I didn’t ski in the wrong thing. I have to deal with what comes with that. Danielle Curiel, better known as DaniLeigh, was born on December 20, 1994—a Sagittarius, naturally! At 16, she moved to Los Angeles with her mom to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. The Dominican artist began as a backup dancer for several Def Jam Records artists and performed with her sister under the name Curly Fryz. Her social media videos, especially on Vine, caught Prince’s attention, leading him to ask her to direct his 2014 “Breakfast Can Wait” music video and manage his Instagram account.
After releasing some songs with Curly Fryz, DaniLeigh went solo and signed with Def Jam Records. Her future looked promising, but a series of missteps and public scandals led to her downfall. Grand opening, grand closing.
Before we get started with today’s video, let’s take a moment to relax. Sit back, unwind, and grab some snacks. Our online concession stand at rrg.snacks.com has a great selection of treats to enjoy while you watch, like applewood smoked bacon jerky, blue raspberry licorice, and gummy sour peach rings. That’s a tasty trio!
2017 was a big year for her. She released her first EP, which included the songs “Lurkin'” and “Play.” The next year, she came out with “The Plan,” featuring the track “Easy,” which later got a remix with Chris Brown. She told Esquire magazine that Dominican and Spanish music inspired her, saying, “Yeah, I’m a Dominican mommy. It’s kind of like a flex.”
In 2019, DaBaby was getting ready to shoot the music video for his song “Bop,” and she was hired to co-choreograph the dance routines. At that time, their relationship seemed purely professional. That same year, DaniLeigh released her third studio album, “My Present,” though it didn’t make it to the charts.
In February 2020, DaBaby’s girlfriend, Mariah (also known as Mimi), accused him of getting another woman pregnant. This caused quite a stir! Hours later, DaBaby confirmed to his fans that he did have another baby on the way, which happened while he and Mimi were on a break. Despite all the drama, Mimi said that she and DaBaby were still together and working on their relationship. Then, just a couple of weeks later, Mimi went on Twitter and called DaniLeigh a “Squidward ass b*tch” after fans told her that DaniLeigh was subtweeting her.
First of all, what even is a “Squidward”? Mimi also mentioned that DaniLeigh blocked her on social media. She called DaniLeigh obsessed, and DaniLeigh fired back, telling Mimi to get a job. The back-and-forth continued.
Amid all this, DaniLeigh dropped her new song “Levi High” featuring DaBaby. In the song, DaniLeigh sings, “Leave a hene sittin’ right, keep that ass up. Instagram flex, basic hoes gettin’ gassed up. Btches in my face, boy, bye. Btch, back up. I’m a city girl, it’s only right that I act up.” Did she really say “b*tch” twice? Okay, young lady.
During the pandemic, DaniLeigh and DaBaby spent their quarantine together, which didn’t sit well with fans. Many accused DaniLeigh of being a homewrecker. By July 2020, it looked like DaBaby had gone back to Mimi, especially after Mimi told her child on Instagram Live to stop messing with daddy’s toothbrush. Why did they let him go back and forth like that? It just doesn’t make sense!
In August 2020, DaBaby tweeted, “Some people show their love by being crazy as hell. I’m talking crazy, crazy. My daughter’s mother, Mariah, is one of those people. I love you too, crazy. Now shut the f*ck up texting me, I’m in a meeting.” You young folks are something else. If it were me, I’d be like, who do you think you’re talking to?
Meanwhile, DaniLeigh started posting messages about healing and moving on. She also shared several seductive photos on Instagram, seemingly looking for her next relationship. But she and DaBaby weren’t done yet. In December 2020, she shared a photo of them together with the caption “My baby.” Mimi responded to DaniLeigh’s photo with a picture of herself and DaBaby, writing, “Was this a month ago?” with laughing emojis. In other words, Mimi was implying that DaBaby was still going back and forth between the two women. “My man is my man is your man is her man, too.”
DaniLeigh responded with another picture of her and DaBaby, where he was seen flipping the middle finger. What a gentleman. She released her fourth studio album, “My Movie,” in November 2020, but it didn’t chart. A month later, she put out an EP called “In My Feelings,” which also didn’t make it onto the charts. Maybe waiting more than 30 days between releases would help. It might be a good idea to compile the best tracks from each project for a standout EP.
At the beginning of 2021, DaniLeigh teased a new song with the lyrics, “That’s what he want, he want what he want. Yellow bone, that’s what he wants, what he want, what he want. PR of me and say l PR PR me and but I won’t.” What is she even talking about? The song is a mess. Just terrible.
Did no one tell her this was a bad idea? Clearly, someone should have. Unsurprisingly, the backlash was swift and intense, with many interpreting the song as a jab at Mimi’s skin tone. Amid the controversy, DaniLeigh defended herself on Instagram, saying, “Why can’t I make a song for my lightskin baddies? Why do y’all think I’m hating on others when there are millions of songs celebrating all types? Why are y’all so sensitive and take it personally? God damn!”
Alright, let’s have a chat. Can all the white Latinos please come up to the front? The first step here is recognizing your identity as Black. The whole debate between light-skinned and dark-skinned folks? That’s not your concern if you haven’t even crossed step one. Just to be crystal clear, discussions about light and dark skin only apply within the Black community. If you’re a white Latino, it’s not your place to engage. Check out the Fat Joe video if you need more clarity on this.
Now, onto the Twitter drama. Someone said, “Hey, congrats, now everyone’s got something to say about me. Hate all you want, but only God can cancel me.” But people weren’t having it. They criticized her, a white Latina, for not grasping the impact of colorism in the Black community. They reminded her that terms like “yellow bone” don’t apply to her since she’s not Black. That’s the whole point!
Then she fired back on Twitter, saying, “Stop calling me white; I’m not white. I’m Dominican, and there’s plenty of Black in my heritage.” When someone pointed out that her parents look white, she said they’re just light-skinned. She even added, “My mom’s got thick, curly hair she straightens, and my dad’s darker than me. I’ve got cousins who look just like you. Dominicans are Black too, so quit it. I’m not a white girl.”
Well, for the record, here’s a snap of DaniLeigh’s folks. Clearly, they look white. And two white parents can’t produce a Black child. So, sorry, DaniLeigh, but you’re not a Black woman. Please, have a seat. And then, weeks later, she backtracked and kinda-sorta apologized in a video, while sporting a fresh set of box braids. Not the box braids, really?
DaniL opened up about feeling deeply misunderstood, especially regarding her track “Yellow Bone is What He Want.” She clarified that her aim was never to disparage women of a different skin tone, stressing that such attitudes weren’t part of her upbringing. She firmly stated that she never viewed her own skin color as a privilege or a reason to feel superior. DaniL explained that her intention was simply to celebrate her own skin tone, much like she observes brown-skinned women do in the music industry. However, she acknowledged the seriousness of colorism and apologized for any insensitivity on her part. She vehemently denied being a colorist or racist, citing her relationship with a dark-skinned partner and having dark-skinned friends.
Their relationship took a turn weeks later when DaniL and DaBaby split up, seemingly contradicting the sentiment conveyed in her song. However, their connection took an unexpected turn when DaniL revealed her pregnancy with DaBaby’s child in July 2021. Despite this, tensions escalated, evident in a public spat streamed separately by both parties three months after the birth of their daughter, Velour. The argument grew heated, with DaBaby insisting that DaniL vacate his North Carolina apartment and DaniL accusing him of involving the authorities. She later disclosed that DaBaby had asked her to leave after she arranged for a Plan B pill to be delivered to his apartment, alleging that he only desired to engage with her without any sense of responsibility.
During an Instagram live session, DaBaby aired out some personal matters involving DaniLeigh, making it clear they weren’t an item. He emphasized they weren’t living together and hadn’t been a couple for some time. Despite this, he expressed frustration at DaniLeigh’s attempts to move in with him, prompting him to call the police for his own safety due to their volatile interactions.
Things escalated, leading to DaniLeigh being charged with assault during their last encounter. Eventually, she left with their daughter. In a separate Instagram post, DaniLeigh’s mom and sister defended her against DaBaby’s accusations of familial rejection based on race. Later, DaniLeigh’s brother challenged DaBaby to a fight online, which culminated in his defeat when they met at a bowling alley.
Taking a break from social media in early 2022, DaniLeigh reflected on her actions, acknowledging the need to be more cautious in her public statements. During an interview with Angie Martinez in May 2022, she described her relationship with DaBaby as toxic and revealed his infidelity through her song “Dead to Me.” Despite the absence of an apology, she stated they were striving for a healthy co-parenting dynamic. In August 2022, DaniLeigh was briefly linked with rapper Fabolous, though their involvement didn’t last. Throughout these events, she remained focused on her music career and raising her daughter.
In May 2023, while cruising through Miami in her G-Wagon, DaniLeigh found herself in a nightmare scenario when she collided with a man on a moped. Shockingly, instead of stopping, she kept driving, dragging the moped beneath her car for a block. The consequences were dire: DaniLeigh was arrested on charges of hit-and-run and driving under the influence, while the moped rider suffered serious injuries, including a fractured spine and a lacerated kidney. The aftermath was tumultuous, with DaniLeigh sentenced to five years of probation and facing a pending civil lawsuit from the victim. The incident, coupled with other controversies like her love triangle and controversial music releases, caused a significant decline in her fan base and music career, particularly following the divisive release of her song “Yellow Bone.”
Fast forward to April 2024, where a tearful DaniLeigh took to Snapchat to vent her frustrations about the lack of support for her music. However, her emotional plea was met with little sympathy when shared on other social media platforms, as many criticized her for failing to take responsibility for her actions and show genuine remorse. In response to the backlash, DaniLeigh acknowledged her mistakes and expressed regret, though she cited legal constraints for her inability to elaborate further. Despite her attempts to make amends, her career continues to be scrutinized and ridiculed online.
What’s your take on DaniLeigh’s career trajectory? Share your thoughts below, and thanks for tuning in to RRG.