Videos by According2HipHop
DaBaby has been back in headlines for more than just music. Weeks after sparking outrage with his self-directed “Save Me” video — which reenacted the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail — the rapper linked up with Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden.
Over the weekend, the Sheriff’s Office posted photos of the two posing together, flashing peace signs. The caption hinted at “important issues and potential collaborations” on the way, telling followers to “stay tuned for what’s in the works.”
The meeting comes in the wake of mounting criticism around DaBaby ’s latest release. The “Save Me” video dramatizes the 2024 stabbing of Zarutska, showing actors portraying both her and the alleged attacker, 34-year-old DeCarlos Brown Jr. In DaBaby ’s retelling, the clip begins with a real news broadcast before cutting to a scene where the rapper steps in to stop the knife. The alternate ending shows Zarutska’s character walking home safely, closing with a screenshot of the real GoFundMe that has raised nearly half a million dollars for her family.
Despite the tribute, the video didn’t sit right with many locals. Transit officials confirmed the scene was filmed without permission on a Charlotte Area Transit System train. CATS security shut down the shoot after riders flagged it through the CATS-Pass app.
DaBaby has insisted the video was meant to honor Zarutska, but Charlotte residents and city officials questioned whether fictionalizing the tragedy was exploitative. The Sheriff’s office didn’t provide details on what collaborations may come out of his meeting with McFadden — but it marks the rapper’s latest move to reshape the conversation following weeks of backlash.
