Desiigner Allegedly Exposes Himself on a Plane, Will Check In to a Mental Health Facility
After allegedly exposing himself on an international flight, Desiigner says he’s checking himself into a facility for mental health treatment.
As TMZ first reported, the “Panda” rapper is accused of exposing himself on a plane this past weekend from Asia back to the United States and was reprimanded by a flight attendant. Police were waiting for him when the plane landed in Minneapolis, where he was questioned about the incident and released.
On Thursday (April 20), Desiigner posted a statement to his Instagram Stories, saying he’s “ashamed” of his behavior on the plane — which he attributed to medication he was prescribed while hospitalized in Asia — and that he is seeking mental health treatment.
“For the past few months I have not been ok, and I have been struggling to come to terms with what is going on,” the statement begins. “While overseas for a concert I performed at, I had to be admitted in to a hospital, I was not thinking clearly. They gave me meds, and I had to hop on a plane home. I am ashamed of my actions that happened on that plane. I landed back to the states, and am admitting my self in a facility to help me. I will be cancelling all of my shows and my obligations until further notice. Mental health is real guys, please pray for me. If [you’re] not feeling like yourself, please get help.”
The chart-topping rapper was overseas to perform at Rolling Loud Thailand on Friday last week, alongside festival headliners Cardi B, Chris Brown and Travis Scott, and at a nightclub in Tokyo over the weekend.
Desiigner’s breakthrough hit “Panda” spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2016, and he’s scored two other top 40 hits on the chart: “Tiimmy Turner” in 2016 (No. 34 peak) and as a featured guest on BTS’ “MIC Drop” in 2017 (No. 28). Over on the Hot Rap Songs chart, “Panda” — which was nominated for best rap performance at the 59th annual Grammy Awards — spent 17 weeks at No. 1 in 2016.
See Desiigner’s statement before it expires here.
Katie Atkinson
Billboard