Jailed music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has vehemently denounced a new Netflix docuseries executive-produced by his long-time rival 50 Cent, claiming it is a “shameful hit piece” that relies on stolen footage, per theguardian.com.
The four-part series, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, which debuted on 2 December, promises an “explosive” look at the disgraced hip-hop star’s life and recent legal troubles, including his conviction on prostitution-related charges.
Combs, who is currently serving a four-year, two-month sentence in New Jersey, has accused Netflix of unlawfully obtaining and using private recordings. Through a spokesperson, the mogul claims the material – including “conversations involving legal strategy” and “private moments, pre-indictment material from an unfinished project” – was never authorised for release.
“It is fundamentally unfair, and illegal, for Netflix to misappropriate that work,” the statement read, also accusing the streamer of giving creative control to his “longtime adversary with a personal vendetta.” The rivalry between Combs and rapper Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson spans two decades.
Meanwhile, Netflix has strongly refuted the claims, insisting the material was obtained legally, according to bbc.com.
“The claims being made about Sean Combs: The Reckoning are false,” a spokesperson stated, adding: “The project has no ties to any past conversations between Sean Combs and Netflix. The footage of Combs leading up to his indictment and arrest were legally obtained. This is not a hit piece or an act of retribution.”
The documentary’s director, Alexandria Stapleton, also assured that the footage was obtained “completely legally” and that 50 Cent does not have creative control over the project.
The series includes previously unheard footage, such as a phone call Combs made days before his September 2024 arrest, where he tells his lawyer, “We’re losing,” and asks for someone to deal in the “dirtiest of dirty business” media strategy.
Beyond his conviction for transportation to engage in prostitution, the documentary also delves into earlier, unproven allegations, including claims that Combs was involved in the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur – an accusation Combs has always denied.
The music mogul was sentenced in October after being acquitted of the most serious sex-trafficking and racketeering charges. He is scheduled for release in May 2028 but is planning to appeal his conviction.
•Featured image: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs at the release party of The Love Album: Off The Grid in September 2023 in New York/Getty.
