A Michigan rapper is suing Lyft, alleging a driver refused to pick her up over concerns about her weight.
Dajua Blanding, 36, known as Dank Demoss, recorded the incident earlier this month. In the video, she argues with the driver, insisting she can fit in the car, while he repeatedly refuses.
“I can fit in this car,” Blanding insisted in the video.
Dank Demoss selfie posted on her instagram, Photo Credit: dankdemoss/Instagram
“Believe me, you can’t,” the driver responded.
The driver canceled the ride, assuring Blanding she wouldn’t be charged. However, she has now sued the rideshare company, alleging the incident caused her humiliation and discrimination.
“I’ve ridden in smaller cars before,” she said in an interview. “I just want them to know it hurt my feelings.”
After sharing the video on Instagram, reactions flooded in, with many supporting the driver. Some argued she should have chosen a larger option, like a Lyft XL, designed for more space.
Dank Demoss selfie posted on her instagram, Photo Credit: dankdemoss/Instagram
“It’s illegal to overload a car,” one commenter noted. “The driver was polite, explained his reasoning, and even apologized… try looking at it from another perspective.”
Despite the criticism, Blanding refused to back down. In the caption of her viral post, she accused Lyft of unfair treatment toward plus-sized riders.
“AM I WRONG?” she wrote. “Lyft, what do you have to say about this driver discriminating against me? I feel like you treat bigger people like s***—like we don’t belong.”
Blanding’s lawsuit claims the driver arrived in a Mercedes-Benz sedan but locked his doors and tried to leave after seeing her. When confronted, she alleges he said she was too large for the backseat and even suggested her weight could damage his tires.
Back of a car with a lyft sticker, Photo Credit: FOX 5 Atlanta/Youtube
In the video, Blanding is heard asking, “What do I have to do with your tires?”
Her attorneys, Jonathan Marko and Zach Runyan, argue the driver’s refusal violated Michigan law, which protects individuals from discrimination based on weight.
“I knew it was illegal, and I knew it was wrong,” Marko told Fox 2, comparing the situation to denying service based on race or religion.
Runyan stressed, “Refusing transportation based on weight isn’t just illegal—it’s dangerous. What if Ms. Blanding had been left stranded in unsafe conditions? This could have ended far worse.”
While some critics argue the lawsuit unfairly targets a driver protecting his vehicle, Blanding remains defiant. Days after posting the original footage, she shared another Instagram video of herself in yoga shorts and a jacket, writing:
“Me trying to get Lyft to stop discriminating against my weight and let me in the car! Would you let me in?? Anyway, meet me at the Sexxy Red afterparty.”
Blanding has spoken about her weight before, sharing in December that she weighed over 500 pounds but had recently lost more than 40.
Side of a car and a driver that has been blurred, Photo Credit: FOX 5 Atlanta/Youtube
Lyft responded to the controversy with a statement, asserting the company “unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination.”
“We believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and kindness. Our community guidelines and terms of service strictly prohibit harassment and discrimination,” the statement said.
As the lawsuit progresses, it raises broader questions about passenger rights, driver discretion, and the balance between personal safety concerns and discrimination within the gig economy.
Sources: Daily Mail
