DaBaby's "Save Me" lyrics explored as the music video faces backlash for recreating Iryna Zarutska's murder 

Rapper DaBaby recently released a new song titled Save Me to pay tribute to Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed by a fellow passenger on Charlotte's Lynx Blue Line train on August 22, 2025. The CCTV video of Zarutska's murder went viral on social media, with DaBaby using the footage as the introduction in the music video for Save Me, released on September 16, 2025.

The Cleveland-born rapper, who was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, faced backlash for recreating Zarutska's murder in the music video, albeit with a twist. In the video, the rapper portrayed himself as a good Samaritan who intervened and stopped the alleged suspect, Decarlos Brown, from stabbing Zarutska.

In the song's chorus, DaBaby repeatedly questioned listeners if they thought they can save him, as if they were God. Furthermore, he alluded to having been pushed to the sidelines despite starting no trouble, claiming that he spent "a couple million" dollars paying his lawyers.

"(You think you can save me?)/ Like right now/ Yeah, like, I wanna see you right motherf**kin' now, like, get here (How you think you can save me?)/ Think you can save me like you God or somethin'?/ I've been put up out the way, I ain't been startin' nothin'/ 'Cause I done spent a couple million on them lawyer fees."

Several social media users criticized the music video for its link to Iryna Zarutska's murder. X users are accusing DaBaby of being disrespectful, with some calling out the rapper for allegedly recording and releasing the video for attention and clout.

Meanwhile, others wondered why DaBaby released Save Me and its accompanying music video.

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Exploring the lyrics of DaBaby's Save Me

The music video for DaBaby's Save Me opened with the CCTV footage of Iryna Zarutska entering the Lynx Blue Line train in Charlotte on August 22, 2025. Following this, the song began with the line, "You think you can save me," and the music video showed snippets of the rapper seated in a train.

In the first verse, the rapper seemingly alluded to losing opportunities and money by standing up for his beliefs. However, he implied that it was a lose-lose situation, stating that being quiet about his morals also cost him a lot. He also reflected on his relationships with his allies and subsequent betrayals, adding that his life experiences have left him on high alert every time he leaves his house.

"'Cause when you really stand on business, it's gon’ cost some money/ And I looked at shit like it was normal, it was off the muscle/ When I get back and start performin', it's gon' cost you double/ When I stayed silent in my morals, yeah, it cost me plenty," he rapped.

DaBaby continued:

"Every time you see 'em out, act like you don't know them lames/ Every time I'm leavin' out, I watch all 3 of my mirrors, and check the cameras 'fore I leave the house/ Makin' sure ain't no snakes around my land, I gotta weed 'em out/ Better stay out my face 'cause I'm a man and I'll bleed you down/ A man, I wanna see you smile/ A man, I wanna see you strong/ A man don't wanna see you down/ A man'll tell you come outside/ A man'll wanna see you now."

DaBaby performing at Rolling Loud Miami 2021 (Image via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the music video showed clips of DaBaby rapping. This was interspersed with shots of an actor playing the suspect Decarlos Brown, dressed in a similar red hoodie, on the train, while an actress playing Iryna Zarutska is seen walking towards the train. During the chorus, the actress boarded the train.

In the second verse, DaBaby mused on people's shifting loyalties and wavering love. Furthermore, he alluded to the difficulties he faced, adding that people acted like they knew him and were owed something.

"You go through s**t and, yeah, you act like it ain't never nothin'/ That youngin hurtin', he need love, so you can't tell him nothin'/ He got that .40 in his backpack, he ain't scared of nothin'/ They think they know you, n***as act like you a h* or somethin'/ Them n***as played, you gon' blow it, you gon' show 'em somethin'/ Them n***as actin' like you owe 'em, you don't owe 'em nothin'."

In the final chorus, DaBaby indicated that he believed some people were beyond saving, adding that he might be one of those people. However, he also clarified that he wasn't waiting to be saved as he had put his faith in God. Just as the final chorus tapered off, the actor portraying Brown is seen standing up and holding a knife similar to the one used in the actual murder.

However, in the music video, DaBaby's tattooed hand grabbed the attacker's wrist to stop the murder. The rapper then escorted the attacker off the train and into police custody. The video ends with a screenshot of Iryna Zarutska's GoFundMe page, which has currently raised over $436,000 of its $470,000 goal.

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In other news, Decarlos Brown, the suspect accused of stabbing Iryna Zarutka, was indicted for murder on September 16, 2025.

Edited by Juhi Marzia