Miley Cyrus has taken to Instagram to criticize cancel culture in light of the unfurling controversy surrounding rapper DaBaby.
For context, DaBaby found himself in hot water following a performance at Rolling Loud Festival in Miami last month. During his set, in a bizarre attempt to hype up the crowd, DaBaby encouraged the audience to put their flashlights in the air if they “didn’t show up today with HIV/AIDS or any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that will make you die in two to three weeks.”
Widespread online backlash ensued in the aftermath of his performance: Artists like Dua Lipa, Elton John, Questlove and Madonna all spoke out in condemnation against the rapper; he was pulled from his brand ambassador deal with Boohoo Man; Governor’s Ball, Lollapalooza, Day N Vegas, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Can’t Wait Live!, Music Midtown and Parklife Festival all dropped him from the lineup.
After a misguided initial apology, DaBaby took to Instagram on August 2nd to pen a statement, writing, “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate, and learn from your mistakes.
“As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me — knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance — has been challenging. I appreciate the many people who came to me with kindness, who reached out to me privately to offer wisdom, education, and resources. That’s what I needed and it was received.”
Now, Miley Cyrus has released a statement coming to the support of DaBaby.
The post’s caption reads, “@DaBaby check your DMS — would love to talk and see how we can learn from each other and help be part of making a more just and understanding future!”
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In her statement, Cyrus wrote, “As a proud and loyal member of the LGBTQIA+ community, much of my life has been dedicated to encouraging love, acceptance, and open mindedness. The internet can fuel a lot of hate & anger and is the nucleus of cancel culture… but I believe it can also be a place filled with education, conversation, communication & connection.”
Cyrus continued, “It’s easier to cancel someone than to find forgiveness and compassion in ourselves or take the time to change hearts and minds. There’s no more room for division if we want to keep seeing progress! Knowledge is power! I know I still have so much to learn.”
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