This week, Diplo came under fire after 19-year-old TikTok star Quenlin Blackwell shared that she was living with the 41-year-old producer. But the reality is a bit more complex: he’s her landlord.
The first video where she revealed her living situation was six days ago, after which she started a “Living with Diplo” series. One of the videos that day included her asking Diplo, “Why do I live with you?” to which Diplo replied, “I have no other friends.”
Still, the internet took notice and cried outrage. Especially due to Diplo’s romantic history with younger black women, many believed something nefarious was at foot.
Both Quenlin and Diplo replied to the controversy a couple days ago. Diplo set the record straight, explaining, “OK so I rent one of my properties to Quen Blackwell. And yes I use the studio that is in that building. Her social media is sarcastic and chaotic and I can see you can get a twisted idea but there is nothing but a friendship between us.”
He continued in another tweet, “As a landlord I don’t really consider age or race as a qualification. U just gotta pay security deposit. And don’t poke holes in the walls or ruin my carpet.”
Blackwell also responded, posting a message stating, “I’m not being groomed…I’d rather break both of my legs and be forced to walk than pursue Diplo romantically and he’d rather choke.”
pic.twitter.com/OLpCoOtJxj
— queen quen (@quenblackwell) October 26, 2020
OK so I rent one of my properties to @quenblackwell. And yes I use the studio that is in that building. Her social media is sarcastic and chaotic and I can see you can get a twisted idea but there is nothing but a friendship between us.
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
As a landlord I don't really consider age or race as a qualification. U just gotta pay security deposit. And don't poke holes in the walls or ruin my carpet
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
I got my own kids to take care of and mortgages to pay https://t.co/bLTXS2rXqu
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
We made music together https://t.co/jvlHPiSbpe
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
To make music you have to have chemistry to be creative with a person. we didn't make songs between plexiglass door while on discord.
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
To add fuel to the fire, Twitter also pulled up some old, less than tasteful tweets of Diplo’s, and he spent the rest of his time responding to those. “This was the year [2017] my Twitter was a basically a bad meme account that I didn’t run anymore and didn’t care about. I didn’t even have a pw for it.”
2010 was a rough patch for me. I'm sorry 🥴 https://t.co/PcU0oDh9Vd
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
This was the year my Twitter was a basically a bad meme account that I didn't run anymore and didnt care about. I didn't even have a pw for it. but I obviously don't want to join a sex cult. And I deleted it when someone sent it to me.. And that's my final answer. https://t.co/NgwT2KCtWi
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
Yeh I used Twitter in a very dumb way back then and would not consider anything I wrote credible. Kinda cringe to read it without context https://t.co/rvCXN6R0eE
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
Because it has zeo context now and my girlfriend at the time was 20 and we broke up. https://t.co/LExiTGSipV
— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020
Diplo has not responded to allegations that he groomed, took advantage of, and had sex with a teenage Azealia Banks, who went on record on the Cheapys Two Cents podcast: “Did you hear Diplo is still having sex with teenage girls? I used to have sex with Diplo when I was 17. […] I’ve always given him credit for launching my career off but I had to give him some teenage p*ssy to do it.”
I found the recording of Azealia Banks literally admitting that Diplo is a predator, he should not be living with a 19 year old. pic.twitter.com/ZpcAzIpKKf
— jaden (@saintzvi) October 26, 2020
Another user going by @ThatsSoShellyy shared alleged accounts that, after having sex with Diplo as a teenage, he hired a private investigator to intimidate her from coming forward.
Diplo hired a Private investigator to contact me after an argument/fight that we had with each other in attempt to scare me into not speaking out on the disgusting details I know about him
— Shelly (@ThatsSoShellyy) October 26, 2020
Who PREYS on young woman of ALL races (to be honest) But primarily young naive women of color.
— Shelly (@ThatsSoShellyy) October 26, 2020
Diplo hasn’t responded to any of these allegations at time of publishing.
