What Happend to Boyinaband? The YouTuber Has a Controversial Past and Present
Published Sept. 3 2023, 9:41 a.m. ET
Report online or in-person sexual abuse of a child or teen by calling the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or visiting childhelp.org. Learn more about the warning signs of child abuse at RAINN.org.
YouTuber David Brown, known mostly as Boyinaband, was once one of the most popular content creators on the entire YouTube platform and known for his comedy-based videos. He has collaborated with over a dozen other creators, including PewDiePie.
Even though he still has over 2 million followers on the website, his reputation has dwindled over the years. Hardly anyone discusses him on the internet and he hasn't worked with any other YouTubers in years. Here's why Boyinaband's fanbase has declined.
What happened to Boyinaband? 2022 changed everything.
In 2022, David was accused of very serious allegations, including hebephilia and mental abuse of women. We Got This Covered reported that a total of five women spoke out against him, choosing to remain anonymous.
The creator has not responded to any of the claims. In fact, he hasn't posted any content on YouTube since 2019. He also hasn't shared anything on his Instagram account since the accusations went public, but his account is still active and has over 200,000 followers.
It has not been reported whether or not there is a current legal case going on against him. If so, then that might be the reason for his online hiatus.
But this wasn't the only controversy about him.
Prior to the allegations, Boyinaband's "Don't Stay In School" was not well received.
Boyinaband is not a stranger to having a bad reputation. He first got famous online after releasing a song titled "Don't Stay In School" in 2015. The song went viral with nearly 50 million views on YouTube and catapulted his entire music career.
Not surprisingly given the title, the song was heavily criticized in the media for encouraging kids to rebel and not attend school, thus labeling him as a bad influence.
Nevertheless, David went on to release several more songs and reached the milestone of over 100 million streams on Spotify, joining an elite list including Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, and more.
Boyinaband has had problems with his mental health.
David has been open and honest about his mental health journey, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 he typed out a comment to his fanbase that suggested his struggle with depression.
"I'm trying to let myself get my hopes up. Maybe part of my depression has been denying myself anticipation of happiness (I used to stop myself if I noticed I was getting excited about something 'prematurely'), but that hope came effortlessly in the first month of the 10 mg meds," he wrote on YouTube.
In the same post, he asked fans whether or not he should take the suggested dose of his prescription medication. After receiving frantic responses to his alarming message, he reassured his followers that he had taken the instructed amount.
Since 2022, there have been no updates about the current allegations against him. And since no fans have shared photos of seeing him out in public so far, his current well-being is unknown.
If you or someone you know needs help, use SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to find support for mental health and substance use disorders in your area or call 1-800-662-4357 for 24-hour assistance.
