Diplo, 41 Accused Of ‘Grooming’ Black Teenage Tik Tok Star, Quen Blackwell After Moving Influencer Into His Home, Producer Responds

Wesley “Diplo” Pentz is not here for the rumors and speculations.  The DJ/producer is stepping forward on social media to put some chatter to rest after being the latest victim of social media backlash for what many fans thought was the makings of a very inappropriate relationship.  

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A post shared by Thomas Wesley (@diplo) on Oct 26, 2020 at 12:03pm PDT

The Major Lazer disc jockey has made headlines for very rocky relationships in the past.  He was known to date rapper M.I.A. in 2003, and the two collaborated on many projects, including her breakthrough hit Paper Planes, which helped to launch both of their careers.  Their relationship would end up being tumultuous.  

The rapper spoke on their relationship with Rolling Stone in 2015 while reflecting on her debut album Arular, with whom she also collaborated with Diplo on a few tracks.  “I was with Diplo and he basically just like shat on every good thing that was happening to me,” M.I.A. said to the publication. “And I just didn’t enjoy it because if I was on a cover of a magazine he’ll be like, ‘What do you want to do, like be on the dentist waiting room table? Like, is that what a magazine is for? It’s corny. Like, don’t do magazines.’”

After signing with Interscope Records, the rapper then says that the “Close To Me” artist  “literally smashed my hotel room and broke all the furniture because he was so angry I got picked up by a major label and it was the corniest thing in the world that could possibly happen.”

She continued, “And then Missy Elliott called me for the first time in 2005 to work with me on her record, and I’m sure we had a massive fight about that — the fact that I was talking to anyone who was, like, popular. I wish I enjoyed it because I had this person on my shoulder the whole time saying, ‘It’s s**t, it’s s**t, it’s s**t. You shouldn’t be on the charts. You shouldn’t be in the magazines and you should not be going to interviews. You should not be doing collaborations with famous people. You should be an underground artist.’”

The two dated for five years before splitting in 2008.  Diplo was also romantically linked to Katy Perry after being seen together at multiple sightings including Coachella and the Amazing Spider-Man 2 premiere party in 2014.  However, after only one year of dating, the couple called it quits.  

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A post shared by Thomas Wesley (@diplo) on Aug 29, 2020 at 5:33pm PDT

Moving on from those relationships, new reports of dating Kate Hudson, reality star Francesca Farago, and most recent, model and former Miss Universe contestant, Jevon King, who just gave him his third child this past March.  While it’s unclear if he is still with King, he’s found himself in some relationship rumors recently when 19-year-old TikTok star Quenlin Blackwell claimed she was living with the 41-year-old DJ.

Does anyone else think it’s creepy that Quen Blackwell a teenager! Is living with Diplo a very much middle-aged white man pic.twitter.com/eeiPL4LICr

— 🥺✌🏾 ashley banks (@acabhottie) October 21, 2020

“I live with Diplo right now, and he fully supports my endeavors,” the social media star shared in a video last week to her 4.1 million followers.  Immediately afterward, fans began to speculate the two were involved in an entanglement of sorts, and swarmed Diplo with remarks of disapproval, claiming he was “grooming” the young star, who also is a singer.  Blackwell has also uploaded other videos that feature Diplo which she calls “Living with Diplo: The Series”, highlighting what it’s like to live with the DJ.  

@quenblackwell

LIVING WITH DIPLO: THE SERIES

♬ meet com força e com talento – ˚✧₊⁎lexie⁎⁺˳✧༚

@quenblackwell

##greenscreen LIVING WITH DIPLO: PART 6 the p o l i c e took 40 MINUTES TO COME AND SAVE US

♬ original sound – quenblackwell

After the drama ensued on social media, Diplo took to Twitter to address the comments with some clarifications of his own.  “OK so I rent one of my properties to @quenblackwell. And yes I use the studio that is in that building,” he stated. “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.”

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

He continued, “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.”  He also offered a response to a fan who asked him how the two know one another saying,  “We made music together.”

We made music together https://t.co/jvlHPiSbpe

— Thomas Wesley (@diplo) October 26, 2020

Blackwell also took to her social media to address the claims and defend her “landlord”.  “I’m an adult. i’m not being groomed. platonic relationships exist,” she explains. “I’ve been living here for over a year…i’d rather break both my legs and be forced to walk than pursure [sic] diplo romantically and he’d rather choke.”

pic.twitter.com/OLpCoOtJxj

— queen quen (@quenblackwell) October 26, 2020

She added, “He’s barley [sic] in LA bc he’s so busy.  diplo has given me the opportunity and the security to create. diplo and his team are my mentors in LA and the are my safety net.  diplo and his team have saved me numerous times from the weirdors in LA. my parents trust him. i trust him. y’all are making me feel icky. diplo is my LA dad..nothing more.”