Dave Chappelle isn’t shying away from controversial topics in his new comedy special, The Closer.
During the hourlong show, which premiered Tuesday (Oct. 5) on Netflix, Chappelle addressed the offensive comments that DaBaby made earlier this year towards the LGBTQ+ community and individuals living with HIV.
Chappelle noted that the public appeared to be more offended by DaBaby’s comments onstage at Rolling Loud Miami than the fact that he shot and killed a man in 2018.
“Part of the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t know DaBaby’s history,” Chappelle said. “He once shot [19-year-old Jaylin Craig] and killed him, in Walmart. This is true.”
“DaBaby shot and killed a [man] in Walmart in North Carolina. Nothing bad happened to his career,” the Emmy Award-winner continued. “Do you see where I’m going with this? In our country, you can shoot and kill a [man], but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings.”
While chatting with Billboard in October 2019, DaBaby (real name Jonathan Kirk) said he doesn’t feel bad for shooting the man. When asked whether the incident weighs on his conscience, he said, “Not at all. From my end, it was unavoidable. It wasn’t my action, it was my reaction. At the end of the day, my family was right there. My daughter. So, hell no. I don’t lose no sleep.”
In July, a person claiming to be Craig’s cousin called out DaBaby in a since-deleted Twitter post. They reportedly wrote, “Now that so many are apt to cancel him, are we ready to talk about the murder he committed in November 2018?”
They later added, “He lied and said that Jaylin was trying to rob him and that he shot in self-defense … Da Baby Is A Killer and a Menace.”
The cousin concluded the post writing, “Not only did Da Baby kill Jaylin, he’s perpetuated a lie that continues to assassinate Jaylin’s character and tarnish his good name. Well, my family and I have had enough.”
Catch Chappelle’s full comedy special, The Closer, on Netflix.