As the melodrama involving DaniLeigh and DaBaby unfolds on social media, I remember her light-skinned anthem released earlier this year and I can’t help but wonder if this is retribution for the Dominican-rapper who perpetuated colorism in the Black community
The gag is…the title.
Unless you’re on a social media fast — which I need to seriously consider, you’ve heard about what’s going on with DaBaby and his girlfriend DaniLeigh.
According to several reports, in the wee hours of Sunday night into Monday morning, police were called to DaBaby’s home under suspicion of assault. The victim is being listed as Jonathan Kirk (rap name, DaBaby). Later into Monday morning the police came again at around 9:35 a.m. and according to Rolling Stone, Kirk told police that he was assaulted by Danielle Curiel (rap name DaniLeigh).
Curiel was served with a Criminal Summons for Simple Assault for both incidents.
This all happened on social media — a live the two were doing when they began engaging in a heated exchange. During their exchange, Curiel appears to be feeding their daughter. She argued that the rapper hadn’t been around as much as she would like for her and their child.
Kirk says in an Instagram post: “I don’t want no charges pressed or nothing. I just want her peacefully removed, which they need to hurry up (and) do as we speak. I ain’t even want that behavior on display, but it’s OK, man this too shall pass, it’s all good.”
In a separate post from Curiel, who was removed from the premises — she suggests Kirk wants her out of the house so that he can sleep with other women, including his first baby’s mother with whom Curiel also had a public feud.
At the top of 2021, the musical chairs that the industry and social media girls play had come to a halt when Da Baby and DaniLeigh became linked in the media. Prior to that, he had been with his longtime girlfriend, and mother of his children, MeMe.
Around that same time, DaniLeigh released a snippet of a song she’d be working on entitled, “Yellow Bone” and Black Twitter got in her fabulously kinky curls — as they should have. It was widely assumed to be a diss track aimed at MeMe — a stunningly gorgeous girl who happens to be brown skin.
At first, Curiel doubled down, saying in a Twitter post, “Why can’t I make a song for my light skin baddies?” She further added, “Only God can ‘cancel’ me… that sh*t don’t mean sh*t to me.”
She later apologized in a video, also posted to social media, largely saying, “It wasn’t something that I looked at deeply… I feel misunderstood.” Black Twitter wasn’t impressed.
The Paper Bag Test, The Blue Vein Society, and the Doll Test, all brought to life the harsh realities of colorism — establishing it as a serious problem in the Black community.
According to VOX, a recent study was conducted by Villanova University’s Lance Hannon which found that light skinned Blacks and Hispanics were assumed to be more intelligent than dark-skinned Black people who had the same educational achievements.
It should be noted that Curiel is a self-proclaimed woman of Dominican decent.
When MeMe posted an Insta-Story featuring a confused cartoon and lyrics from Yung Miami’s latest song, “Rap Freaks,” Curiel wasn’t amused.
Curiel’s questioning of MeMe is ironic since she posted earlier in the day that Kirk wanted to engage in a sexual relationship with his baby’s mother.
Support for Kirk and Curiel seems to be split down the middle. So far, and most famously, R&B powerhouse of pain, Summer Walker, offered support to Curiel in a social media post. Walker’s sophomore album Still Over It is dominating the charts with fans speculating which songs are about her public break from super-producer (and father of her first child), London on da Track.
Was what happened to Curiel poetic justice, or unsanctimonious and cruel?
Could it perhaps be both at the same time?
Curiel’s brother seems to think it’s the latter. In a social media post, he’s threatening Kirk promising that the two will fight when the rapper is next on the West Coast.
A few weeks ago at Rolling Loud Miami, Kirk made comments which went viral almost immediately about the AIDS community, the LGBTQIA+ community, and women. He began losing money from lucrative festival appearances and concerts all of whom dropped the rapper from their lineups.
Curiel and MeMe were both silent.
With support from 50 Cent, T.I. And several other rappers, Kirk seems to be making a comeback — and that’s cute, or whateva.
There’s a bigger conversation that needs to be had having to do with the idea of colorism and protection. Would the optics have been perceived the same had it been MeMe he kicked out of the house in front of a live audience on Instagram?
Are dark-skinned tears, not as important?
I was always in grown folk’s business — I have no problem admitting that. One thing I remember the mothers of the neighborhood talking about on the steps while smoking and playing spades — “how you get him, is how you lose him.”