DaBaby’s faced the music for his homophobic and ableist comments about people living with HIV and AIDS, losing bookings and fans. Now, the LGBTQ community is prepared to make peace -- if the artist is willing to do the work.
"We heard your inaccurate and harmful comments at Rolling Loud and have read your Instagram apology. However, at a time when HIV continues to disproportionately impact Black Americans and queer and transgender people of color, a dialogue is critical. We must address the miseducation about HIV, expressed in your comments, and the impact it has on various communities," said the open letter signed by dozens of organizations, including the Black AIDS Institute, GLAAD and Southern AIDS Coalition.
They weren’t the only ones unimpressed by DaBaby’s apology. Online, the rapper was quick to downplay the comments despite swift and heavy backlash.
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"I told you y’all digested that wrong," he wrote on Twitter, with an emoji of a man shrugging, "but I ain’t gone lie I’m impressed."
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. So my apologies
But the LGBT community... I ain’t trippin on y’all, do you. y’all business is y’all business.
— DaBaby (@DaBabyDaBaby) July 27, 2021
In a post on Instagram, the rapper later wrote a longer apology to the LGBTQ+ community for the "misinformed," "hurtful and triggering comments," saying that he needed "wisdom, education, and resources."
In their letter, advocates offered just that, correcting the record and disproving several of the false claims DaBaby made in front of thousands at the Rolling Loud concert.
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“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 cell phone light in the air,” he said. “Ladies, if your pussy smells like water, put a cell phone light in the air. Fellas, if you ain’t suck a n-gga dick in the parking lot, put your cell phone lights in the air. Keep it fucking real.”
The devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, especially on the LGBTQ and Black communities, is certainly real. Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV, according to the letter, 13 percent of whom likely don't know that they do. The one-third of Black Americans who do account for more HIV diagnoses, people living with HIV and the most deaths among people with HIV than any other population.
Still, in the 40 years since the onset of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the United States, preventative medications such as PrEP have reduced the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99 percent and effective treatment can prevent those living with HIV from sexually transmitting the virus. And a recent study found that the five-year mortality rate for people living with HIV is nearing that of the general population in the United States.
"As leaders of organizations directly serving Black, LGBTQ, and HIV+ communities, we invite you to a private, off-the-record, virtual discussion with us. You stated you now understand how and why your comments were damaging. An open conversation holds the potential for you to now create meaningful impact by transforming from an adversary to an advocate," said the letter.
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