Sean “Diddy” Combs has slammed the Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, calling it a “shameful hit piece” and accusing the streaming giant of using “stolen footage that was never authorised for release,” and executive producer American rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson of having a personal vendetta.
Diddy, facing a federal prison sentence, is now the focus of a major Netflix documentary. The four-episode series, which premiered globally on Tuesday, December 2, explores his rise, influential musical legacy, and eventual fall
In a statement shared by Variety on Monday, Combs’s spokesperson said, “Netflix’s so-called ‘documentary’ is a shameful hit piece.
“Today’s GMA teaser confirms that Netflix relied on stolen footage that was never authorised for release. 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.”
Combs has accused Netflix of sensationalising his life for profit, stating:
“Netflix is plainly desperate to sensationalise every minute of Mr Combs’s life, without regard for truth, to capitalise on a never-ending media frenzy.
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. No rights in that material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party.”
Despite these claims, Tudum by Netflixreported on Tuesday that the series includes rare, intimate footage filmed by director Alexandria Stapleton just six days before Combs’s arrest.
The platform said they reached out to Combs’s team but did not receive a response. Stapleton added:
“It came to us, we obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights. We moved heaven and earth to keep the filmmaker’s identity confidential.
One thing about Sean Combs is that he’s always filming himself—it’s been an obsession for decades. We also reached out to Sean Combs’ legal team for an interview and comment multiple times, but did not hear back.”
Combs further criticised the decision to hand creative control to Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, calling it a “personal breach of trust” and citing Jackson as “a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta who has spent too much time slandering Mr Combs.”
Combs added, “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.”
Executive producer 50 Cent highlighted the intimate access the series provides to Tudum:
“I don’t think you can get closer. He was documenting himself on his way to jail,” emphasising the unprecedented insight into Combs’s personal and professional life.
The documentary follows Combs in a hotel room in September 2024, New York City, as he navigates intense legal pressures. In one scene, he speaks on the phone with his attorney, saying:
“Things are happening, and it’s like — I want to fight for my life. I want to fight for justice… I want to have a life, to be able to live. It’s really going to be hard for me to take more hits than I’ve taken, and — god forbid — get in front of a jury and have a chance.”
His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, reassures him: “You didn’t do anything wrong. You’ve handled this with complete honour.” Combs replies, “I don’t think it’s working. We’re losing.”
Six days later, Combs was indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation for purposes of prostitution.
Netflix, Sean Combs: The Reckoningpresents a detailed look at Combs’s career, examining his rise in the music industry and the legal challenges he has faced. The series documents his experiences under public and legal scrutiny
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