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50 Cent has taken a fresh shot at Diddy, breaking his recent silence with a new round of online mockery aimed at his longtime foe.
As Diddy’s legal proceedings move forward, with jury selection for his trial kicking off this week, 50 Cent returned to Instagram with a post that quickly grabbed attention. The rapper shared an AI-generated image that featured himself as every single member of the jury, a humorous but pointed jab at the Bad Boy mogul.
The image was accompanied by the caption, “Sean Diddy Combs jury selection for trial is finally complete,” while 50 added his own twist, writing, “I’m not sure if this is fair but don’t worry, be happy!” The post blends sarcasm and spectacle, staying true to 50’s trademark style of using humor to taunt his rivals.
Tensions between the two artists have been simmering for years, but 50 has turned up the heat since late 2023, when serious allegations involving sexual misconduct and sex trafficking were brought against Diddy. While the music industry watches the case unfold, 50 Cent is using his platform to stay in the conversation, with his usual mix of satire and shade
This latest stunt, powered by AI and packed with attitude, is another reminder of how 50 Cent continues to blend digital creativity with real-life controversy, keeping his feud alive while entertaining his fans in the process.
Now let’s go down memory lane of all the times 50 Cent has trolled Diddy.
As the sex trafficking trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs kicks off with jury selection in New York this week, radio DJs have all but dropped the Bad Boy Records founder’s catalog from their airwaves, Luminate data reviewed by Billboard shows.
Songs by Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and Diddy accrued just 1,671 airplay spins year to date, an 86% decline from the same time frame last year when the artists’ catalog racked up 11,870 airplay spins, according to Luminate. For a comparison, Diddy collaborator and Bad Boy artist Notorious B.I.G.’s catalog accrued 63,390 spins since the start of the year, Luminate data shows.
The decline in commercial radio play doesn’t just reflect a public turn away from the artist who is accused of running a large-scale criminal operation for his own “sexual gratification.” It also means the artist’s catalog could generate less than the $3 million in revenue that Billboard estimates it generated annually from master recording and publishing revenue from streams, sales and radio airplay between 2021 and 2023.
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Representatives for Diddy did not respond to requests for comment.
Revenue from music streaming subscriptions is still the most significant source of income for music companies, artists and other owners’ music rights. However, commercial radio play remains a significant source of income for the publishing side, sources said.
“For a mature catalogue, such as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs … that portion of income impacted by a sharp decline in radio airplay is limited to 6 percent to 9 percent of total publishing royalties,” says Barry Massarsky, a partner at Citrin Cooperman and head of the firm’s music and entertainment valuation practice. Massarsky cautioned that only the catalog’s publishing revenue can be analyzed because there is no entitled performance right for sound recordings played on U.S. commercial radio.
In the United States, the performance rights organizations ASCAP and BMI pay a base rate of roughly 50 cents to publishing companies per radio spin. As radio airplay can influence stream counts, there is a residual paid out on the master recording royalties that brings the total payment per airplay stream to roughly $1. Popular songs can earn additional bonus money.
While the Diddy catalog’s airplay spins did not put him within reach of any bonus money — bonuses are typically paid out for songs that top 135,000 spins in a quarter — Billboard estimates his catalog’s publishing revenue was $10,200 less for the first 16 weeks this year compared to last year. If Diddy’s songs continue to generate the same average per-week-radio airplay spins they did at the start of the year — an average of 117 per week — it would mean a year over year decline of $34,300 compared to last year.
As of June 2024, Diddy owned his master recording catalog and publishing, which Billboard estimated earned about $2.4 million in master recording revenue and $600,000 in publishing revenue annually for the years from 2021 to 2023. Diddy’s share was $2.625 million in each of those years, Billboard estimated. Those estimates do not include credits and royalties for music assets beyond his own artist catalog.
It is unclear to what extent the accusations and lawsuits against Diddy may have contributed to the decline in airplay because airplay spins for his catalog rose for roughly the first four months of both 2023 and 2024, when several allegations that would later lead to lawsuits were already public.
Last year, Diddy’s catalog had the best start of the year in terms of airplay spins that it has had for any similar 16-week period since 2020, when the catalog accrued about 7,700 airplay spins. The second best 16-week period for Diddy’s catalog in terms of airplay spins was the start of 2023, when the catalog racked up nearly 11,000 spins.
Despite the decline in airplay, Diddy’s catalog remains popular on streaming platforms, though streaming activity during this period was almost half of what it was last year and was the lowest for this period than during any of the past five years.
In the first 16 weeks of this year through April 24, Diddy’s catalog accumulated roughly 29 million U.S. on-demand streams compared to nearly 52.7 million U.S. on-demand streams for the same period in 2024. The only other start-of-the-year stretch over the last five years when Diddy’s catalog had such a low stream count was in 2020, when it racked up 29.7 million on-demand streams from Jan. 1, 2020, to April 23, 2020.
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The sex trafficking trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs takes place this week, and on Monday (May 5), the jury selection process was underway. Diddy’s charges include sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting to engage in prostitution.
As reported by NPR, jury selection kicked off Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial on Monday in what is expected to be one of the more explosive cases heard in New York in some time. The longtime music executive and business mogul has been accused of several heinous crimes, and several individuals have launched lawsuits accusing Combs of committing acts of violence, intimidation, and more.
The jury selection process will reportedly take one week to complete, and opening statements are scheduled to be heard by U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian on May 12. Initially arrested on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment last and tacked on two additional charges: sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and the aforementioned transporting charge.
Diddy’s legal team requested a two-month delay for the trial as they wanted more time to respond to last month’s indictment. Judge Subramanian denied the request. It is expected that several witnesses and victims who allege Combs harmed them will take the stand. And unlike many trials of this magnitude, the trial will not be shown on television.
Combs faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The transporting to engage in prostitution count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
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During a recent episode of the “It Is What It Is” podcast, Mase sparked discussion when he mentioned he might attend Sean “Diddy” Combs’ upcoming trial on sex trafficking charges.
Speaking alongside co-hosts Cam’ron and Treasure “Stat Baby” Wilson, Mase floated the idea to the audience. “They’re asking me to come to the Diddy trial,” he said around the 1:35 mark. “You think I should go this week?” Rather than making a firm decision, Mase suggested letting fans weigh in.
Cam’ron, referencing the pair’s well-known tension, responded, “It’s up to you, I don’t know your relationship,” prompting laughter from the group. Mase went on to explain that multiple people had contacted him about possibly showing up in court. “I was trying to figure out a way I could go at least a day,” he added.
The comments reignited interest in the complex dynamic between Mase and Diddy. Once a prominent artist under Bad Boy Records, Mase has publicly criticized Diddy in the past, accusing him of unfair business practices and mistreatment. His appearance at the trial would carry significant weight, not only because of their history, but also due to the serious nature of the charges Diddy is facing.
Whether Mase will attend remains undecided, but his remarks have fueled speculation and added another layer of intrigue to a high-profile case that continues to dominate headlines.
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We’re now just weeks away from the highly anticipated trial of Diddy and while the Hip-Hop world waits to see what kind of evidence and stories prosecutors have in the chamber against the embattled music icon, we’re learning that Diddy’s dress code will be limited when his trial gets underway (huh?!).
According to Newsweek, Diddy has been given instructions on how he will be allowed to appear in court. Before anyone jumps to conclusions, this is apparently a standard practice as the courts do not want anyone coming to court in jailhouse jumpers looking like a common criminal. That being said, Diddy will be allowed to have a mini-trial wardrobe that ensures he looks like a man who’s to be presumed innocent before a jury of his peers. He’s known for his flashy ways, but we doubt he’ll be incorporating any of his infamous shiny suits when his trial gets underway on May 5.
Per Newsweek:
Judge Arun Subramanian issued the order in response to a request from Combs’ legal team. The directive permits Combs to wear “up to five button down shirts, up to five pairs of pants, up to five sweaters, up to five pairs of socks, and up to two pairs of shoes without laces” for his trial in New York.
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Combs for comment.
At a court appearance in March, Combs was seen in a beige-colored jumpsuit, with graying hair and a grey beard, as depicted in courtroom sketches.
Will Diddy at least get to put on some Just For Men for his greying hair and beard? Just asking.
Opening statements for the trial are set to begin May 12 following jury selection. After that the trial will get underway and will probably get the same kind of attention that the OJ Simpson trial got back in 1995.
Diddy for his part has not only pleaded not guilty to all charges, but even turned down a last minute plea deal on the eve of his upcoming trial. No details about the deal have been revealed but according to the Daily Mail , it did involve some prison time and that seemed to be enough for Diddy to say “nah.”
What do y’all think about Diddy’s upcoming trial? Should he have taken a plea deal? Let us know in the comments section below.
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In a recent sit-down with Hip-Hop Wired, R&B group B5 dropped a bombshell about a major opportunity that slipped through their fingers, all because of label politics.
Back when they were signed to Diddy’s Bad Boy Records, Disney had a whole TV show lined up for them. The Mouse House was feeling their vibe heavy and even wanted to sign them to Hollywood Records. But when it came time to lock it in, Diddy wasn’t trying to let them go without a fat check.
“Disney had a show idea for us,” the group said. “But Bad Boy kind of shut it down. Disney wanted to sign us to Hollywood Records because we were doing so much with them. But Puff wanted a certain amount of dollars. That’s a big check.” Long story short, the deal fell through, and Disney took the whole idea and gave it to another group on the come-up, the Jonas Brothers.
The rest is history. The Jonas Brothers took that platform, ran with it, and became global pop stars. Meanwhile, B5 was left wondering what could’ve been. It’s a tough reminder of how the business side of the industry can block blessings, no matter how talented you are. B5 had the look, the sound, and the fanbase, but the bag wasn’t right for Diddy, and the door closed before it ever really opened.
One move changed everything. B5 missed out, and the Jonas Brothers cashed in. Check out the full conversation below.
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The upcoming sex trafficking trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs is slated to take place next week, and the court maneuvering is in full swing. Diddy’s legal team has requested that a gag order be placed on the attorneys representing victims in the matter ahead of the trial.
In an exclusive report, the British publication Daily Mail reports that Diddy’s legal team is asking a judge to issue a gag order on the attorneys representing the mogul’s alleged victims. The publication says that the request singled out Douglas Wigdor, who is representing Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. They hope that the attorneys can’t issue statements that might damage the moves of the defense and keep the case out of the public limelight.
“Absent a Court order, we expect the publicity to not only continue, but escalate as trial commences,” a portion of the letter the team handed over to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. “Indeed in recent weeks, lawyers for government witnesses have commented on pretrial litigation and continued to broadcast prejudicial statements.”
Combs’ team floated a claim that a video of their client physically assaulting Ventura that was shared on CNN may have been altered. The network denies performing any edits to the clips.
Wigdor has responded to the legal maneuver and provided a statement for the Daily Mail.
“We will vigorously oppose the motion seeking an extraordinary sweeping gag order as it is an obvious attempt at controlling and silencing victims and their counsel in contravention of well-established legal and ethical precedent,” Wigdor said. “Given this, it should come as no surprise that Combs fails to cite even one case to support his request.”
Diddy’s trial is set to take place on May 5.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs can claim a slight legal victory ahead of his explosive trial set to take place next week after a judge ruled that a forced labor claim wouldn’t be entered as evidence. Diddy’s legal team initially requested that some evidence be put aside, but it appears that the sex trafficking evidence will be entered.
TMZ reports that Diddy’s legal team’s request to have certain portions of evidence exempt from the upcoming trial was denied in part, with the judge in the hearing stating that prosecutors would not be able to argue over the forced labor claim.
The defense added in their request that prosecutors turned over their evidence too late, thus not giving the defense enough time to devise a countering strategy. However, prosecutors fired back and said that Diddy’s side had ample time and is attempting to hold up the trial.
Court documents reveal that prosecutors said that the request was “a transparent attempt to narrow the scope of the proof against him at trial by any means necessary, and to yet again make a last-ditch effort to secure an adjournment of trial.”
Diddy’s trial is set to begin on May 5.
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French Montana kept it moving real quick when asked about the heat surrounding Diddy.
The Bronx rapper, who’s been tight with Diddy for over a decade through his deal with Bad Boy, clearly wasn’t trying to get caught up in that drama. Blogger, Joe Andaloro caught up with French at LAX recently. Everything started off cool, he was all smiles, cracking jokes, talking about the Met Gala and the usual celeb stuff. But the energy flipped the second the cameraman brought up Diddy’s name and the serious allegations he’s facing. French didn’t skip a beat, just hit ’em with a “Come on, man” and walked off without looking back.
It was one of those moments where you could tell he wasn’t tryna be part of that convo at all. Right after, his security stepped in and told the camera guy, “Don’t put that last part.” But it was too late, it was all going down on livestream, so whatever happened was already out there for the world to see.
French’s quick exit didn’t go unnoticed. With Diddy under major scrutiny right now, folks are paying attention to who’s speaking up and who’s staying quiet. French clearly chose the “no comment” route, but in the internet age, silence can be loud too. Whether it’s loyalty or just not wanting to get mixed up in legal mess, French made his stance clear, he’s not talking, and he’s not sticking around for the questions.
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Diddy’s fall from grace is getting more real by the day, and his time behind bars is starting to show, hard.
After months in lockup at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the once-polished music mogul is looking like a shell of his former self.He recently popped up in court to ask for a delay in his trial, after even more charges were slapped on him. The judge shut that down quick. No cameras were allowed inside, but a courtroom sketch artist captured what people are calling a “dramatic transformation.”
The drawing showed Diddy with wild, unkempt hair that’s gone fully grey, looking stressed and way older than we’ve ever seen him. His beard was also grey and scruffy, and it looked like he’d lost a good amount of weight since being locked up. Gone is the slick, confident image he used to flex, now he just looks worn out and broken.
Diddy and his team haven’t said anything about his condition inside, but the sketch speaks for itself. This ain’t just jail weight loss, it’s the look of a man facing the consequences of years of dirty behavior finally catching up to him.Though he managed a small legal win by getting access to draft copies of Cassie’s unreleased memoir, it doesn’t mean much in the bigger picture.
The damage is done, and the truth is closing in. The image of Diddy now is not of a legend, it’s of a man crumbling under the weight of his own actions.