Charlotte is in mourning, y’all. The city is in shock over the killing of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who sought safety in this city and died on the LYNX Blue Line light rail. She was stabbed to death by a stranger on August 22, namely Decarlos Brown, in a scene that left people devastated and outraged.
This wasn’t senseless violence. It could have been prevented. Brown had been jailed in the past but was released. Activists have been vocally stating for decades now how our system is broken when it comes to mental health treatment and keeping unsafe individuals accountable, and Zarutska’s killing is the heartbreaking evidence.
And now our very own DaBaby has added his two cents to the dialogue, the only way he knows how: with sound.
Save Me” is not just a song but an assertion.
Tuesday afternoon saw DaBaby drop the video to “Save Me,” and it cannot be overlooked. The first 30 seconds are shaky news footage from WCNC Charlotte reporter Jesse Pierre’s coverage of Zarutska’s death. Then it shifts.
DaBaby is riding the light rail and watching two actors reenact the stabbing. This time, however, the script is flipped. Zarutska is not dying, but instead steps in and saves her. She lives.
The scenes are intense. Natalie Jones is Zarutska, and KenDarius “Too” Hargrove is Brown. And DaBaby? The witness, the guardian, the rewrite of what cannot be rewritten in life. Complicated and emotional.
Lyrics That Cut Deeply
DaBaby is not being subtle. The lyrics seem like he is wrestling with demons, but addressing the ones responsible for killing Zarutska.
“Think you can save me like you God or somethin’.”
“When I stay silent in my morals, yeah, it cost me plenty.”
“They say they love you then they act like they ain’t never love you.”
“That youngin’ hurtin’ and he need love, so you can’t tell him nothing.”
Then he pauses, looks into the camera, and admits:
“It’s just some people, man. Unfortunately, we can’t save ‘em. I might be one of them.”
It’s jarring. He’s not just talking about Brown. He’s talking about himself, about all of us, about how salvation isn’t guaranteed. But he closes with faith, making it clear where he stands:
“I ain’t looking for you to save me. Be more grateful. I’m gonna put my faith in God.”
The hook “you think you can save me” sticks in your chest long after the video ends.
Tribute That Translates into Real-World
This is not performative for views. At the conclusion of the video, DaBaby mentioned Zarutska’s GoFundMe, which had already brought in over $430,000 for her family.
And let’s be clear, this is hardly the first time DaBaby has addressed mental health. Following the loss of his brother to suicide in 2020, he’s been an outspoken advocate for increased resources and support. And in a manner of speaking, “Save Me” carries on that cause by shedding light on how untreated mental health emergencies and flawed systems create tragedies in vain.
CATS Wasn’t Having It
Of course, the uproar arrived soon. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) issued a statement claiming DaBaby never received permission to shoot from their trains.
“CATS was not involved in this filming, nor did we grant permission. This filming was reported last night via the CATS See-Say Application in the CATS-Pass App at which time security responded by escorting them off the vehicle as per the video.”
So yes, the guy got booted off the train he videotaped. Some might describe that as fearless, others as reckless. However, either term adds another segment to the drama.
What This Is For DaBaby and Charlotte
DaBaby has never been non-polarizing. Folks either ride or eye-roll for him, and “Save Me” doesn’t alter that. For one group of people, the video is an honorable, tearful tribute that employs creativity to bring light to a tragedy. For another group of individuals, it is an overly messy and selfish video in which DaBaby positions himself as the hero in another person’s tale.
But the reality is: people are discussing. They are discussing Zarutska, mental health reform, violence in Charlotte, and whose narratives it is to tell. Perhaps it is all about that.
“Save Me” isn’t clean, it isn’t easy, and it isn’t comfortable. Neither is grieving. Neither is attempting to make sense of anything so vile as what has been done to Zarutska. Ultimately, DaBaby’s video causes us to sit with the question we don’t wish to have on our lips: is it possible to save anybody?
