DaBaby is dropped from Lollapalooza music festival for series of insensitive remarks
Author: Juwan J. Holmes
DaBaby has been da-dropped from his scheduled performance tonight at the Lollapalooza Music Festival in Chicago.
“Lollapalooza was founded on diversity, inclusivity, respect, and love,” the festival said in a tweet today, “With that in mind, DaBaby will no longer be performing at Grant Park tonight.”
Related: Here are some basic facts about HIV/AIDS you should know. Don’t be like DaBaby.
“Young Thug’s performance will now take place at 9:00pm on the Bud Light Seltzer Stage, and G Herbo will perform at 4:00pm on the T-Mobile Stage,” they explained.
Lollapalooza was founded on diversity, inclusivity, respect, and love. With that in mind, DaBaby will no longer be performing at Grant Park tonight. Young Thug will now perform at 9:00pm on the Bud Light Seltzer Stage, and G Herbo will perform at 4:00pm on the T-Mobile Stage. pic.twitter.com/Mx4UiAi4FW
— Lollapalooza (@lollapalooza) August 1, 2021
The rearrangement comes on the final night of the four-day weekend festival, and exactly a week after DaBaby made remarks considered homophobic and serophobic at the Rolling Loud Music Festival on July 25.
In an apparent attempt to hype up the crowd between songs, DaBaby 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.”
He then said to the audience, “Ladies, if your pussy smell like water, put your cellphone lighter up.” He continued, “Fellas, if you ain’t sucking dick in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.”
Many noted that the comments further stigmatized people living with HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. It also furthers misinformation about how STIs work, as research shows that most STIs do not cause death alone, let alone in under three weeks.
Some also noted the hypocrisy in praising those who do not have a viral infection, at a music festival, amidst a pandemic caused by a virus that has infected millions of Americans.
After criticism for the remarks from hip-hop fans and other musicians, including Elton John, Madonna, and Questlove, DaBaby admitted his remarks were “insensitive.” He then released a song and music video using AIDS as an insult.
“Bitch, we like AIDS, I’m on your ass, we on your ass, bitch, we won’t go ‘way,” he raps in the song “Giving What It’s Supposed to Give,” which came out on July 29.
In the accompanying video, he holds up a sign that says “AIDS” as two men push him around. He puts down the sign, pulls out two pistols, and shoots both of the men.
The only reference to his comments from this weekend is a message tacked on at the end of the video that says “DONT FIGHT HATE WITH HATE” in rainbow colors.
“My apologies for being me the same way you want the freedom to be you,” text on the screen says.
He said it was “coincidental” that the video mentioned HIV but he had to release it – instead of editing it first – to “stay true to yourself & DROP DAT BITCH in the height of the commotion.”
DaBaby said that the video shows that he “CANT BE FUCKED WIT” and he called it “God’s Work.”
Now, he has begun to lose opportunities due to his continued remarks disparaging people living with HIV or AIDS.
Lollapalooza’s final night is headlined by the Foo Fighters, Modest Mouse, and BROCKHAMPTON, which includes out rapper Kevin Abstract. Removing DaBaby apparently forced them to rearrange the entire schedule for tonight, moving Young Thug’s and G Herbo’s scheduled performances up by a number of hours.
Other performers over the last three days have included out headliners Miley Cyrus, Kaytranada, and Tyler, the Creator. Megan Thee Stallion, who has criticized DaBaby in the past for his decision to continue associating with Tory Lanez, who is accused of shooting her, performed on the third night of the festival.
Like Rolling Loud Miami, Lollapalooza is being criticized for taking place at all, with limited restrictions amidst the ongoing pandemic. Unlike the former, Lollapalooza is requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test (up to 3 days prior) for attendees — but there are concerns regarding the Delta variant of the virus, which is more contagious than other variants of the illness.
Theresa Chapple-McGruder, a Chicago area maternal and child health epidemiologist, told Time Magazine that it “has the makings” of a super-spreader event, and at best, may prevent the spread of COVID-19 from declining.
“When we’re in a place where rates are rising, we need to put prevention strategies in place. I don’t see how a large festival like this could meet that criteria of slowing the spread,” she said.
Actual Story on LGBTQ Nation
Author: Juwan J. Holmes
