It has been quiet around US rapper Kanye West for months. He hasn't appeared at an awards show since his divorce from Kim Kardashian - until he made a surprise appearance at the BET Awards in L.A. and found loving words for his rapper friend Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Kanye West made a surprise appearance at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. At the ceremony, according to US media reports, he honored his friend Sean "Diddy" Combs and also alluded to the fact that he had been missing from the scene for months.
The rapper wore a face mask, sunglasses and thick gloves for his surprise performance. Otherwise, Kanye West was almost completely covered with dark clothing. He explained on stage, according to reports, "You know, I've been on a little break. I said I just want to legally declare myself dead for a year." According to the artist, he wanted to "get off the radar".
At the award ceremony, he presented "Diddy" with the Lifetime Achievement Award. "How do we crown our kings? How do we honor our kings?" West asked the crowd at the Microsoft Theater. And added about Combs: "I still take his advice to this day. He inspires so many of my decisions, so many of my life choices. My women's choices" (originally: "life choices, wife choices"). Kim Kardashian's ex thanked him for this and also spoke about the many obstacles that Sean Combs overcame and paved the way for others. "Puff, if I haven't already told you: I love you, you're my brother."
It was West's first appearance at an awards show since he was disowned by the Grammy Awards in April. According to "People" magazine, the reason for the sacking was his "questionable online behavior". A few days earlier, his Instagram account was suspended for 24 hours after West apparently spread racial slurs against Grammy presenter Trevor Noah.
Prior to this incident, West was repeatedly venting his anger via social media that Kim Kardashian was in a new relationship with comedian Pete Davidson. In February 2021, the reality TV star filed for divorce. West and Kardashian have four children together, North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm.
