Even before DaBaby made his ascent to stardom with the release of his 2019 debut studio album Baby on Baby, he had his fair share of controversies that have cast a shadow over his short-yet-successful career in music.
The earliest public incident surrounding DaBaby took place in 2018, when he was involved in a deadly shooting at a Walmart in Charlotte, N.C.; though the rapper was originally charged with murder, the charges were reduced to a misdemeanor for carrying a weapon. In the years since, the 30-year-old has infamously made headlines for carless comments and violent actions, which most recently earned him a lawsuit for allegedly getting into a now-viral altercation in a California bowling alley.
Below, a timeline of DaBaby’s biggest controversies, before his stardom and beyond.
Killing a Teenager in a North Carolina Walmart
In October 2018, the rapper was involved in a deadly shooting inside a Walmart in Huntersville, N.C., a suburb outside of Charlotte. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered the body of 19-year-old Jalyn Domonique Craig, and days later it was announced that DaBaby was one of four people detained for questioning by authorities.
In a profanity-laced Instagram tirade, the rapper alleged that Craig and another man had robbed him while brandishing a weapon and threatened his family. While DaBaby was initially charged with murder, the charges were eventually lowered to a misdemeanor of carrying a concealed weapon after security footage from inside Walmart corroborated his story that he was forced to kill the teenager in self-defense.
Jumping and Robbing a Music Promoter
In January 202o, DaBaby was detained and questioned for his connection to a robbery investigation. According to TMZ, the rapper and multiple members of his crew jumped a music promoter for only paying him $20,000 out of the $30,000 that was owed for a Miami performance. The reports allege DaBaby stole a credit card, an iPhone 7 and $80 from the promoter, but he was not charged with robbery. After spending 48 hours at the Miami-Dade County jail, the rapper was released and later charged with battery for his involvement in the incident.
Hitting a Female Fan at a Concert
Ahead of performing at a Tampa concert in March 2020, DaBaby slapped a female fan on the way to the stage. The incident resulted in him getting booed offstage and leaving the venue without performing any songs. DaBaby later took to Instagram to issue a public apology and said, “I do sincerely apologize…I’m very sorry that there was a female on the other end of that flashlight on that phone but you know, keep in mind, I couldn’t see you because you had the flash this close to me. I think by this time you know it’s a well known fact that male or female I would have responded the same exact way.”
Endorsing Kanye West's Run for President
In August 2020, West took to Twitter and gave a nod to DaBaby and his signature ad libs. “Lesssgoooooooooooo,” he wrote. “Da baby ad lib by the way.” The North Carolina rapper caught wind of Ye’s tweets and responded, “Warning. Use the ‘let’s gooo’ adlib at your own risk. It makes you unstoppable…Ima let y’all finish…. But you got me f—ed up you think I ain’t voting for Ye.”
DaBaby’s tweet about endorsing Ye’s run for the U.S. presidency was met with backlash online at the time for potentially redirecting voters from President Joe Biden winning the election and in turn heightening the chances of former President Donald Trump’s re-election.
Collaborating With Tory Lanez
In January 2021, Megan Thee Stallion fans were upset with DaBaby after Tory Lanez, who was charged with felony assault for shooting the female rapper in both of her feet after an incident in July 2020, teased a collaboration with DaBaby. Megan and DaBaby previously worked together on the singles “Cry Baby” and “Cash Shit.”
Lanez hinted at the collaboration with DaBaby on Instagram, using the hashtag #2021Umbrella — a release date for the untitled track was never announced or formally released, though DaBaby appeared on Lanez’s “SKAT,” which was released in June 2021.
"Feuding" With JoJo Siwa
In February 2021, DaBaby sparked his most inexplicable feud yet. This time the bad blood wasn’t with another rapper or hip-hop star, instead he seemingly took aim at Nickelodeon star JoJo Siwa by dropping her name into the lyrics of his freestyle “Beatbox” remix, in which he sang, “N—a, you a bi—/ JoJo Siwa, bi—/ She let the wrong n—a get rich.”
Though Siwa never addressed being mentioned in the track, the rapper received backlash online for mentioning her in the track, but wasn’t fazed by it and insisted he and his daughter are fans of her work.
“@itsjojosiwa my 3 year old princess is your number 1 fan. I bought her every product you have out. She think she you,” he tweeted. “Don’t let em trick you into thinking id ever have a problem with you. My word play just went over their heads. All love on my end shawty, Keep shining!”
Homophobic Rolling Loud Comments
During his set at Rolling Loud in July 2021, DaBaby came under fire for homophobic comments he made while performing onstage at the event. He said, “[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 a cellphone light in the air. Ladies, if your p—y smell like water, put a cellphone light in the air. Fellas, if you ain’t sucking d–k in the parking lot, put a cellphone light in the air.”
After the comments sparked backlash online, DaBaby later tried to justify his comments at the festival by saying that gay fans of his do not have HIV/AIDS because they are not “nasty gay n—as or junkies.” Following the incident, several festivals removed him from their lineups, including Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, Parklife Festival, Day N Vegas, Austin City Limits, Music Midtown and the iHeartRadio Music Festival.
Altercation With DaniLeigh's Brother
DaBaby and members of his crew were filmed getting into an altercation with Brandon Curiel — the brother of the rapper’s ex-girlfriend DaniLeigh, with whom he shares a child — at a San Fernando Valley bowling alley called Corbin Bowl in February 2022. Video of the incident shows DaBaby and Curiel swinging at each other, slipping onto the bowling lanes, and other members of the rapper’s crew jumping in to fight.
Curiel filed a lawsuit following the incident that DaBaby is legally liable for physically assaulting him “suddenly and without warning” as he walked by the rapper. He also claims that the incident has caused him “severe injury and pain” and left him “psychologically damaged,” though DaBaby has publicly stated he was protecting himself as a means of self-defense.
