RAPPER DaBaby is receiving major backlash after posting a new controversial music video.
In the video, DaBaby, 33, reenacts Iryna Zarutska’s horrifying murder in his song Save Me.
The four-minute music video ends differently from the Ukrainian refugee’s story, however.
DaBaby’s music video starts with heartbreaking news clips depicting Zarutska’s journey on public transportation in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Just minutes after getting on the train, the 23-year-old was stabbed to death by a stranger on her way home from work.
The murder, which happened on August 22, sparked public outrage and fear amongst Americans.
DaBaby’s music video captures that fear with the news clips before transitioning into his own imagination of how the night could’ve ended differently.
In the video, DaBaby, who was raised in Charlotte, wears a black hoodie as he stares out the train window.
The rapper is sitting across from an actor depicting the suspected stabber, DeCarlos Brown.
The actor is dressed the same as Brown was dressed that night, in a red hood with jeans.
DaBaby begins rapping: “Think you could save me like your God or something?”
Shortly after, the actress playing Zarutska walks onto the train and takes a seat.
The blonde-haired actress looks nearly identical to how Zarutska looked the night she was murdered.
The camera cuts to the actor playing Brown, who is fidgeting around as the young woman sits in front of him.
The actor rubs his head and leans on the window, just as Brown did in the surveillance video.
The scene occasionally cuts back to DaBaby rapping his song as the two sit to his left.
Decarlos Brown Jr.’s criminal history
This is a timeline of Decarlos Brown Jr.’s criminal history since 2011
- 2011-Present: Arrested 14+ times for various crimes such as felony larceny, armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, burglary, shoplifting, assault, making threats/communicating threats, misuse of 911/false emergency calls
- 2020: Sentenced to prison for felony larceny and armed robbery
- 2021: Assaulted his sister shortly after release, causing minor injuries
- January 2025: Arrested for misusing 911 and claiming man-made substances controlled his body
- July 2025: Mental Health evaluation ordered with a schizophrenia diagnosis, but the evaluation was not carried out
“When I stay silent on my morals, yeah it cost me plenty,” DaBaby raps.
“Better stay out my face cause I’m a man and I will bleed you down.”
The video cuts back over to Brown’s actor, who is holding a knife he presumably took out of his pocket.
Brown’s actor then lunges for Zarutska as he goes to get off the train.
However, unlike in real life, DaBaby, who is meant to be just another bystander on the train, stops Brown before he can kill Zarutska.
In reality, as caught on security footage, no bystander protected the Ukrainian immigrant or went to check if she was okay afterwards.
As the video ended, Brown’s actor was then greeted by police who arrested him as he came off the train.
The security seen in the footage is reportedly real as the rapper allegedly did not have permission to film on the train, according to Axios.
“A dedication to Iryna Zarutska,” DaBaby captioned his video.
The dedication video elicited a mixed response from viewers.
“Using the murder of an innocent woman to revive your career is one HELL of a choice….” one user commented.
Another user called the rapper “disgusting” for reenacting Zarutska’s death.
“You are disgusting for using someone’s death for likes and clicks, you’re a horrible, terrible human being,” one woman wrote.
In contrast, some users supported DaBaby’s message.
“For those who understand this is a great message,” one man commented.
