DaBaby’s “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch won Top Rap Song at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, but Post Malone’s “Rockstar” played when the North Carolina rapper went on stage to accept the award.
The Billboard Music Awards aired live on Sunday night (May 23), at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. DaBaby won the Top Rap Song award over some stiff competition including 24kGoldn and Iann Dior’s “Mood,” Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP,” Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé’s “Savage (Remix)” and Jack Harlow’s “Whats Poppin” featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne. However, when DaBaby walked onstage to accept his award, he received the wrong welcome music.
The person behind the boards playing the artists’ music mistakenly played Post Malone’s 2018 hit song “Rockstar” featuring 21 Savage instead of DaBaby’s own No. 1-selling record “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch, released in 2020.
The 2019 XXL Freshman didn’t catch the error, possibly because either the music was being played for viewers at home only or he was too excited to receive the big win.
“To be able to put out a song like ‘Rockstar’ in the height of the pandemic, and to have the balls to drop an album and go forward and see it turn out how it turned out and go No. 1,” DaBaby said while accepting his award. “Longest-running No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 2020. It’s nothing short of a blessing. I say all that to say, none of this is possible without God and my team, man, appreciate all of y’all. Oh yeah, most importantly, last but not least, the fans and the supporters. ’Cause if y’all don’t press play, the music doesn’t get heard. I appreciate y’all.”
DaBaby also won the award for Top Streaming Song for “Rockstar.”