and AIDS, and the LGBTQ community directly in a follow-up message.

“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,” Baby typed. “So my apologies. But the LGBT community… I ain’t trippin on y’all, do you. y’all business is y’all business.”

The rapper added: “& 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.”

In addition to the aforementioned artists who have vocalized their disapproval of DaBaby‘s comments, BoohooMan, a clothing company that Baby recently did a collaboration with, has parted ways with the rapper as well.

“BoohooMAN condemn the use of homophobic language and confirm we will no longer be working with DaBaby,” the statement reads. “Diversity and inclusion are part of the boohoo Groups DNA and we pride ourselves on representing the diverse customers we serve across the globe.”

The company concluded their statement with, “We stand by and support the LGBTQ+ community, and do not tolerate any hate speech or discrimination in any form.”

As far as the rap community goes, T.I. recently backed DaBaby via social media.

See the Many Times Rappers’ Social Media Accounts Were Suspended