Michigan rapper Dajua “Dank Demoss” Blanding is taking Lyft to court after a driver refused to let her into his vehicle, claiming she was “too big” to fit. The 36-year-old artist captured the entire exchange on video, which has since sparked debate online.
In the footage, Blanding can be heard insisting she could comfortably fit in the car, while the driver repeatedly disagrees. “You can’t, believe me,” he tells her before canceling the ride—though he assured her she wouldn’t be charged. Despite this, Blanding says the experience left her feeling humiliated and discriminated against.
“I have been in cars smaller than that,” she said in an interview. “I just want them to understand how hurtful this was.”
While some social media users defended the driver, suggesting she should have booked a larger vehicle like a Lyft XL, Blanding remains firm in her stance. In a now-viral Instagram post, she accused Lyft of unfair treatment toward plus-sized passengers. “You guys treat big people like s***,” she wrote. “As if we don’t belong here.”
Her legal team argues that the driver’s refusal violates Michigan law, which includes weight as a protected characteristic. Attorney Jonathan Marko compared the situation to denying service based on race or religion.
Lyft has stated that discrimination goes against its policies, but the case raises broader questions about passenger rights and driver discretion in the gig economy.
