Diddy fires out at shameful and illegal documentary
Diddy fires out at 'shameful' and 'illegal' documentary
Rapper 50 Cent's new Netflix documentary has drawn criticism from Sean "Diddy" Combs' attorneys, who call it "a shameful hit piece" that "relied on stolen footage".
The four-part documentary, titled Sean Combs: The Reckoning, was published on Tuesday and is billed as a "staggering examination" of the hip-hop entrepreneur, who was convicted on prostitution-related charges earlier this year.
It includes what Netflix billed as "explosive" footage of Combs taken in the days before his arrest, including a phone discussion with his lawyers.
The director stated she obtained the clip legitimately, but Combs' spokesman argued it was "fundamentally unfair, and illegal" to exploit his private material.
The four-part documentary, titled Sean Combs: The Reckoning, was published on Tuesday and is billed as a "staggering examination" of the hip-hop entrepreneur, who was convicted on prostitution-related charges earlier this year.
It includes what Netflix billed as "explosive" footage of Combs taken in the days before his arrest, including a phone discussion with his lawyers.
The director stated she obtained the clip legitimately, but Combs' spokesman argued it was "fundamentally unfair, and illegal" to exploit his private material.
'Personal vendetta'
He also stated it was "staggering" that Netflix had given creative authority to 50 Cent, who he described as "a long-time adversary with a personal vendetta".
"Netflix is plainly desperate to sensationalise every minute of Mr Combs's life, without regard for truth, in order to capitalise on a never-ending media frenzy," added the statement.
"If Netflix cared about truth or about Mr Combs's legal rights, it would not be ripping private footage out of context - including conversations with his lawyers that were never meant for public access. No rights in the material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party."
The press release continued: "For Netflix to give his life story to someone who has publicly attacked him for decades feels like an unnecessary and deeply personal affront. At minimum, he expected fairness from people he respected."
The video opens with footage of Combs in a hotel room six days before arrest in September 2024, chatting over the phone to attorney Marc Agnifilo and tells him he wants to "fight for my life".
Pushing Agnifilo to have a more upfront media campaign to proclaim his innocence, Combs told him: "We have to find somebody that'll cooperate with us. It has to be somebody that has engaged in the dirtiest of dirtiest of nasty business of [the] media and propaganda."
Five days before to his arrest, viewers witness Combs speaking on the phone with his son Justin. "God told me to do nothing... [but] other people need to do something 'cause this is ridiculous," the actor stated in the video.
Combs' spokesman said the documentary contains video that was "never authorised for release".
"As Netflix and CEO Ted Sarandos know, Mr Combs has been amassing footage since he was 19 to tell his own story, in his own way. It is fundamentally unfair, and illegal, for Netflix to misappropriate that work."
Netflix has not responded to a request for a reaction but pointed US media to statements it has published from the documentary's director Alexandria Stapleton.
"It came to us, we obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights," she stated. "We moved heaven and earth to keep the film-maker's identity confidential."
The documentary is executive produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, whose long-running dispute with Combs extends back two decades.
Jackson told ABC News' Good Morning America on Monday: "If I didn't say anything, you would read it as that hip-hop is fine with his habits. There's no-one else being vocal."
The documentary chronicles Combs' career as one of the most prominent men in hip-hop, and contains allegations that he was involved in the death of rapper Tupac Shakur in 1996.
It comprises tapes of a police interview in which former gang member Duane "Keffe D" Davis claims that Combs offered him $1m (£769,000) for a hit on Shakur.
In 2026, Mr. Davis is scheduled to go on trial for Shakur's murder. He now maintains his proffer deal with police, under which he agreed to tell them what he knew but it couldn't be used against him in court, was given under duress, according to Netflix.
The documentary also includes Kirk Burrowes, who co-founded Bad Boy Entertainment with Combs, alleging that he feels Combs "had a lot to do with the death of Tupac".
Combs has consistently denied any role in Shakur's demise.
The documentary also covers other claims of violence and threats, many of which have previously been made public in scores of cases, including claimed assault against former girlfriend Cassie, which ended in a settlement.
Combs called the complaints "sickening" and "full of lies" in an earlier denial.
In a media statement earlier this year, his lawyers said "anyone can file a lawsuit", adding: "No matter how many lawsuits are filed it won't change the fact that Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone – man or woman, adult or minor."
Two jurors from Combs' trial are also interviewed for the documentary.
In July, he was convicted on two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution but found not guilty of the most serious charges - racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking of two ex-girlfriends.
He has stated that he will file an appeal while currently serving a 50-month prison sentence.
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