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Kanye West makes surprise appearance at BET Awards and talks about taking a ‘hiatus’

The rapper took the stage at Sunday's ceremony in a mask, hat and gloves and delivered a speech honoring Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Kanye West came out of his "hiatus" to make a surprise appearance at Sunday night's BET Awards and pay tribute to Sean "Diddy" Combs.

The rapper, who now goes by Ye, took the stage in a full face mask, gloves, hat and sunglasses to deliver a speech honoring Combs, who received a lifetime achievement award at the ceremony in Los Angeles.

West, 45, has been out of the spotlight since deciding not to perform at Coachella in April and getting barred from performing at the Grammy Awards held the same month due to his "concerning online behavior" referencing ex-wife Kim Kardashian's new boyfriend, Pete Davidson.

“I took a little hiatus," he said Sunday. "I said, ‘I want to just, like, declare myself legally dead for a year. Nobody messing me. I just want to be off the grid.'

"Puff is pretty persistent. ... Any of us in this room, if Puff ever need us, we need to jump and be there. This man has been through and survived a lot of stuff and broke down a lot of doors so we could be standing — I know for me, that I could be here today.”

He paid emotional tribute to Combs, 52, the rapper, executive and entrepreneur who also goes by Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and Diddy.

"There were so many rules to hip-hop and he broke all of them," West said. "And broke down all the doors."

"He broke down so many doors of classism, taste, culture, swag," West later said. "Puff, if I never told you, I love you. You’re my brother.”

West also appeared to reference Kardashian, who filed for divorce from him in February 2021 after more than six years of marriage, when speaking about Combs.

“I go to him for advice to this day," West said. "He inspired so many of my choices. So many of my life choices. My wife choices. And here we are. Thanks for that, Puff.”