Diddy's feud with Kanye West sparked by White Lives Matter t-shirts explored

In his over three-decades-long career in the music industry, Diddy rose as a successful and influential rapper, actor, and businessman. The owner of Bad Boy Records appeared to be thriving in all sectors of his life until 2023, when his longtime ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, filed a se*** abuse lawsuit against the rapper.

Ventura's lawsuit made way for several other abuse allegations, eventually leading to the investigative raid of his homes in LA and Miami in March 2024. As the s** trafficking scandal the rap mogul is embroiled in continues to grab headlines, all his past conflicts are being revisited.

One such conflict began between Diddy and Kanye in October 2022 after West launched his infamous White Lives Matter t-shirts. While the Satisfy You rapper openly defended every bizarre behavior of Ye's before that, his controversial tees became the last straw between the two.

Here's a look back at what went down between the two artists in 2022.

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Kanye posted the screenshots of all of Diddy's messages on Instagram

After Kanye West brought out White Lives Matter t-shirts, Diddy was one of the first celebrities to speak up against it. However, the rap mogul first reached out to Ye personally, sharing his misgivings about them.

Following their phone call, the Gold Digger rapper texted Diddy about not liking their conversation, adding:

"I'm selling these tees. Nobody gets in between me and my money. This is my grandfather texting you now. Never call me with no bulls*** like that again unless you ready to green light me. Cause anybody who got on that tee is me"

West's text continued:

"Out of respect for everything you've meant to me I'll be quiet as Virgil. But now I know how I've hurt people I love with threats"

Then, Kanye posted the pictures of the text over his Instagram handle, which revealed a taunting follow-up text sent by him, reading:

"Come do something illegal to me noooow pleeeeeeeeease."

Diddy appeared to be persistent in resolving the matter behind the public eye, texting Ye:

"N***a send me a address. Let's stop playing these internet games. And don't feel threatened. You'll be fine. Just love."

West's next post showed another screenshot, containing the following texts exchanged between the two, including his message:

"This ain't a game.... Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me. I told you this was war. Now gone get you some business."

After the first two posts were uploaded, they went viral quickly, causing Diddy to choose his next words consciously. However, he wasn't one to back down, and sent a follow-up text reading:

"I'm just trying to talk to you as a black man. And I'm talking to you because this is hurting our people. Stop."

Kanye, on his part, remained undeterred in the face of it, writing:

"Anything you text I will post. I love you. And you guys are breaking my heart. I accept your apology in advance."

That was the last of the messages screenshotted and posted by the All Falls Down rapper. According to Daily Mail, P. Daddy also called Ye's controversial t-shirts "tone-deaf" in an interview with The Breakfast Club later that year.

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West refused to meet with Diddy backstage in 2024

While Kanye and Diddy stayed out of touch in the following years, in March 2024, the Bad Boys for Life rapper attended his LA show with Ty Dolla $ign, accompanied by his sons. This was speculated as the rap mogul's attempt at resolving their feud.

However, the Real Friends rapper had no such intentions. TMZ reported that while Diddy expressed a desire to meet with Ye personally backstage, the latter refused a face-to-face with him.

A month later, West joined Kendrick Lamar in his diss track, Like That, where his rap verse took a shot at the Last Night rapper, saying:

"Can't stop, won't stop/ I just f***** your b**** in a Sean John tank top"

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Diddy was arrested last month, on September 16, and is currently behind bars in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, where he awaits trial.