Footage emerged over the weekend of US rapper DaBaby appearing to strike a woman in the crowd of a nightclub.

The shocking video shows the 28-year-old Ohio-born rapper being led through the audience when a woman apparently reaches out with her phone to take a photo of him.

He responds by quickly turning and striking her in the face.

The audience responded to the incident by booing him and he left the club without performing.

Now, he has issued an apology but claims that he was reacting to the woman in question hitting him with her phone, saying that he couldn't see who was behind the phone because of its flashlight.

He too to Instagram Stories to say: "“I do sincerely apologise. I do. I’m very sorry that there was a female on the other end of that flashlight on their phone.”

He continued: "But you know, keep in mind, I couldn’t see you because you got the flash this close to me. Which is OK, it’s no problem. ... But fans - how many people know how to zoom in? Just zoom in instead of popping me in the motherfuckin’ eye with the phone. But I do apologise that there was a female on the other end.

“I think by this time, you know it’s a well known fact that male or female, I would’ve responded the same exact way."

DaBaby, real name Jonathan Kirk, has previously been arrested for assaulting a concert promoter, and allegedly assaulted a hotel worker and an airport employee - though neither pressed charges.