Painter, Bruce White Jr., who goes by the name B. White Creations, speaks out after viral video of rapper DaBaby rejecting his painting he made of his two daughters. The Memphis native, who moved to Dallas three years ago to expand his platform, told viewers that he didn’t have any ill intentions in painting a portrait of his two daughters, not knowing that it would garner negative reactions. He started off by sharing how he got started in the industry, connecting with the right people through networking, which gave him exclusive access to celebrities.
White said that he built a name for himself, and his popularity grew around the city. He would receive word on who’s in town or coming to town. Over time, he was advised by someone in the industry that painting portraits of people who matter most to artists would create a better emotional reaction and connection from the artists rather than painting the artists. He took this advice seriously and has been following this approach for approximately two and a half years, observing that while the results have been predominantly positive, they can occasionally be unpredictable.
With DaBaby situation, he said that it was “just another day at work.” He met with his team on what type of painting of importance that would matter to the Charlotte, NC rapper. White said that he was either going to paint a picture of his parents or somebody close to him—noting that it was a last-minute notice that he heard that he would be in town. White did research on the spot to determine what portrait would work. During his research he saw a picture of five children, and some of the pictures were blurry. He said that he likes to do two or three images. He submitted the concept to his team to paint his daughters and was given their approval. He said that he also painted a picture of Big Boogie’s daughter, who was also on tour as well. He said that he was going to meet Big Boogie at the show but didn’t get access and went to the afterparty instead. Later, at an afterparty, he attempted to present the portrait to the “Bop” rapper. He noticed that the rapper kept looking at the painting but gave no clear reaction. He described his reaction as indifferent before he kept walking, leaving him confused.
According to White, he wasn’t sure if he preferred for the portrait to be presented to him after the party was over, so he decided to stay for the rest of the show. Afterward, White tried again outside the venue to present the portrait to him but said he was repeatedly ignored by both the rapper and the rapper’s team, though they weren’t outright rude. Confused about the situation, when he went back to his team, White learned that DaBaby didn’t like the portrait. He was more frustrated at his team than DaBaby’s reaction because his team didn’t notify him sooner that DaBaby disliked the portrait – detailing that they should have told him that 40 minutes ago, as he had stayed out until 3 a.m. despite having work a few hours later. His team apologized to him, stating that such an incident had never occurred before.
He said that later that night, between 7 PM and 8 PM, he discovered that he had gone viral. He said that the edited video of him trying to give the 34-year-old rapper the portrait with the sad music in the background, portrayed him as being desperate. In White’s, he shared that whoever recorded and edited the video tried to spin the narrative of what actually happened and was trying to embarrass him.
In response to backlash, DaBaby posted his video on his Instagram story, explaining his reaction. He said that, in general, he finds it inappropriate for any grown man to take pictures, paint pictures of his daughters, and discuss his daughters – emphasizing that he’s very protective of his children. He said that if others think otherwise, they should send a picture of their daughter(s) to him and let him paint a portrait of their kids and show him the appreciation. He stated that he also doesn’t accept images of his kids, especially in a nightclub setting, and stands firm on his principles as a father.
White said he didn’t take the rejection personally, acknowledging that “sometimes you win some and lose some.” However, he took issue with how the situation was framed publicly. He felt that DaBaby’s comments and the viral clip unfairly painted him in a negative light, even suggesting harmful implications about his character as if he was lame, a weirdo, and a creep. White strongly denied any inappropriate intent, saying he’s a child of God and his work and reputation speak for themselves.
He even said that he read some of the comments that shared a different perspective on the situation. He added that while he now understands the perspective of others as a protective parent, he believes that if DaBaby had reviewed his work beforehand, he would have seen there was no malicious intent and he was not intentionally trying to target people’s children. He said that he wasn’t trying to get any clout from the situation. White emphasized that he used the publicly available images of his children, and was simply trying to create a meaningful gift and welcome him to the city with hospitality.
White said the situation disrupted his private time with his family during the Easter holiday. He also interpret that the rapper thought the portrait was ugly and inaccurately resembling his children. Still, he pushed back against accusations that he was chasing clout or fame, arguing that the viral attention came from DaBaby’s reaction, not his own actions. He said that he never in a million years thought that something like that would happen and said that he cannot grasp how DaBaby can spin it into a negative. He stated that whatever negative intentions the devil had, God would transform them into something for his good.
He said that he can execute his talent off of what God blessed him with, contrary to the narrative that was spun about him. He maintained that his goal has always been to use his artistic talent to uplift others and his community and to continue building his name through his positive work. Although he acknowledged that the situation surprised him, he expressed his determination to remain positive. White even offered an apology to DaBaby if any offense was caused, reiterating that his intentions were rooted in respect and admiration. Despite the controversy, he said he holds no ill will toward DaBaby, concluding that he approached the situation with love and has no reason to leave with hate.
