Diplo says he didn't shade Beyoncé in any shape or form at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
The rumors started earlier this month after Bey's critically acclaimed record, RENAISSANCE, took home the award for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album, leading to her becoming the most-decorated artist in Grammys history. However, fans began to claim that the Major Lazer producer — who was nominated in the same category for his self-titled album Diplo — was acting like a sore loser on camera when Beyoncé accepted the honor, with some so-called lip readers alleging he told the person next to him that her camp had "bought" the award.
Now though, Diplo is trying to shut down the speculation once and for all, as Hollywood Unlocked Instagram recently posted an alleged DM from the DJ, in which he appears to say, "You know I didn’t say that lol."
In a new post, the celebrity news account shared a screenshot of Diplo's reply to its Instagram Story repost of REVOLT TV'sThe Jason Lee Show, where host Jason Lee and Laverne Cox mention the rumor. He then sends Hollywood Unlocked a link to a post-Grammys upload that sees him praising Beyoncé and RENAISSANCE as an innovative and earnest homage to the queer people of color that created contemporary dance music as we know it.
Calling the record "legendary" before reminding people that he's a "Beyoncé stan" who helped produce songs like "Till the End of Time" and "Girls Run the World," Diplo wrote that it was "important to understand was that her intention was 100 percent," as shown by the way she "did the work, found the real producers, and... made classics."
"So, she deserves her flowers, and when she won, I was just proud to see my nomination on the screen in the huge arena," he continued, prior to noting that “dance music has and will be the most Inclusive music of our generation."
Diplo added, “Our community has always been gay / straight, but icy , poor.. white black brown purple .. it’s the music that had united the world during my lifetime and i’m glad to just be one part of it.”
Beyoncé has yet to address to the shade speculation. In the meantime though, you can see Hollywood Unlocked's entire post as well as Diplo's original statement about the rumors below.
Photos via Getty / Emma McIntyre for The Recording Academy & Mason Poole / Parkwood Media for Atlantis The Royal