Halle Bailey’s Boyfriend DDG Addresses His “MLK Canceled Racism” Statement Over The Little Mermaid Controversy

Source: Momodu Mansaray / Getty

Disney’s decision to cast Black R&B artist Halle Bailey as Ariel in its remake of The Little Mermaid has irritated some fans of the franchise. Bailey’s boyfriend, rapper DDG, said he feels that “people [are more so] attacking the character rather than her, personally” on a recent interview for the Bootleg Kev podcast. But DDG’s overall confusion regarding racism in the 21st century left Black Twitter and social media just as lost about him, too.

“I didn’t know people was this racist. I didn’t know this was a thing,” he told Bootleg Kev. “I thought this sh-t was gone already, I thought that sh-t was gone! I thought Martin Luther King [Jr.] canceled that sh-t out! This sh-t is crazy, I was like ‘what the f-ck is these n-ggas talking about?’”

“But at the end of the day, them motherfuckers are still tapping in,” the 24-year-old lyricist added. “They still gonna watch … It’s going No. 1, regardless. And every single Black person in the world is gonna watch.”

People were immediately agitated by the statements by the “Moonwalking in Calabasas” rapper, and they let it be known online.

“Apparently if you are rich you don’t get to experience what regular Black folk experience on a daily…,” one person wrote on the Shade Room’s Instagram account.

“He definitely could’ve worded that better lol,” another person noted.

In turn, DDG gave his own response with the hopes of adding clarity while insinuating he is smarter than his own “MLK” comment may have led listeners to believe.

“I was valedictorian in high school. Obviously MLK ain’t stop racism … It’s called exaggeration lol,” he replied on the same Shade Room post. “See this what’s wrong with our people these days. We attack each other all day every day and no one else. SMH. Y’all have a blessed one.”

DDG even went as far to post his high school valedictorian speech on Twitter as proof of his smarts. “I could also be goofy on digicam however I’m a really clever particular person,” he captioned the clip. “Please Take pleasure in and Share My Valedictorian Speech!”

Meanwhile, comedian Mark Normand was in southern California over the weekend at the Brea Improv. He gave his own light-hearted take on why people should be confused about Bailey’s casting — or any other Black woman, for that matter.