Key Takeaways
- Documentary Release: Sean Combs: The Reckoning is set to premiere on December 2 on Netflix.
- Diddy’s Response: Sean Combs has labeled the documentary a “shameful hit piece” through his publicist.
- Legal Concerns: Combs’ representatives claim that the footage used in the documentary was obtained illegally.
- Documentary Focus: The film explores Combs’ rise in the music industry and the darker aspects of his ambitions.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Emmy Award–winning director Alexandria Stapleton are set to unleash a new four-part documentary that takes aim at Sean “Diddy” Combs, and the former music mogul is upset. Sean Combs: The Reckoning will be released on Netflix on December 2, but Diddy is preemptively hitting back through his publicist, who called the documentary “a shameful hit piece” that is “unfair,” “illegal,” and an “unnecessary and deeply personal affront.“
Why is Diddy Upset About 50 Cent’s Netflix Documentary?
50 Cent recently appeared on Good Morning America to promote the documentary, where he showed off some footage of Combs, which was shot just days before his arrest. It features Combs speaking with his lawyer over the phone about his legal troubles. “We have to find someone who will work with us who has worked in the dirtiest of dirty business,” Combs said. “We are losing.” PR rep Juda Engelmayer sent a statement to THR claiming the footage is stolen.
“Netflix’s so-called ‘documentary’ is a shameful hit piece. Today’s GMA teaser confirms that Netflix relied on stolen footage that was never authorized for release,” reads the statement. “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.“
The statement continues, “Netflix is plainly desperate to sensationalize every minute of Mr. Combs’s life without regard for truth in order to capitalize on a never-ending media frenzy. If Netflix cared about truth or about Mr. Combs’ legal rights, it would not be ripping private footage out of context — including conversations with his lawyers that were never intended for public viewing. No rights in that material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party.“
“It is equally staggering that Netflix handed creative control to Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson — a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta who has spent too much time slandering Mr. Combs. Beyond the legal issues, this is a personal breach of trust. Mr. Combs has long respected Ted Sarandos and admired the legacy of [Sarandos’ late father-in-law] Clarence Avant. 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 statement concludes.
In response, Stapleton said, “The footage was obtained completely legally.“
The Official Description for Sean Combs: The Reckoning
“Sean Combs: The Reckoning is a staggering examination of the media mogul, music legend, and convicted offender.” reads the official description. “Born with an insatiable drive for stardom and a knack for spotting talent, Combs made a quick ascent through the ranks of the music industry with Bad Boy Entertainment and was crucial in bringing hip-hop to the pop masses and launching the careers of dozens of generation-defining artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, and Danity Kane. But along the way and as detailed by his former associates, childhood friends, artists and employees something darker began to color his ambitions. Through explosive never-before-seen materials including exclusive interviews with those formerly in his orbit this documentary tells the story of a powerful enterprising man and the gilded empire he built — and the underworld that lay just beneath its surface.“
Diddy was sentenced to four years and two months in prison following the whirlwind trial for sex trafficking and racketeering.
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