Elton John is the latest celebrity to condemn the homophobic remarks made by rapper DaBaby at Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival over the weekend.
The “I’m Still Standing” singer explained that spreading homophobic misinformation is harmful to the LGBTQ community — especially those with HIV.
Taking to Instagram Wednesday, Sir Elton shared an post that read, “HIV misinformation and homophobia have no place in the music industry. We must break down the stigma around HIV and not spread it. As musicians, it’s our job to bring people together.”
“We’ve been shocked to read about the HIV misinformation and homophobic statements made at a recent DaBaby show. This fuels stigma and discrimination and is the opposite of what our world needs to fight the AIDS epidemic,” the five-time Grammy winner continued in a lengthy caption.
“HIV has affected over 70 million people globally: men, women, children and the most vulnerable people in our communities,” he expressed. “In America, a gay black man has a 50% lifetime chance of contracting HIV. Stigma and shame around HIV and homosexuality is a huge driver of this vulnerability. We need to break down the myths and judgements and not fuel these.”
“You can live a long and healthy life with HIV,” he continued. “Treatment is so advanced that with one pill a day, HIV can become undetectable in your body so you can’t pass it onto other people.”
Sir Elton reiterated that rather than spread misinformation, musicians should “bring people together.”
“Homophobic and HIV mistruths have no place in our society and industry and as musicians, we must spread compassion and love for the most marginalized people in our communities,” he closed.
DaBaby has since apologized for his weekend remarks, tweeting on Tuesday night, “What I said was insensitive.”
Anybody who done ever been effected by AIDS/HIV y’all got the right to be upset, what I said was insensitive even though I have no intentions on offending anybody. So my apologies 🙏🏾
But the LGBT community… I ain’t trippin on y’all, do you. y’all business is y’all business.
— DaBaby (@DaBabyDaBaby) July 27, 2021
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