The apology comes after the artist sparked outrage for remarks about people with HIV/AIDS.
DaBaby is addressing his controversial remarks. The artist took to Twitter on Tuesday to share his "apologies," after massive backlash over anti-LGBTQ remarks he made at the Rolling Loud festival over the weekend.
"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," DaBaby tweeted. "So my apologies 🙏🏾"
The rapper added, "But the LGBT community... I ain’t trippin on y’all, do you. y’all business is y’all business."
The comments come after DaBaby sparked outrage at the hip-hop music festival in Miami, when he told fans in the audience at his performance to raise their cellphone lights in the air "if you didn't show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that'll make you die in 2-3 weeks," and, "Fellas, if you didn't suck a n**** d**k in the parking lot."
On Monday, DaBaby attempted to clarify his remarks -- instead of apologizing -- when he posted a video in which he said he wasn't insulting any of his gay fans, as he believes they don't have HIV/AIDs, stating they aren't "nasty gay n****s" or "junkies," according to TMZ. The video has since been deleted.
These remarks sparked a second wave of outrage and backlash, from fans and some of DaBaby's fellow artists -- including Dua Lipa, who featured DaBaby on the 2020 remix of her single "Levitating."
"I'm surprised and horrified at DaBaby's comments," Lipa wrote in a post she shared to her Instagram story. "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% with the LGTBQ community," she added. "We need to come together to fight the stigma and ignorance around HIV/AIDS."
Elton John also spoke out against the rapper, tweeting in part, "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."
"In America, a gay black man has a 50% lifetime chance of contracting HIV," he continued. "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. Homophobic and HIV mistruths have no place in our society and industry and as musicians, we must spread compassion and love for the most marginalised people in our communities. A musician’s job is to bring people together."
Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness -- who revealed that he is HIV positive in 2019 and has been a vocal advocate for others -- condemned DaBaby's remarks on Twitter.
"This stigma of HIV/AIDS is what is killing folks & it’s spread by this kind of misinformation that then people go believe #UequalsU" Van Ness wrote.
Meanwhile, Demi Lovato reposted a slideshow, originally shared by makeup artist Matt Bernstein -- breaking down the controversy -- including DaBaby's controversial anti-LGBTQ remarks -- as well as information on HIV/AIDS and the dangers of stigmatizing the illness.
Lovato captioned the post with a comment that Bernstein previously tweeted: "Hot people listen to the original version of levitating.”
Madonna had her own message for the rapper, urging him to get his facts straight before giving him a lesson on HIV/AIDS.
"A message to DaBaby - if you’re going to make hateful remarks to the LGBTQ+ community about HIV/AIDS then know your facts:
After decades of hard won scientific research— there are life saving medicines available to children born with HIV, to people who contract HIV through blood transfusions, dirty needles or exchange of bodily fluids. These new ARV’s can keep a person with AIDS alive for the rest of their lives!!! AID’s is not transmitted by standing next to someone in a crowd," the pop icon stressed.
"She continued," I want to put my cellphone lighter up and pray for your ignorance, No one dies of AIDS in 2 or 3 weeks anymore. Thank God 🙏. And your sexist remarks about Ladies who’s pussies need to smell like water only encourage more discrimination against women who fight daily against the oppression of living under the constraints of the Male Gaze."
Madonna concluded the lengthy post by stressing that all humans should be treated with dignity and respect.
"People like you are the reason we are still living in a world divided by fear. All Human beings should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, sexual preference or religious beliefs. AMEN. @dababy."
On Wednesday, DaBaby released a music video he directed for his new song "Giving What It’s Supposed to Give," where he seemingly made two different references to the controversy.
At one point in the video he holds up a piece of paper with the word "AIDS" printed in block letters. Then, at the video, he included a message reading "Don’t Fight Hate With Hate" in rainbow letters, above the statement, "My apologies for being me the same way you want the freedom to be you."
The anti-LGBTQ comments made at the Rolling Loud fest came after DaBaby stirred controversy earlier in the night after bringing out Tory Lanez onto stage, shortly after Megan Thee Stallion's performance at the festival.
The "Savage" artist was granted a temporary protective order against Lanez after she accused him of allegedly shooting her in the foot during an argument last July. Lanez was subsequently arrested in October and was charged with a felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, a felony count of carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and for personal use of a firearm. He plead not guilty in November. The case is ongoing.
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