DaBaby performing in Atlanta, Dec. 2021.
Paras Griffin/Getty ImagesA battery case against DaBaby in Las Vegas has been dismissed, according to online court records.
The case was dismissed with prejudice — meaning it can’t be brought again — on Dec. 1. The charge stemmed from a Nov. 2020 incident during which DaBaby (real name Jonathan Kirk) allegedly hit a Las Vegas driver during a ride. Along with the dismissal of the charges, Kirk was ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to his accuser, Timothy Cobb.
Lawyers for Kirk, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement, “Mr. Kirk denied the allegations and came to court prepared to fight the case at trial. In court, the case was dismissed with prejudice.”
Kirk has faced several legal issues in the past, most notably a 2018 incident where he fatally shot a 19-year-old man in a North Carolina Walmart. Kirk claimed he was acting in self-defense, and he was ultimately not charged in the man’s death; he was, however, found guilty of a misdemeanor weapons charge.
In 2020, Kirk was arrested and questioned over an alleged robbery in Miami after an altercation with promoters at a venue where he was set to perform. The promoters had reportedly promised Kirk $30,000 for the appearance, but he was allegedly only given $20,000; a verbal and physical altercation erupted over the discrepancy with Kirk allegedly punching one of the promoters. Kirk was charged with battery in the incident, though those charges were eventually dropped.
The dismissal of the Las Vegas battery case comes at the end of a tumultuous 2021 for Kirk. The rapper faced intense scrutiny this summer after making misogynistic, homophobic, and ill-informed comments about AIDS victims at Rolling Loud Miami. While DaBaby lost a handful of major festival slots in the backlash, he maintained plenty of support and recently kicked off a North American tour with the support of Rolling Loud. In November, Kirk was involved in a live-streamed fracas with DaniLeigh, the singer and mother of his child (charges were filed against DaniLeigh, but none against Kirk).
Sharleen Spiteri joined BBC Radio 2’s The Sara Cox Breakfast Show ahead of Texas taking the stage to launch the main live music programme at Radio 2 in the Park in Stirling.
Checking in from rehearsals, the Texas frontwoman spoke about getting ready for the band’s opening performance at City Park. Radio 2’s annual flagship festival takes place there from 11 to 13 September 2026. "I’m match fit because I’ve had a couple of days’ rehearsals," Spiteri said. "We’re kicking the whole weekend off, which we’re very much looking forward to, so everybody’s got to get ready to party."
Before the live acts take over, Friday’s DJ Pre-Party gets the weekend started with Radio 2 favourites Sara Cox, DJ Spoony, Gary Davies, Michelle Visage, and Rylan behind the decks.
Jo Whiley helped set the mood with a special programme from Stirling’s Tolbooth venue. Working with BBC Introducing Scotland, the broadcast put the spotlight on Scotland’s emerging music scene through performances and conversations with Fright Years, Alice Faye, and James Emmanuel.
Fright Years, a four member band from Edinburgh, played "Never Been Wrong" and offered their take on Simple Minds’ "Waterfront." Glasgow singer and songwriter Alice Faye, the BBC Introducing in Scotland 2026 winner, paired "Some Brief Encounter" with a rendition of Lulu’s arrangement of "I Started a Joke." James Emmanuel, who was born in Nigeria and now lives in Edinburgh, sang "Brothers & Sisters" before taking on Chaka Khan’s "I’m Every Woman."
"We’re all about celebrating BBC Introducing and all the music that’s come out of Scotland," Whiley told listeners. "It's about celebrating the local music scene and the incredibly important work that BBC Introducing does to support independent, up-and-coming artists."
Joining the conversation were Stephanie Cheape, presenter of BBC Introducing in Scotland, Tara McLoughlin, venue manager for Stirling Council, and student radio presenters representing the University of Stirling’s Air3 Radio.
Listeners can catch the complete interviews and live performances from the weekend’s programmes on BBC Sounds.
