Kanye West References Kim Kardashian Divorce During Surprise BET Awards Appearance

Photo credit: David Livingston - Getty Images

Kanye West made a surprise appearance at Sunday night's BET Awards in Los Angeles.

The star—who now goes by "Ye"—showed up at the event to honor longtime friend and fellow rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs as he received the Lifetime Achievement Award. But during his speech, the "All of the Lights" rapper also made a subtle reference to his divorce from Kim Kardashian.

Wearing a grey hoodie, black pants, a black face covering, black sunglasses, and blue gloves, West told the audience he is back after he "took a little hiatus."

"I just want to declare myself legally dead for a year," he said, seeming to reference Kardashian's legal battle to be declared "legally single" earlier this year, months after their split. At the time, West made it clear he did not want a divorce, and even spoke about the pain he felt in various since-deleted Instagram posts. In one, he shared a poem titled "DIVORCE," in which he compared his breakup with Kardashian to having "full blown Covid" and "walking on glass."

While the two remain in touch and are co-parenting their four children, the SKIMS founder has since moved on with former Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson.

West didn't name Kardashian during his BET Awards speech, and eventually returned the spotlight to Diddy.

"I said, 'I just want to be off the grid,' and Puff is pretty persistent, but I had to think, bro, it's like, people get amnesia—like I should never have Puff have to ever call more than one time," he said. "Any of us in this room if Puff ever need us, we need to jump and be there."

West continued to praise the "I'll Be Missing You" rapper, speaking of their close friendship.

"I go to him for advice to this day," West said. "He inspires so many of my choices, so many of my life choices—my wife choices—thanks for that, Puff.

The two have previously collaborated during their decades-long careers—most famously on the 2016 Ty Dolla $ign song "Guard Down."

"This man has been through [and] survived a lot of stuff and broke down a lot of doors so we can be standing ... he broke down so many doors of classism, taste, swag. Puff, if I never told you, I love you, you're my brother," West said to Diddy.

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