Diddy blasts Netflix, accuses docuseries of misusing private footage

Sean “Diddy” Combs has condemned the new Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, calling it a “shameful hit piece” and accusing the streaming platform of using “stolen footage that was never authorised for release.” He also criticised executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, describing him as having a personal vendetta against him.

The four-episode series, which premiered globally on Tuesday, December 2, explores Combs’s rise to stardom, his influential musical legacy, and his legal battles, including his pending federal prison sentence.

In a statement shared with Variety, 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. 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 further accused Netflix of sensationalising his life for profit, stating that the platform ignored truth and legal rights by presenting private footage out of context, including conversations with his lawyers that were never meant for public viewing.

Netflix, however, defended the series. According to Tudum, the series includes rare, intimate footage filmed legally by director Alexandria Stapleton just six days before Combs’s arrest. Netflix claimed they reached out to Combs’s team multiple times but received no 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. Sean Combs has been documenting himself for decades.”

Combs also criticised the decision to give Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson creative control, calling it a “personal breach of trust.” He described Jackson as “a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta who has spent too much time slandering Mr Combs,” adding that it felt like “an unnecessary and deeply personal affront.”

In response, 50 Cent said the documentary provides unprecedented access to Combs’s personal and professional life:

“I don’t think you can get closer. He was documenting himself on his way to jail.”

The series follows Combs in September 2024 in New York City as he navigates intense legal pressure. One scene shows him speaking on the phone with his attorney:

“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 reassures him, saying: “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.

Sean Combs: The Reckoning presents a detailed look at Combs’s career, from his rise in the music industry to the legal challenges he has faced, sparking heated debate over the ethics of using private footage in documentaries.