Sun. August 1, 2021
Lollapalooza, one of the largest music festivals in America, has canceled a scheduled performance by rapper DaBaby after his homophobic rant during a Rolling Loud Miami set last weekend.
“Lollapalooza was founded on diversity, inclusivity, respect, and love,” festival organizers said in a statement posted online. “With that in mind, DaBaby will no longer be performing at Grant Park tonight.”
Young Thung and G Herbo's performances will be shifted to account for DaBaby's absence, according to organizers.
At a concert in Miami last Sunday, DaBaby told the crowd: “If you didn't show up today with HIV, AIDS, any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that'll make you die in two, three weeks, then put your cellphone light up.”
“Fellas, if you ain't sucking dick in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up,” he also said.
Sir Elton John and Dua Lipa are among the celebrities criticizing DaBaby's comments.
"We've been shocked to read about the HIV misinformation and homophobic statements made at a recent DaBaby show,” John wrote on Twitter. “This fuels stigma and discrimination and is the opposite of what our world needs to fight the AIDS epidemic."
Singer Dua Lipa, who collaborated with DaBaby on the track “Levitating,” criticized DaBaby's comments on Instagram.
“I'm surprised and horrified at DaBaby's comments. I really don't recognize this as the person I worked with,” she wrote.
“I know my fans know where my heart lies and that I stand 100% with the LGBTQ community. We need to come together to fight the stigma and ignorance around HIV/AIDS,” she added.
On Monday, DaBaby posted video on his Instagram Live in which he took those criticizing him to task, saying straight and gay fans enjoyed his show, and what happened there is not the business of anyone who wasn't in attendance.
"I wasn't going on a rant. That's called a call to action. That's what that's called, cause I'm a live performer," he said. "I'm the best live performer."
He added, "Even my gay fans don't got f*ckin' AIDS. My gay fans take care of themselves."
In a Twitter post, DaBaby later apologized: [W]hat I said was insensitive even though I have no intentions of offending anybody. So my apologies.” He added, “But to the LGBT community … y'all business is y'all business.”
The rapper has also been dropped by online fashion retailer Boohoo, who he had a clothing deal with.
For the complete article (non-reader view with multimedia and original links),
Tap here.
Head to the local LGBTQ news, events, directory and people network at ChicagoPride.com