Rapper 50 Cent has unofficially hosted Diddy's protracted downfall since it began, and now 50 will officially tell the story in a long-awaited Netflix docuseries.
Let's back up a bit — hip-hop culture is often complicated, with feuds and alliances going back to the 1990s in many instances.
50 Cent's Diddy beef is almost old enough to legally consume alcohol, as we recently explained:
"The beef between Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson and Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs goes way back to the mid-2000s when 50 Cent dropped his single 'The Bomb' in 2006. It sparked tension because some saw it as 50 Cent hinting that P. Diddy was somehow involved in The Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 murder.
"That was never proven, but it definitely set off a feud between these hip-hop heavyweights, with diss tracks and social media shade flying back and forth. In a 2006 Hot 97 interview, 50 Cent didn't hold back, dissing P. Diddy's management of Bad Boy Records. According to him, P. Diddy cared more about his brand than his artists."
Anyone who has been following developments involving Diddy (Sean Combs, also known as "Puff Daddy") is surely aware that 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) has been actively and eagerly engaged with the story from the beginning.
Editor's note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault, abuse, or other related topics that could be triggering for some readers and survivors. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please visit RAINN.org. The National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) is available 24/7.
As for "the beginning" of the current Diddy timeline, on November 16, singer Cassie (Casandra Ventura) sued him in federal court — a suit which was only possible because New York State provided a "one-time opportunity [for abuse survivors to] file civil lawsuits in New York, even if any statutes of limitations have run out."
In her suit, her mention of the legislation suggested that her decision was difficult:
"With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life."
Cassie's suit was filed just under the wire, days before the window closed for good — and it was settled "with staggering speed" just one day later.
A speedy settlement could have been the end of it, but her filing had a domino effect – with two more women coming forward with similar allegations "on the eve" of the expiration of the New York Adult Survivors Act – and years of rumors about Diddy's parties and how he wielded his power surfaced in response.
50 Cent was literally there from the beginning, and he taunted Diddy on social media in October, well before Cassie's suit was filed.
As for 50 Cent's Diddy docuseries, he began making what looked like jokes as early as November 23 – the day the two additional suits were filed – floating Surviving P. Diddy and Diddy, Do It Or Not as titles, "executive produced by Curtis 50 Cent Jackson."
To be clear, there is nothing funny about the horrifying allegations leveled against Diddy, but there was something both amusing and highly relatable about how 50 Cent talked about it — it often felt as if 50 broke ranks with fellow celebrities to engage with fans on the subject, and he came for Jay-Z, too.
If Diddy settled Cassie's suit with "staggering speed," the same could be said for 50 Cent taking the Diddy docuseries from humor to reality.
On December 7, Variety published "50 Cent Developing Documentary on Diddy Allegations, Vows to Donate Proceeds to Sexual Assault Victims," reporting:
"A representative for 50 Cent and G-Unit Film and TV confirmed the documentary was in development with the following statement:
"'The untitled 'Diddy' documentary is in development through G-Unit Film and Television with Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson serving as Executive Producer, proceeds from this documentary that G-Unit Film & Television receives will go to victims of [intimate assault and violence].'"
Within weeks, 50's Diddy docuseries was "in development," and the controversy and eventual arrest of Diddy hadn't even occurred yet.
Netflix Finally Acknowledged 50 Cent's Diddy Docuseries
On May 22, Deadline reported that 50 Cent said Netflix won a "bidding war" for his Diddy docuseries, a documentary and reality television hybrid format.
50 said it was called Diddy Do It, but Netflix didn't corroborate his claim at the time.
On July 31, The Hollywood Reporter published an in-depth profile on 50 Cent, noting that the rapper was working on the Diddy docuseries for Netflix.
In the piece, 50 talked about Diddy's "uncomfortable energy," and he maintained he was consistently "very vocal" about Diddy's off-putting vibes:
"And then there’s Diddy, about whom Jackson is producing a doc for Netflix. An avid social media user, Jackson has been trolling Sean Combs for years ... upping the intensity as Combs faces several lawsuits ...
"'I’ve been very vocal about not going to Puffy parties and doing s*** like that,' says Jackson, who first met Combs as an unsigned artist and helped ghostwrite some of his songs ... 'I've been staying out of that s*** for years.
"'It's just an uncomfortable energy connected to it.'"
50 Cent's disdain for Diddy was palpable, and he cited a video of Diddy allegedly assaulting Cassie and the rapper's denial of it as a pivotal reason why:
"First, he denied that it even happened, and then the tape comes out — so that means everything that n**** says is a lie. When someone watches that, if they have a daughter, and they can imagine her being under those circumstances, that s*** is crazy.
"Like, they let him get away with it. With all the influence and power you have, the person you’re with is supposed to want to be a part of your life, not be forced."
THR reported that "Emmy-winning filmmaker Alex Stapleton" was attached to Diddy Do It, and when the outlet pressed 50 for specifics on why he avoided Diddy, he again mentioned Diddy's offer to take him shopping:
"[Diddy] asked to take me shopping. I thought that was the weirdest s*** in the world because that might be something that a man says to a woman.
"And I’m just like, 'Naw, I’m not f***** with this weird energy or weird s***,' coming off the way he was just moving. From that, I wasn’t comfortable around him."
As for why other celebrities were not as keen to denounce Diddy, 50 Cent speculated that they feared being implicated or being seen as snitches.
On September 16, Diddy was arrested in Manhattan, and on September 25, Netflix finally confirmed to Variety that 50 Cent's Diddy docuseries was in production.
50 and co-producer Alexandra Stapleton issued a statement to several outlets, saying in part:
"We remain steadfast in our commitment to give a voice to the voiceless and to present authentic and nuanced perspectives. While the allegations are disturbing, we urge all to remember that Sean Combs’ story is not the full story of hip-hop and its culture. We aim to ensure that individual actions do not overshadow the culture’s broader contributions."
50 tweeted the Variety article, adding: " ... you didn’t believe me 🤨 but I bet you believe me now!"
50 Cent's Diddy docuseries' release date has yet to be confirmed by Netflix, and while 50 has used the title Diddy Do It, several sources described the project as currently untitled.
- Birthname
- Sean John Combs
- Birthdate
- November 4, 1969
- Birthplace
- Harlem New York, NY
- Notable Allies
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- Height
- 5'10"
- @diddy
- Siblings
- Keisha Combs
- Parents
- Melvin Earl Combs, Janice Combs
- Net worth
- $800,000,000
- Professions
- Rapper, Musician
- Source of Wealth
- Actor, Fashion designer, Record producer, Singer, Film Producer, Television producer, Rapper, Entrepreneur, Musician, Screenwriter
- Nationality
- American
