Rapper DaBaby just released new video "Giving What It’s Supposed to Give" last 28 July. In the clip, he appears to address the homophobic comments he made during his appearance at Rolling Loud in Miami on the 25th of July along with adding a dose of realism.
In the self-directed visual, he holds up a sign that reads "AIDS" and at the end of the clip the words "Don’t Fight Hate With Hate" appear in rainbow colors. Underneath that, his pseudo apology reads, "My apologies for being me the same way you want the freedom to be you."
DaBaby took to Instagram to explain the circumstances around dropping the video, which he said he filmed until 4:00 A.M. prior to heading to Rolling Loud on two hours of sleep where he said he gave "one of the BEST yet the most controversial and emotion provoking performance as well; due to things deemed 'insensitive'" during his performance.
Rapper T.I., came out in support of DaBaby's comments. In a video posted on Instagram, the rapper applauded the LGBTQ+ community for, "having the courage to live their truth," but also compared DaBaby's remarks to openly-gay Lil Nas X, saying that, "If you have a Lil Nas X video, and him living his truth, you gone damn sure have people like DaBaby who are going to speak they truth. There ain’t nothing wrong with none of that. It ain’t got to be no hate, it’s all honesty."
DaBaby received more support after going on Instagram Live to defend his initial statements, saying that his gay fans don't have AIDS/HIV and that his gay fans weren’t '"asty gay n****s" and that they had "class".
He added that he tried to apologize, meant no harm, that he was only "entertaining" as he’s paid to do. He added that he had "no problem with anyone’s sexual preference" and that he "truly didn’t mean to offend anybody or start no commotion."
During his appearance at Rolling Loud, the rapper was recorded during his set saying, "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… Fellas, if you ain’t sucking dick in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up."
With 69 percent of 1.2 million HIV cases transmittef by men having sex with men (MSM), DaBabby has a strong point.