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.
NEWS
Lola Young has joined forces with Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to release a new T shirt for the charity’s Lifelines collection.
The shirt supports CALM’s suicide prevention work, with proceeds helping to fund vital resources such as its helpline and CALMzone mental health app.
CALM introduced the Lifelines range last year, with Fontaines D.C., Blossoms and Inhaler also contributing their own designs to the collection.
Young’s design includes the words, “There’s a flicker of light. There’s always morning after the night”, taken from her track ‘Flicker Of Light’.
“I wrote this song about realising there is hope. I have often felt like there isn’t, but there is always a reason to keep going,” Young said. “That’s even when you don’t want to get out of bed, you do, and that is amazing, and you’re still here, and you’re still alive, and if anything, that’s something to be proud of.”
CALM CEO Simon Gunning also shared his appreciation for the collaboration, saying: “We couldn’t be more grateful to Lola for supporting ‘Lifelines’ and showing just how powerful music can be as a force for good.”
Priced at £30, the T shirts come in both standard and boxy fits and are available to purchase here.
Young has regularly spoken about her experiences with mental health. She returned to performing earlier this year after calling off her 2025 tour because of exhaustion. The decision followed her collapse during a performance in New York City. During her time away, she later discussed receiving support for addiction and attending AA meetings as part of her recovery.
In an interview with NME in May, Young explained that she believes “all healing journeys are never ending”, although she is now “definitely in a much better place”. She also said she feels “excited and ready to perform and to release music”.
Reflecting on the encouragement she received after publicly discussing those challenges, Young said: “My fans inspire me in the same way I hope to inspire them. I feel like I’ve never tried to be especially honest… it just comes very naturally to me.”
“I don’t really have any other choice but to be honest, so if people connect to that, and that’s amazing.”
Several musicians have also applauded the ‘Messy’ singer for honestly addressing the pressure placed on touring performers. Lily Allen said she was “in awe” of the BRIT and Grammy winner, while Victoria Canal credited Young with bringing greater attention to the damaging impact demanding tour schedules can have on artists’ mental wellbeing.
When NME asked whether musicians were beginning to establish firmer boundaries around their health, Young replied: “I never intended it to start a movement, but I hope that it does in some way.”
