Diddy Defends ‘Free Thinker’ Kanye West, Says ‘White Lives Matter’ Shirt Was ‘Misconstrued’

Diddy called the controversial shirts ‘tone deaf’… but said he doesn’t believe Kanye should be ‘condemned or canceled.’

Diddy is coming to the defense of his friend, Kanye West. The mega producer stopped by The Breakfast Club on Wednesday (October 5) and spoke out about Kanye’s Paris Fashion Week show, where he caused drama by wearing a sweatshirt with the phrase “White Lives Matter” printed on the back. “My boy is a super, super, super free thinker, and a lot of times, what he means is, like, misconstrued,” Diddy told the radio show’s hosts.

The “Been Around the World” hitmaker went on to say that the “White Lives Matter” shirts were “very tone deaf”… but he didn’t believe people should “condemn Kanye or cancel him.” He added, “I understand white lives do matter, but it’s not that, [‘Black Lives Matter’] was our slogan.”

“That wasn’t our slogan to go share with nobody else,” Diddy continued. “Because right now, we’re the ones that are dying, that are incarcerated, that are left in poverty. You have to be unapologetically black and love your people and love your tribe first.”

Kanye received a ton of backlash for creating the sweatshirt and tees. Even more upsetting to some fans, Kanye posed with right-wing personality, Candace Owens, in matching shirts with “White Lives Matter” on the back. A source close to Kanye’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian revealed to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that the SKIMS founder was “utterly disgusted” by her ex cozying up to the Daily Wire podcaster. “She thinks that he is making a horrible choice and that the message is very offensive to so many,” the insider said.

In an apparent response to critics, Kayne took to his Instagram on Tuesday (October 4) and called the Black Lives Matter movement a “scam.” The non-profit organization returned the favor to Kanye, tweeting, “There’s never an appropriate time to attack Black people, Black Lives Matter means more than words printed on a T-shirt.”

“Twisting and convoluting this pillar by changing it to ‘White Lives Matter,’ disregards our ancestors and the freedom fighters before us,” BLM continued. “The repercussions are dangerous, destructive, and irresponsible. Based on this decision, it is clear that Kanye lacks vision from his vantage point.”

Kanye also dragged Vogue fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson after she said that showing off models in the controversial shirts was “incredibly irresponsible and dangerous.” Kanye posted a photo of Gabrielle and appeared to troll her outfit, saying Anna Wintour would “haaaaaaate” Gabrielle’s boots.

Despite Kanye claiming he later made peace with Gabriella, it’s best that Diddy come collect his BFF before more damage is done!