Sean (Diddy) Combs said Sunday that African-Americans were “shortchanged” by President Obama and encouraged the community to withhold its support from Hillary Clinton until she “comes for” their votes.
“My number one thing, though, to be honest, is black people,” the rap mogul and charter-school founder said on MSNBC’s “Politics Nation” on Sunday. “I feel like we put President Obama in the White House. When I look back, I just wanted more done for my people because that’s the name of the game. This is politics. You put somebody in office you get in return the things that you care about for your communities.”
“I think we got a little bit shortchanged,” he added. “That’s not knocking the President. There’s a lot going on, he’s done an excellent job, you know, but I think it’s time to turn up the heat because the black vote is going to decide who is the next president of the United States.”
Combs, previously known as P. Diddy and Puff Daddy, added that he wanted to see Clinton “directly engage with the black community and until she does, he suggested black voters “hold” their support from her.
“Hillary Clinton, you know, I hope she starts to directly talk to the black community. … It really makes me feel, you know, almost hurt that our issues are not addressed and we’re such a big part of the voting bloc,” he said.
“The heat has to be turned up so much that as a community we got to hold our vote,” he added. “Really revolutionize the game. Make them come for our vote. It’s a whole different strategy but I think we need to hold our vote because I don’t believe any of them.”
Combs, who last week helped kick off the first day of classes at a charter school he co-founded in his old Harlem neighborhood, added that the vote “doesn’t have to be held that long. But you have to come get it.”
“You have to bring something with it,” he said.