Kanye West appears to have replaced Jay-Z’s verse from their Donda collaboration track with one from controversial rapper DaBaby. The song, which West played at two previous album listening parties, originally included a feature from the “Big Pimpin’” rapper, but at Wednesday’s Donda event at Soldier Field in Chicago instead featured a new verse from DaBaby.
DaBaby was widely condemned in July after making homophobic and misinformed comments about HIV and AIDS during his performance at Rolling Loud Miami. Dua Lipa, Elton John, Demi Lovato, and Madonna were among the celebrities to call out the rapper for his behavior, and West’s DaBaby collaboration “Nah Nah Nah (Remix)” was removed from digital streaming platforms at the time.
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The rapper then apologized on his Instagram page for the “hurtful and triggered comments” he made before then deleting the remorseful post. “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate and learn from your mistakes,” he wrote in the now-deleted apology. “As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me — knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance — has been challenging.”
In addition to DaBaby, West brought out Marilyn Manson at Wednesday’s event and plans to collaborate with the rocker on Donda. Manson faces accusations of sexual abuse and domestic violence from more than 15 women, including actresses Evan Rachel Wood and Esmรฉ Bianco. The singer has denied all of the accusations against him and is not facing criminal charges.
Manson’s ex-girlfriend Ashley Morgan Smithline also accused the singer of sex trafficking, telling PEOPLE after filing a lawsuit against Manson in May she lives in “constant fear even to this day.” Smithline detailed the abuse she allegedly faced, claiming that the artist cut her ribs with a knife during sex, raped her countless times, broke her nose and locked her in a soundproof space, among other allegations. Showing the outlet the M.M. initial carving she has now on her leg, “I was brainwashed, and it makes me feel disgusting.”
