Music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs has launched a fierce attack on streaming giant Netflix and rapper Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson over a new documentary series set to premiere on the platform. Combs's camp has labelled the project a 'shameful hit piece' built on stolen and unauthorized private material.
A Statement of Outrage and Accusations
In a sharply worded statement issued through his spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, Combs expressed fury at the handling of his life story. Engelmayer told media outlet TMZ that 'Netflix's so called documentary is a shameful hit piece'. He went further to allege that the streamer confirmed its reliance on 'stolen footage that was never authorized for release.'
The controversy gained momentum on Monday, February 11, 2025, when 50 Cent appeared on Good Morning America to promote the docuseries, titled 'Sean Combs: The Reckoning,' ahead of its Tuesday release. Jackson previewed footage of Combs recorded just before the music executive's arrest in September 2024. He claimed Combs would eventually find the documentary 'amazing' and see 'the truth in it,' despite some parts he might dislike.
Breach of Trust and Legal Rights
Combs's team strongly refutes 50 Cent's optimistic prediction. According to Engelmayer, Netflix and its CEO, Ted Sarandos, have mishandled private recordings Combs began compiling at age 19. These were intended for his own future project to tell his story on his own terms.
The representative accused Netflix of being 'plainly desperate to sensationalize every minute of Mr Combs's life, without regard for truth' to profit from ongoing media attention. He emphasized a severe breach of context and privacy, stating, 'If Netflix cared about truth or about Mr Combs's legal rights, it would not be ripping private footage out of context, including conversations with his lawyers that were never intended for public viewing.'
Engelmayer was clear that no rights to this material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party.
A Personal Vendetta and a Deep Betrayal
The involvement of 50 Cent, a long-time adversary of Combs, has added a deeply personal layer to the conflict. Engelmayer called it 'equally staggering that Netflix handed creative control to Curtis 50 Cent Jackson, a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta.'
Beyond legal arguments, Combs's camp framed the situation as a profound personal betrayal. 'This is a personal breach of trust,' Engelmayer said. He noted Combs's past respect for Ted Sarandos and admiration for the legacy of industry figure Clarence Avant. For Netflix to give his life story to someone who has publicly attacked him for decades was described as 'an unnecessary and deeply personal affront.' At minimum, Combs expected fairness from people he respected.
The statement concludes by making it clear that Combs's team views 'Sean Combs: The Reckoning' not as legitimate journalism, but as an act of hostility.
