Plies has used Sha’Carri Richardson’s latest win to illustrate the fickle nature of loyalty and trust in the context of large-scale success.
On Monday (August 21), the 23-year-old sprinter won a gold medal in the 100-meter World Championship, prompting the Miami rapper to speak on the influx of people showing support for her.
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“Sha’ Carri Richardson Is A Prime Example How People Will Write U Off In Your Worse Moments,” he wrote on Twitter that same night, referring to the athlete being disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana. “An The Minute U Get It Back Poppin. They Reappear Like They Been F*ckin With U The Whole Time!!!”
He subsequently shared a clip of the track and field star, writing: “’U Ever Switched Up On Me U Gotta Stay On Dat Side’.. This Just How I Been Feeling!!! This Been My Theme Song The Last Few Dayz!! [pouting emoji] @Plies ‘Stay On Dat Side’ S/O The Yung Queen On Her Big Win!![bicep-flex emoji, fire emoji] ‘Ain’t No Coming Back U Gotta Stay On Dat Side.’”
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“I’m honored, I’m blessed, I had great competition, [which] pulled the best out of me, and I’m just honored to leave with a gold medal,” Richardson said after her victory. “I’m going to stay humble, I’m not back, I’m better, and I’ll continue to be better.”
Richardson’s ban from the Tokyo games caused an uproar on social media back in 2021. Many found the punishment to be outrageous considering cannabis is at least medically legal in majority of the United States, if not fully legal.
Numerous celebrities subsequently showed their support for Richardson on social media, of whom Diddy was arguably the most outspoken. The Bad Boy Records mogul tweeted at length about how disappointed he was by the trial officials’ decision.
“It’s fucked up and my heart is broken for @itskerrii having her lifelong dream stripped away for using a legal substance,” he wrote. “I’m tired of white people sitting in a room making up decisions that affect our hopes and dreams. They will keep treating our athletes like slaves and entertainment until we shut down on these people! Said from LOVE with love.”
Diddy later expounded on his sentiments after dozens of commenters pointed out she broke the rules, plain and simple. In a follow-up post, he explained how Richardson’s ban is part of a bigger problem.
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“To be absolutely clear about my previous post, the point I’m making is that marijuana has been used against my people since some white people in an office (DEA/FBI) saw it as a way to entrap Black Jazz artists to shut down the movement happening in Harlem,” he began. “That’s the real reason why it started, you can research the history. It started from an evil plot, and now this plot is affecting our future.”
He continued, “So many of our brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters and sons are rotting in jail for marijuana and it’s JUST NOT RIGHT. Now, to see them using this against a young Black woman that is on the edge of her greatness, all because some white men decided to make illegal is shameful. Let me be very clear, marijuana does not make you run faster. That’s a fact. This whole situation is bullshit, and if they let Michael Phelps swim, they should let her run!”
