DaBaby is slated to perform at the 2022 Rolling Loud Miami festival one year after the rapper was widely rebuked for making a series of hateful, homophobic remarks from the main stage during his 2021 set. His slot on the final day of the three-day (July 22-24) event was announced alongside with the rest of the lineup, which is slated to include a headlining set from Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) on the first day — along with Playboi Carti, Lil Durk, Don Toliver and 2 Chainz — and a second day topped by Future, who will share the stage with Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, Gucci Mane, Lil TJay and many more.
The July 24 roster will feature a rare headlining set from Kendrick Lamar, who in addition to DaBaby, will rock alongside Kodak Black, Baby Keem, Trippie Redd, Moneybagg Yo, A$AP Ferg and Flo Milli, among others.
During his set at Rolling Loud in July 2021, DaBaby came under fire for homophobic comments he made during his set. “[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,” he said. “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. He later deleted an online apology and met with HIV advocacy groups and LGBTQ organizations in what he claimed was an attempt to understand the harmful impact of his hate-filled statements.
A spokesperson for Rolling Loud Miami had not returned requests for comment on DaBaby’s booking at press time; in late 2021, Rolling Loud backed a U.S. tour by the 30-year-old North Carolina-bred rapper (born Jonathan Kirk), Live Show Killa, which is slated to keep him on the road through a June 26 date in the Netherlands.
More recently, the rapper and 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.
Among the other acts slated to perform at Hard Rock Stadium for Rolling Loud 2022 are: Lil Yachty, Three 6 Mafia, Saweetie, Fivio Foreign, Kevin Gates, City Girls, Soulja Boy, Curren$y and Tyla Yaweh, among others.
London four piece Keo are on course to land their first UK Number 1 album with Put A Smile On For Me. After building a loyal audience over the past two years, the London band now lead this week’s Official Albums Chart update. Their debut record explores love, guilt, and self destruction.
Nothing But Thieves are close behind at Number 2 with their fifth album, Stray Dogs. The Southend band are hoping for a second straight Number 1 after Dead Club City reached the top in 2023. Taylor Swift is at Number 3 with The Life Of A Showgirl, helped by the expanded The Encore edition. Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In sits at Number 4, while Soft Cell’s Danceteria opens at Number 5. It is the synth pop duo’s final album together following Dave Ball’s death last year.
Europe could reach Number 9 with Come This Madness, giving the Swedish rock band its first UK Top 10 album in four decades. A 30th anniversary reissue of Alice In Chains’ MTV Unplugged is at Number 13 in the midweek update, with Orbital’s Glastonbury 1994 set at Number 14. Julia Jacklin is heading for her first Top 40 album as The Gem reaches Number 18, while Suede’s Coming Up returns at Number 23 after its 30th anniversary physical release.
Also on track for Top 40 places are Nessa Barrett’s Tough Love at Number 29, the companion soundtrack to LINKIN PARK: UNSHATTER at Number 30, and Dublin band Gurriers’ Nobody’s Coming To Save You at Number 31. Blondshell, Kneecap, Tina Turner, and Leon Bridges also appear in the lower half of the midweek chart.
The official positions will be announced when the final Albums Chart is published on Friday.
