Kanye West Calls Diddy His 'Favorite Artist' In Sweet Tribute At BET Awards

The highly-anticipated BET Awards 2022 was finally held on Sunday, June 26, at L.A.'s Microsoft Theater and was graced by many, including a surprise appearance from Kanye 'Ye' West.

Ye's presence came with a heartfelt tribute to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, thanking him for being an inspiration. It should also be noted that Diddy received this year's BET Lifetime Achievement Award.

"How do we crown our kings, how do we appreciate our kings," the fashion enthusiast began, adding some appreciation verses of how Diddy inspired him and his career. Ye said:

"To see Puff in real life at the 'Missing You' video, just like me tapping free is like a little kid like I just I just need to meet this man, this is my favorite artist."

He further explained that Diddy was his best artist in everything, not just production or "the drip," as he recalled the lifetime achiever's hip hop distinctiveness back in the days.

In his words, "You know back then it was so many rules to hip hop, and he broke all of them and broke down all the doors and understood contracts in a way a lot of us still don't."

The "Yikes" rapper revealed that he still went to Diddy for advice and the older rapper inspired many of his life and "wife" choices.

During Ye's early years in Chicago, he found it good enough to be regarded as the Chicago version of Diddy because of how famous the "Last Train to Paris" star was.

The "Jesus Is King" musician declared to those in the room that they should always be there whenever Diddy needed them, as the "No Way Out" artist had been through and survived a lot.

According to Ye, Diddy "broke down so many doors of classism, taste, culture, and swag," paving the way for people like him.

He concluded his tribute by expressing his love for the "Press Play" rapper, adding that no matter what name he is known as, be it Puff Daddy, Diddy, Sean, or Combs, all there was, was love for the veteran music star.

Speaking of the 52-year-old's Lifetime Achievement Award, BET previously announced that he would receive this year's honor, making him part of the elite list of past awardees.

The Blast recently reported that the Lifetime Achievement Awards are only presented to "industry masterminds who have extensively shaped culture with their careers and continue to inspire generations by setting a true standard of excellence."

Some of the past receivers of the award include Anita Baker, Mary J. Blige, Queen Latifah, New Edition, Whitney Houston, Prince, Samuel L. Jackson, and Lionel Richie.

BET's CEO, Scott Mills, had a few things to say about Diddy's honor as he believed the record producer deserved the award. 

He noted that the outstanding songwriter had always been a "pioneering force" in the Black community, "breaking barriers, achieving unprecedented heights, and blazing new trails."

Mills believed Diddy's accomplishments raised the bar for aspirants and fellow people of color in the industry, including music, media, culture, business, and philanthropy.

At the same time, BET associates Connie Orlando and Jesse Collins sang praises for the "Sean John" creator, stressing his impact on the industry and culture.

Orlando mentioned that Diddy used entertainment to lay the "blueprint for Black excellence," while Collins felt honored to celebrate the rap star while he was still on his "incredible journey."

Last month, The Blast shared details of the spectacular 2022 Billboard Music Awards, held on Sunday, May 15, and was hosted by the reputable record executive, Diddy.

As the outlet recalled, he was named the host and executive producer of the show in April and promised fans a memorable event with "one of the most disruptive lineups in music history."

The 2022 event marked 25 years since Diddy won his first BBMA, and he planned to make the ceremony different from past ones by "bringing the love and setting the frequency at an all-time high."

The Grammy winner appeared to have come through with his promises; however, fans were not so excited about him, including Travis Scott and Morgan Wallace as headliners of the show.

Their reasons seemed to stem from Scott's involvement in the Astroworld tragedy and Wallen previously saying the N-word during a drunken night out.