Dave Chappelle is familiar with the concept of controversy. He’s joked about plenty in the past, and he’s dealt with some himself. Perhaps then, it is no big surprise to anyone that Chappelle brought up DaBaby’s cancellation in his latest Netflix special, “The Closer.”
The Offer
In the special, Chappelle took a moment to pause and addresses the LGBTQ+ community on his past, saying that he has “come in peace.” He then joked that he was there “to negotiate the release of DaBaby.”
“All the questions you might have had about all these jokes I’ve said in the last few years, I hope to answer tonight,” he said during the special. “And I’d like to start by addressing the [LGBTQ] community directly. I want every member of that community to know that I come here tonight in peace and I hope to negotiate the release of DaBaby.”
For anyone still unaware, DaBaby had a magnificent fall from grace during the Rolling Loud festival last August in Miami. Following his unprompted homophobic consequences, one of the quickest cancellations of an artist in recent memory took place in which DaBaby had his career uprooted in a matter of days. He was dropped from features, festivals, and more. In short, any and all that could washed their hands of him. He issued an “apology” and met with LGBT and HIV groups to discuss why being ignorant is a bad career move. However, aside from hip-hop’s problem child Boosie Badazz, the industry continues to avoid DaBaby like the plague.
Dave to the Defense?
To be clear, Chappelle did not seek to exonerate DaBaby. In fact, he gave the crowd a biography lesson. Chappelle brought up the 2019 incident in Huntersville, North Carolina in which DaBaby shot a 19 year-old at a Wal-Mart in alleged self defense. The most serious charges were dropped against him, as a witness to the alleged crime “was not available”.
Chappelle’s point? As he said: “Nothing bad happened to his career. Do you see where I’m going with this? In our country, you can shoot and kill a n***a but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings.”
https://twitter.com/nojumper/status/1445469814948917256?s=20
Chappelle’s bit will assuredly spark both blowback and agreements. Stay with us at FMHipHop as the conversation continues.
Garrett C. Owen