Music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has strongly criticised Netflix’s upcoming documentary series ‘Sean Combs: The Reckoning’, calling it a ‘shameful hit piece’ made with ‘stolen footage that was never authorised for release’, according to a spokesperson for Combs, as reported by Variety.
The statement came a day before the series launches worldwide on Netflix. In the teaser for the show, Combs is heard on a phone call, reportedly recorded six days before his 2024 arrest. The call later became part of legal proceedings where he was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution, but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
In the teaser, Combs says, ‘We need to find someone who will work with us who has worked in the dirtiest of dirty businesses. We are losing.’ When asked about the stolen footage claim, a Netflix representative referred Variety to a statement from the series director Alexandria Stapleton, who said, ‘We obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights. We worked hard to keep the filmmaker’s identity confidential. Sean Combs has always filmed himself, and it’s been an obsession for decades. We also reached out to his legal team for interviews and comments several times, but did not get a response.’
Combs’ spokesperson argued that the footage was taken out of context and is part of a large archive Combs has kept since he was 19 to tell his own story. The spokesperson said Combs ‘has been collecting footage since he was 19 to tell his own story, in his own way,’ but Netflix is using his words out of context.
The statement also mentions Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, saying Combs has ‘long respected’ him and expected fairness. Additionally, the spokesperson said 50 Cent is ‘a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta who has spent too much time slandering Mr Combs’ and that it’s ‘staggering that Netflix gave creative control’ to him.
50 Cent’s highly anticipated docu-series about Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, titled ‘Sean Combs: The Reckoning’, premieres on December 2. According to the official synopsis, the series is a ‘staggering examination of the media mogul, music legend, and convicted offender. Born with a drive for stardom and a talent for spotting artists, Combs quickly rose in the music industry with Bad Boy Entertainment and helped bring hip-hop to the mainstream, launching the careers of stars like The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, and Danity Kane.’
The synopsis adds, ‘But along the way, as described by former associates, childhood friends, artists, and employees, something darker began to influence his ambitions. Through explosive, never-before-seen materials and exclusive interviews with people who were once close to him, this documentary tells the story of a powerful, ambitious man and the empire he built — and the underworld just beneath its surface.’
