Netflix defends new Diddy documentary after claims of ‘shameful hit piece’

Netflix has pushed back against fierce criticism from Sean “Diddy” Combs, insisting its new four-part documentary about the jailed hip-hop mogul is not an attack or an act of revenge.

A spokesman for Combs condemned the series, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, calling it “a shameful hit piece” that relied on “stolen footage” and private recordings never authorised for release. Netflix said the claims were false and maintained the footage was obtained legally.

Combs, who is serving a 50-month prison sentence after being convicted on prostitution-related charges in July, also accused the streamer of handing creative control to Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, a long-time rival. The spokesman described Jackson as having “a personal vendetta” and said giving him a central role was “a deeply personal affront”.

Netflix disputed that characterisation, saying Jackson is an executive producer but does not control the project. “This is not a hit piece or an act of retribution,” the company said, adding that no one was paid to participate.

Private recordings at the centre of the dispute

The documentary opens with footage filmed six days before Combs’ arrest in September 2024, showing him in a hotel room telling lawyer Marc Agnifilo he wants to “fight for my life”. In another clip, he speaks to his son Justin, saying he believed “other people need to do something” to support him.

Combs’ spokesman said these recordings were “never authorised for release”, arguing that they were part of a vast archive he had been assembling since he was 19 to tell his own story. The statement called Netflix’s use of them “fundamentally unfair, and illegal”.

Director Alexandria Stapleton said the team “obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights” and worked to keep the film-maker’s identity confidential.

50 Cent responds to backlash

Jackson told Good Morning America that he felt compelled to speak out. “If I didn’t say anything, you would interpret it as hip-hop being fine with his behaviours,” he said. “There’s no one else being vocal.”

The pair’s feud has spanned two decades.

Explosive allegations and unresolved mysteries

The documentary also revisits long-standing allegations about Combs’ influence and behaviour, many of which have appeared in lawsuits and media reports over the years. It includes claims from former Bad Boy Entertainment co-founder Kirk Burrowes and footage from a police interview in which Duane “Keffe D” Davis alleges Combs offered money for a hit on Tupac Shakur in 1996. Davis faces trial for Shakur’s murder in 2026.

Combs has always denied any involvement in Shakur’s death.

The series further includes allegations of violence and abuse, including claims previously made by former girlfriend Cassie, which were settled. Combs has rejected all such accusations as “sickening” and untrue.

Combs’ conviction

Combs was found guilty in July of two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking involving two former girlfriends. He has said he intends to appeal.