Diddy Blames G. Dep Guilty Verdict On Substance Abuse, Addresses Reuniting With Mase

by STEVEN J. HOROWITZ

Diddy reflects on his relationship with former Bad Boy artists.

Diddy has remained quiet on G. Dep’s guilty convictionfor a 1993 murder, but broke his silence yesterday during an interview with Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex. The Bad Boy mogul said that the confession most likely stemmed from substance abuse and that he wasn’t in his right state of mind.

“None of that was in G. Dep’s nature. When there were certain things that he was going through with the substance abuse situation, he would be a different person. But on an every day [basis], he was probably one of the nicest, most quietest, shyest, most humble cats that was out there. It was just so out of his character that it was mind-blowing and so when I had heard after the main announcement, he had retracted his confession and he basically said he didn’t do it,” he said. “I was like, OK, maybe he was under the influence when he confessed. And then out of nowhere, they said he was convicted which was such a shame, because he’s such a great talent. And it all stemmed from substance abuse.”

He also spoke on reuniting with another Bad Boy alum, Mase, on the remix to Wale’s “Slight Work.” Puff said that he and Mase are “cool” with one another and that if it wasn’t for him, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

“I didn’t know until I got the record. And then when I got the record, I was just like, whoa. I gotta make sure my part is tight so I could pass it off to my man right. Me and Mase are cool. We’ve kept in touch over the years. I love Mase. If it wasn’t for Mase, I wouldn’t be where I was at today. Me and him were like Batman and Robin. So it felt good to get back on a record with him, and it’s one of the hottest, most intense records in the club. That’s what I specialize in. And then talking that talk.”