Diddy goes viral for accusing companies of ‘standing on necks of Black people’ in letter to corporate America

Rapper and founder of Revolt, Sean “Diddy” Combs, has gone viral after accusing America’s biggest corporations of failing to support the black community.

Mr Combs, in an article on Thursday, said brands were standing with the community with “the same feet they use to stand on our necks”.

The Revolt founder also argued that corporations failed to adequately support black-owned businesses, and that advertisers often failed to carry black-owned brands.

It followed the recent listing of Revolt by car manufacturer General Motors (GM) as one of a number of black-owned businesses that it worked with.

GM also accused a number of black businesses owners – not including Mr Combs – of paying to “advance a narrative of factual inaccuracies and character assault against our CEO”.

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That followed a full-page advert by black businesses owners in the Detroit Free Press on 28 March, accusing GM CEO Mary Barra of racism for failing to discuss advertising with their brands.

GM denied the allegations in a number of statements to the Detroit Free Press, and said last week it was increasing spending with black-owned brands.

On Thursday, Mr Combs wrote that although Revolt “does receive advertising revenue from GM, our relationship is not an example of success”.

“Instead, Revolt, just like other black-owned media companies, fights for crumbs while GM makes billions of dollars every year from the black community,” wrote the Revolt founder.

“Exposing GM’s historic refusal to fairly invest in black-owned media is not an assassination of character,” Mr Combs added, “it’s exposing the way GM and many other advertisers have always treated us.”

Mr Comb’s scathing response to GM was widely shared and supported on Twitter, although many commentators mentioned the 51-year-old’s reported millionaire status.

Others accused Mr Combs of failing to fairly pay black artists and creators he historically worked with, and for being a part of the system he was criticising on Thursday.

“I was recently approached to host a show for Revolt and it came without pay,” wrote Jessica Fyre. “We cannot keep knocking white folks for their disrespect towards minority creators while doing the same thing to each other.”

She added “I encourage you to be the change we need”, while another commentator wrote: “Does ethical consumption exist under Diddy?”

The Independent has approached Revolt for further comment.