Sean “Diddy” Combs was once the most ubiquitous man in hip-hop. The producer and rapper became an indomitable force in the ’90s, writing glossy, rousing party anthems that helped catapult hip-hop into the mainstream. In 1997, he spent 26 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, longer than any other artist that year. Songs released under his rap pseudonym Puff Daddy found their way onto the charts just as quickly, and he also produced major hits for Notorious BIG and Mariah Carey. He was the first hip-hop artist to unseat himself at No. 1 on the charts, with Notorious BIG’s “Mo Money Mo Problems” overtaking “I’ll Be Missing You.”
Music was the gateway; Combs was a cultural visionary and his relentless drive and relentless pursuit of success transformed him into one of the entertainment industry’s most influential moguls, with a billion-dollar fortune that included Bad Boy Records, the Sean John luxury fashion line, Ciroc Vodka, perfumes, restaurants, annual parties in the Hamptons, MTV’s The founding of the bandand the media company Revolt. He embodied extravagance and the good life and demonstrated the limitless possibilities of hip-hop success.
Read more: The charges against Diddy in detail
Combs’ reputation as a party starter is now his nightmare. On September 16, the 54-year-old was arrested in New York City on sex trafficking and organized crime charges. The indictment alleges that from at least 2008 to the present, the Bad Boy Records boss operated a criminal enterprise that used violence and threats, among other things, to coerce victims into drug-related sex acts. “Sean Combs used the business empire he controlled to sexually abuse and exploit women, as well as to commit other acts of violence and obstruction of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. Combs maintains his innocence and said in a statement: “Let me be very clear: I did none of the horrific things I am accused of. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” He is currently in custody after being denied bail.
The mogul’s public image began to crumble in November 2023, when singer Cassie Ventura first accused him of sexual assault and violence during their decade-long relationship. (Combs denied the allegations.) Since then, he has been stripped of all awards and celebrities have quietly distanced themselves as stories of past misdeeds resurface. Given Combs’ interconnectedness in various industries, the question is whether and to what extent his A-list friends and associates knew about his alleged behavior, and whether they remained silent perhaps out of loyalty or due to their own involvement. Authorities alleged that some sexual acts, which Combs referred to as “freak offs,” were recorded electronically, and it’s not entirely out of the question that other well-known faces could be involved.
While he awaits trial in prison, fans and the music industry must deal with a superstar who is now persona non grata. Should Diddy be deleted or can his music be separated from the person? “I am sure that this indictment against Diddy will affect his musical legacy. There is no way around it,” says Torae, rapper and host of The Tor Guide on SiriusXM. “He’s done a lot in the music business and supported a lot of artists who have made incredible records. But now the asterisk is appearing because of all the charges and all the things that are being accused of him. You can’t listen to the music the same way anymore.”
It’s a topic that has haunted pop culture, especially since numerous allegations of sexual harassment against Harvey Weinstein sparked the global #MeToo movement in 2017. The music industry in particular has struggled with its treatment of so-called canceled artists. Reactions have varied depending on the artist’s success, public opinion and whether legal action has been taken, as companies navigate between artistic freedom, commerce and social responsibility. “Ultimately, it comes down to asking the question: Should we really separate the artist from the art?” says Kathy Iandoli, author of God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop and professor of music business at New York University.
Given the music industry’s general glorification of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, there is no one standard. But one instructive example is singer R. Kelly, the most cited case of a sex offender becoming a pariah. “We can look to past situations like R. Kelly’s as a compass for how this can all play out,” Iandoli says. After decades of sexual abuse allegations, including marrying his teenage protégé Aaliyah in 1994, Kelly received his first court conviction in 2021, including charges of organized crime and sexual exploitation of minors. He was the first artist to have his music removed from Spotify’s editorial playlists and algorithmic recommendations under a new policy against “hateful content and behavior” in 2018. “The R&B singer’s music will continue to be available on the platform, but Spotify will no longer actively promote it,” a company spokesperson said in a statement at the time.
Next year, after the Lifetime documentary airs Survival of R. Kellywhich amplified the voices of his numerous accusers, Kelly was dropped by Sony Music and Universal Music Publishing Group. However, his back catalogue, which includes his biggest hits – “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Ignition – Remix” – continues to be monetized. YouTube deleted the singer’s official channels and music videos following his conviction in 2021, but user-generated content such as song covers or unauthorized music videos uploaded by fans are still available on the platform as well as TikTok. Billboard reported that streams of its catalog in the United States increased by 116 percent following the premiere of Survival of R. Kellyaccording to Nielsen Music, and he currently has 4.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Some of the money raised was used as restitution, and in 2023, a judge ruled that more than $500,000 from the singer’s royalties should be used to compensate his victims.
In Combs’ case, corporate partners including Revolt, Hulu and Peloton quickly severed ties following Ventura’s lawsuit. Revolt announced that Combs had sold his stake in the company he founded and would step down as chairman of the company. “One hundred percent of Sean Combs’ stock has been bought back and retired,” CEO Detavio Samuels said in an interview with The New York Times. Just. “He is no longer chairman. He is no longer on the board. He owns no shares, no equity in Revolt. We have completely separated and distanced ourselves from each other.” The company later posted a message of solidarity with victims of domestic violence on Instagram after a surveillance video was released showing Ventura being attacked by Combs. Meanwhile, music platforms are silent. After the charges were filed, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TIDAL and YouTube did not respond to a request for comment.
The Diddy dilemma is even more complex because he has enormous influence and has a history of nurturing new talent like Ventura. He has been a producer and record label executive for over three decades and has driven the success of several well-known artists, often by managing their music, aesthetics and presentation down to the last detail. A complete ban on everything Diddy touches would include Notorious BIG’s entire discography as well as that of Bad Boy Records. Popular tracks by Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, Mariah Carey, Lil’ Kim and Usher would also be excluded. “The situation is even more complex because he wasn’t like R. Kelly, who was known for his catalog and for being the main attraction of a track,” says Angela Yee, host of Way Up with Angela Yee on iHeartRadio. “He was more of an improviser, a guest singer and a label owner. Imagine not playing at the Notorious BIG, the Lox or the Total because of what Diddy did?”
Some of these artists were possible victims themselves. In the indictment, authorities allege that Combs abused his power over the victims by controlling their careers and exploiting them financially or blackmailing them if they didn’t cooperate. Recently, Dawn Richard claimed that Combs sexually harassed and physically assaulted her when she was part of his group Danity Kane. Torae predicts that these artists’ music will be safe. “Although there will be a negative discussion about it, I think the artists on the Bad Boy list will still get just as much airplay as they have been,” he says.
And even in the worst cases, banished artists usually get one or two runs in their repertoire. For Combs, that will probably be “I’ll Be Missing You.” The sardonic tribute to Notorious BIG has become a staple at funerals and memorial services and is played every year to honor the late rapper. “Some people will say, ‘We don’t need to hear that.’ But every Biggie birthday and anniversary, the DJs do a mix and that’s a staple,” Torae says. “This record, because it only gets played a couple of times a year, May be safe.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs has always prided himself on his resilience. One of his most famous rap maxims is, “Can’t stop, won’t stop.” For decades, that was true. No matter what was happening around him or to the people around him, he continued to thrive. The next hit was always around the corner. Now he faces the possibility of it all coming to an end. The replacement for his hit legacy? Silence.
