By Michael Phillips

In a custody battle now drawing national headlines, rapper and YouTube star DDG (Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr.) is fighting for his right to co-parent his 18-month-old son, Halo, with singer-actress Halle Bailey—but the odds, once again, seem stacked against the father.

On the surface, this is just another celebrity custody dispute. But dig deeper, and this case echoes a far more troubling pattern familiar to countless fathers across America: family courts that default to the mother, ignore valid concerns, and sideline dads as second-class parents.

Temporary Custody—Permanently Unfair?

Bailey, one-half of the famous R&B duo Chloe x Halle and the star of The Little Mermaid, was recently granted temporary sole custody of their son, along with a restraining order against DDG. This decision came despite DDG raising concerns over Bailey’s alleged mental health history—concerns that the court swiftly rejected without a full evidentiary hearing.

Instead of a balanced, fact-based approach, the court approved Bailey’s international travel with Halo to Italy for a film project. Meanwhile, DDG remains barred from contact, left to plead his case at a June 24 hearing. By then, the damage may already be done.

This raises a key question: Why are fathers—even successful, stable, involved ones—routinely dismissed when raising red flags about their children’s well-being?

A System That Presumes Mom Knows Best

In today’s court system, it’s not uncommon to see protective orders used strategically, not for safety, but for control. Once issued, even temporarily, such orders heavily influence how judges treat parenting rights. It’s a tactic often used to tip the scales early—especially in high-conflict or high-profile custody cases.

Unfortunately for DDG, this playbook is all too familiar. The moment he voiced concern, the system appeared to turn on him—casting him as the aggressor and Bailey as the victim, despite his claim that he was only advocating for his child’s safety and stability.

Let’s be clear: if a mother had expressed similar concerns about a father’s mental health, would the court have allowed him to take the child overseas for weeks on end?

Equal Parenting Must Start in the Courts

DDG’s case underscores a sobering reality for fathers everywhere: courts often treat shared custody as optional, not essential. Even men with strong family ties and no history of abuse find themselves removed from their child’s life based on little more than hearsay or narrative.

There is no justice in temporary orders that last indefinitely or one-sided rulings that separate children from loving parents before a full hearing has even taken place.

If Hollywood’s elite fathers can’t even get a fair shake, what hope is there for everyday dads in small-town America?

Fathers Are Not Optional

Whether you’re a celebrity dad like DDG or a mechanic in Des Moines, the principle remains: fathers matter. Children thrive when they have both parents actively involved in their lives. Courts must stop defaulting to sole custody and start demanding equal accountability and shared responsibility from both parents.

Judges must stop rubber-stamping restraining orders without real evidence, and they must stop ignoring fathers who raise legitimate concerns. DDG deserves the same presumption of care, love, and intent as any mother would.

It’s time for family courts to uphold parental equality—not just preach it.

The Bigger Picture

While Halle Bailey and DDG’s case unfolds under the glare of public attention, it’s just one chapter in a much larger story: a broken family court system that too often pits parents against each other and punishes fathers for wanting to be present.

This isn’t just about celebrity drama. It’s about justice, fairness, and the right of every child to have a meaningful relationship with both parents.

Let’s hope June 24 brings not just a hearing, but a wake-up call.