In his latest livestream, the 'Live Your Life' hitmaker urges people to understand that the stage is not the place where 'rappers go to be sensitive and soothe everybody's feelings.'
- Jul 29, 2021
AceShowbiz - Rapper T.I. has something to say following the recent controversy surrounding DaBaby's homophobic comments at the Rolling Loud festival. Sharing his thoughts during a livestream, the "Live Your Life" rapper accused the gay community of bullying and harassing rappers.
"Everyone up in arms and upset about what DaBaby said. I understand people saying that they feel that it's insensitive," the 40-year-old musician began his statement during an Instagram Live on Wednesday, July 28. He further elaborated, "I think you guys have to understand that on stage, that's not the place that rappers go to be sensitive and soothe everybody's feelings. It's a place to go to have a good time."
T.I. went on to highlight that live concerts seem like a safe space and it's "all done in fun." He added, "If that is the case, why do words cause such a visceral reaction that will lead to someone trying to attack, villainize, demonize, crucify, condemn and like, it's, that s**t is like, now you bullying."
"We all stood up on behalf of gays and lesbians and people in the gay community because we thought it was some bulls**t for y'all to have to be bullied," he continued. The "Dead and Gone" hitmaker then stressed, "But I don't think any of us did that to feel like you would now have the authority to come and bully us."
Previously, T.I. defended DaBaby's homophobic remarks at the festival. He insisted that what the "Red Light Green Light" rapper said was no more disturbing than videos by openly gay rapper Lil Nas X. "If you gonna have the Lil Nas X video and him living his truth, you gonna damn sure have people like DaBaby who gonna speak their truth," he said in a live session.
T.I. also said he had "a lot of respect" for openly queer artists, but he also felt Lil Nas X's new "Industry Baby" video, which features male nudity, went too far. "That s**t ain't for me," he admitted. "I can't look at it."
