DaBaby met with the Mecklenburg County after his unauthorized music video reenacted the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska.
DaBaby met with Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden earlier this month in Charlotte following public backlash over his unauthorized music video that dramatized the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a local train.
The rapper’s “Save Me” video, which reenacts the killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) light rail, sparked criticism for its depiction of a real-life tragedy.
In the video, DaBaby plays a heroic role, intervening to prevent the attack that, in reality, ended in Zarutska’s death.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office shared images of the meeting on social media over the weekend, showing DaBaby and McFadden posing with peace signs.
The caption noted they discussed “important issues and potential collaborations” and encouraged followers to “stay tuned for what’s in the works.”
The meeting came weeks after the video was filmed without permission aboard a CATS train, according to WSOC-TV. CATS security was alerted via the CATS-Pass app and quickly removed the production crew from the train.
The “Save Me” video opens with actual news footage of the stabbing and ends with a link to a GoFundMe page for Zarutska’s family, which had raised more than $470,000 by early October.
The dramatized narrative sparked debate over whether the tribute crossed a line.
While DaBaby said the video was meant to honor Zarutska, the unauthorized shoot and fictionalized portrayal of the incident drew criticism from Charlotte residents and transit officials.
The sheriff’s office did not disclose specific details about the meeting’s agenda or what future collaboration might look like.
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