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Online fashion retailer Boohoo has dropped rapper DaBaby from its BoohooMan partnership following a string of homophobic comments that also targeted those with HIV.
Performing live at Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival on Sunday (25 July), DaBaby falsely claimed that having HIV/AIDS will “make you die in two to three weeks”.
The rapper also asked all those in the crowd who “didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, or any of the deadly sexually transmitted diseases” to “put your cellphone lighter up”, before making further remarks against gay men.
Responding to the comments, BoohooMan released a statement condemning the “use of homophobic language” and confirming the group will “no longer be working with DaBaby”.
The statement added: “Diversity and inclusion are part of the Boohoo groups DNA and we pride ourselves on representing the diverse customers we serve across the globe.
“We stand by and support the LGBTQ+ community, and do not tolerate any hate speech or discrimination in any form.”
DaBaby backed up his actions in an Instagram story posted on the same day, stating that comments in a live show “would never translate correctly to someone looking [sic] a little five/six second clip”.
However, the rapper has since apologised, writing on Twitter: “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.”
