Madonna slams DaBaby after controversial comments at Rolling Loud Festival

Madonna accepts the advocate for change award at the 30th annual GLAAD Media Awards at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York. Picture: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Madonna accepts the advocate for change award at the 30th annual GLAAD Media Awards at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York. Picture: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Published Jul 30, 2021

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Madonna has slammed DaBaby over his recent controversial remarks at Rolling Loud festival.

The “Ray of Light” singer has blasted the “Suge” hitmaker over his homophobic rant at Miami's Rolling Loud festival and urged him to better educate himself about HIV and AIDS and treat people with more "respect".

Madonna shared a clip of the controversial moment on Instagram, in which the rapper 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.

"Ladies, if your p**** smell like water, put your cellphone lighter up. Fellas, if you ain’t sucking d*** in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.”

The 62-year-old star captioned the post: "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 lifesaving medicines available to children born with HIV, to people who contract HIV through blood transfusions, dirty needles or exchange of bodily fluids.

"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 p****** 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.

“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.(sic)"

Madonna's rebuke comes after Sir Elton John also blasted the rapper, who has subsequently lost his deal with clothing retailer BooHooMAN and seemingly been axed from the bill of Parklife Festival in Manchester, England.

Elton shared an Instagram post on behalf of his AIDS Foundation which read 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.

“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.”

Following the initial row over his comments, DaBaby - whose real name is Jonathan Kirk - later took to his Instagram Live and claimed straight and gay fans enjoyed his show, and insisted people couldn't criticise if they weren't at the show itself.

He added: "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. I’m the best live performer.”

But on Tuesday he admitted his remarks were "insensitive", though he insisted he wasn't trying to offend anyone.

He tweeted: "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."