Yesterday, many folks celebrated Juneteenth by having gatherings (with social distancing measures), volunteering, and reflecting. DaBaby took a different route as the rapper held a discussion on systemic racism and police reform in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.
The event was called “Black Lives BEEN Mattered,” and the rapper invited community leaders and city officials like former Carolina Black Panther Thomas Davis, Mayor Vi Lyles, and more. During the conversation, DaBaby spoke about his run-in with Charlotte police that stemmed from marijuana charge the rapper says was unlawful. Dababy went on to accuse police of racially profiling him. The rapper spoke on how the event came about, saying it was “an opportunity to give people whose voices aren’t heard, whose voices don’t reach a million people, the opportunity to be heard. Getting those voices heard, those statements heard, those opinions heard, in a room full of respected individuals, I just feel like it was important.”