Rapper DaBaby released from jail after punching his promoter in the face, authorities say
Rapper and songwriter DaBaby was released from jail on Saturday after being arrested for allegedly punching his promoter in the face, police say.
Fresh off a “Saturday Night Live” appearance and a New Year’s Eve gig in Miami, Jonathan Kirk, famously known as DaBaby, was arrested Thursday on a battery, Miami police said.
On Friday, the rapper appeared before Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer regarding a warrant out of Texas and Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbert for his Miami misdemeanor charge. He was issued no bond as he had a warrant and was ordered to stay away from Brickell’s Novatel Hotel and the promoter.
Miami-Dade corrections said Kirk was released Saturday, but was unable to tell the Herald why. NBC 6 reported that Kirk’s Texas warrant was withdrawn, which was the reason he was being held without bond.
Police said the North Carolina musician was scheduled to perform at Cafe Iguana in Pembroke Pines on Thursday, before getting into an altercation after allegedly being short-changed on his fee.
According to police, Kirk, 28, agreed to play the Broward nightclub for $30,000, but when the promoter paid him $20,000, Kirk became enraged.
Kirk and a group of friends attacked the promoter and another man, knocking one of them to the ground, then reaching into the man’s front left pocket and taking an iPhone 7, credit cards and $80, police said. Then, the victim told police, one of the people in Kirk’s group doused him with apple juice.
Police said Kirk and his cohorts fled the scene in a black sports utility vehicle. When Kirk returned three hours later to the lobby of the Novatel Hotel the men identified the musician, who was taken into custody and escorted to Miami police headquarters for questioning.
On Saturday morning, TMZ reported that the promoter — identified solely as Kenneth — said he had been approached by numerous attorneys and that he plans to sue DaBaby and everyone involved in the incident. The website posted a photo of a man with cuts and bruises to the face.
Police said Kirk denied being involved in the incident. Police did not name any of the other people with Kirk or the promoters.
Miami-Dade Corrections spokesman Juan Diasgranados said Kirk arrived at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center late Thursday.
“Mr. Kirk will stay in our custody until further notice,” Diasgranados said.
Kirk was seen in a video posted on Instagram being put into a Miami police car in handcuffs. Miami police initially detained Kirk for questioning about an earlier robbery.
The rapper was in Miami for New Year’s Eve.
DaBaby is scheduled to perform with DJ Khaled and others on Jan. 30 as part of the EA Sports Bowl, the unofficial kickoff “Welcome to Miami Showcase” event at the AmericanAirlines Arena ahead of the Super Bowl. It is unclear if his arrest and possible return to Texas will affect his participation.
This isn’t Kirk’s first run-in with police. He was arrested Dec. 23 in Charlotte, N.C., on a charge of marijuana possession, according to XXL Magazine. He spent his early years in Charlotte.
Kirk tweeted later that day, saying, “Someone died last night while the police department wasting resources and officers to harass me in attempt to make a bad example out of me. When in reality, i’m the most positive example the city of Charlotte got.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 8:08 PM with the headline "Rapper DaBaby released from jail after punching his promoter in the face, authorities say."
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