Topline
The custody battle between singer and actress Halle Bailey and her ex-boyfriend, the rapper DDG, has heated up as DDG asked a judge to block Bailey from taking their infant son with her to Italy, alleging she poses a risk to their son’s safety because she has previously threatened self-harm.
Halle Bailey and ex-boyfriend, rapper DDG, are in a custody battle over their infant son. (Photo by … More
Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Key Facts
DDG requested a restraining order against Bailey in Los Angeles court on Wednesday and asked a judge to block her from taking Halo, their 17-month-old son, to Italy with her, alleging Bailey would pose “imminent emotional and psychological risk to the minor child based on repeated, documented threats of self-harm.”
DDG, whose real name is Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., alleged in court filings Bailey once took his firearm and left their house while threatening to harm herself, stating she “environment of emotional distress and danger within the home,” and his filings contain text messages appearing to show Bailey threatening self-harm, Billboard reported.
Bailey, 25, and DDG, 27, have been locked in a custody battle over their son since Bailey filed a restraining order against him in May, accusing him of physical and verbal abuse, including an alleged incident in which he slammed her face on a steering wheel in front of their son.
Bailey also alleged DDG has riled up his fans to send online hate to Bailey by accusing her of keeping their son from him on his livestreams, and she detailed another incident in which she filed a police report after DDG allegedly threw her phone from a car window.
The couple split in October 2024 after nearly three years of dating, at the time stating they were “still best friends” and planned to co-parent their son.
Forbes has reached out to lawyers representing both Bailey and DDG for comment.
What To Watch For
Bailey is slated to depart for Italy to film a movie for two months on June 7, Billboard reported, and a judge is expected to rule on whether she will be allowed to bring her son. The court also set June 24 as the date for a hearing on Bailey and DDG’s restraining orders against one another.
Key Background
Bailey and DDG began dating in January 2022, though they did not publicly acknowledge their relationship on social media until March of that year. Bailey gave birth to their son in December 2023, announcing his birth in an Instagram post the following month. Bailey had largely kept her pregnancy a secret despite fan speculation, stating months after her child’s birth at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood ceremony she “had no obligation to expose him, me or my family to that unyielding spotlight.”
Who Is Ddg?
DDG first started his career in entertainment as a YouTube content creator, posting vlogs and prank videos. He dropped out of college in 2016, stating he made more money from his YouTube careers, after which he started releasing music. He has since released four albums, including his only charting hit in the United States, “Moonwalking in Calabasas,” and he has collaborated with artists including Lil Yachty, Gunna and DaBaby. He maintains active profiles on YouTube and streaming platform Twitch, where he has 3.6 million subscribers and 1.6 million followers, respectively.
Who Is Halle Bailey?
Bailey first rose to fame as one half of Chloe x Halle, a singing duo with her older sister, Chloe Bailey. The two first garnered attention for singing Beyoncé songs on their YouTube channel, racking up more than 22 million views on a cover of her song “Pretty Hurts” in 2013. Bailey and her sister have been considered protégés of Beyoncé, whose company Parkwood Entertainment signed them for a six-album deal in 2016. Chloe x Halle have released two studio albums, “The Kids Are Alright” in 2018 and “Ungodly Hour” in 2020, though they have since pursued solo careers. Halle Bailey achieved wider recognition for a series of high-profile acting roles, including the lead role in “The Little Mermaid” live-action remake and a supporting role in “The Color Purple,” in 2023. Her role in the former film made her the target of racist backlash from critics who felt the casting of a Black Ariel was unfaithful to the original animated film, prompting Disney to defend her and Bailey to say it is important for her to “represent all of these little young Black and brown boys and girls.”
Further Reading
Halle Bailey accuses ex DDG of physical and emotional abuse in restraining order request (USA Today)