Executive Music Producer Diddy, who popularized the “Vote or Die” slogan in 2004, has launched a new political party for Black people.
On Friday, the Bad Boy Records boss disclosed his plans to establish an Afrocentric political party. In a tweet shared by the 50-year-old hip-hop mogul, he announced the new political venture called Our Black Party.
“So, I’m launching one of the boldest things I’ve ever launched,” Diddy started. “I’m launching a Black political party with some young Black elected officials and activists. It’s called @OurBlackParty, it doesn’t matter if you are Republican or Democrat…”
In a tweet that followed afterwards, Diddy showed support for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to be elected into office, but also called for the Black community to hold the former vice president accountable.
“We need to get Biden in and hold him accountable,” he said. “Trump has taken things too far. As Black people, we aren’t even a topic of real discussion. We can no longer stand for doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. That’s insanity! It’s time we unify.”
So, I'm launching one of the boldest things I've ever launched. I'm launching a Black political party with some young Black elected officials and activists. It's called @OurBlackParty, it doesn't matter if you are Republican or Democrat…
— Diddy (@Diddy) October 16, 2020
The Our Black Party website states that members of the political party must commit to placing the needs of the Black community at the forefront.
In addition, members must also conform to several core values including: Black people having a right to own their politics, a fair and just criminal legal system, economic equity and equality within the United States of America, affordable healthcare, educational equity and every unalienable right guaranteed in the constitution of the United States and more.
The site adds that “Black people have a responsibility to love each other and accountability is love.”
Diddy also denounced President Donald Trump and called for unity in more tweets today.
“The NUMBER ONE priority is to get Trump out of office,” he tweeted. “HE HAS TO GO. We can’t allow this man to continue to try and DIVIDE US. The people that have the most responsibility and should be SCARED TO DEATH of this man are white people. WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF A RACE WAR.”
The legendary rapper and label exec then emphasized the importance of participating in the upcoming election. “Things have got too serious,” he said. “It would be irresponsible of me to have us hold our vote hostage. But it would also be irresponsible of me to let this moment go by and not make sure going forward we are doing what it takes to own our politics.”
Things have got too serious. It would be irresponsible of me to have us hold our vote hostage. But it would also be irresponsible of me to let this moment go by and not make sure going forward we are doing what it takes to own our politics.
— Diddy (@Diddy) October 16, 2020