When Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson revealed in December 2023 that he was working on a documentary about Sean “Diddy” Combs as sexual assault allegations against the music mogul began to mount, no one was quite sure how serious he was. Jackson has been trolling Combs — who was sentenced to 50 months in prison after being convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution in July — for years, and it seemed entirely possible the announcement was simply another attempt to get under his longtime rival’s skin. But Jackson had every intention of following through, and on Dec. 2, Netflix debuted Sean Combs: The Reckoning.
The four-part docuseries — executive produced by Jackson and directed by Emmy winner Alexandria Stapleton — is as expansive as it is damning: former friends and associates recall Combs’ ruthless rise to fame and subsequent reign of terror as the head of Bad Boy Entertainment, and alleged victims (including Joi Dickerson-Neal and Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, both of whom have lawsuits pending against Combs, as well as former Danity Kane member Aubrey O’Day) share disturbing details of sexual harassment and assault. The disgraced mogul is also implicated in the murders of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, and, in footage Combs, 56, himself orchestrated — he’d hired a videographer to film him in the days leading up to his Sep- tember 2024 arrest — he’s seen ordering his legal team to hire someone who “has dealt in the dirtiest of dirty busi- ness” and declaring that he needs hand sanitizer after shaking hands with fans in the Harlem streets.
Jackson insists the project isn’t part of a vendetta to take Combs down. “I’m not doing this as some personal mission,” he says. The hip-hop star, 50, feels a responsibility to be vocal, and is in a unique position because he’s not scared of retaliation. “I’m telling a story no one else is telling because I don’t have the fear that [others] feel towards him,” he explains. “I’m not afraid at all.” Stapleton admits she does have concerns. “You just never know what might happen. I definitely have fears,” the director tells Us Weekly, adding that her hope is that “when people finish watching, they can have a conversation about what we put up with and what we condone.”
On Dec. 1, lawyers for Combs, who’s denied all wrongdoing, sent a cease-and-desist letter to Netflix, claiming the streamer used stolen footage that was never intended for release. Combs’ spokesperson also called the doc “a shameful hit piece” and said it was “troubling” that Netflix handed creative authority over to Jackson, calling him a “longtime public adversary.” In response to the claims, a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to Us on Dec. 2 that the “footage of Combs leading up to his indictment and arrest were legally obtained. This is not a hit piece or an act of retribution. Curtis Jackson is an executive producer but does not have creative control. No one was paid to participate.”
As the series continues to make waves, Jackson talks to Us about giving a voice to victims, what he believes makes Combs tick and why he thinks the rapper “is actually going to like” The Reckoning.
What inspired you to make this doc?
I’ve been committed to real storytelling for years through G-Unit Film & Television. We don’t run from the truth; we document it. When this story evolved, it was clear there was a bigger conversation happening.
The series explores Combs’ childhood. Why go back so far?
The things you go through make you who you are. You can’t understand a man without understanding where he came from. Puff’s childhood was an important part of this. [In a Dec. 7 statement to Deadline, Combs’ mom, Janice Combs, called out “inaccuracies regarding my son Sean’s upbringing and family life” in the docuseries, including claims that Combs had hit her and that she had been an abusive parent.]
What surprised you most from the footage or interviews?
How many people were holding onto pain or confusion for years. Some weren’t angry, they just needed to be heard. And when you see a pattern across different people, different decades, different environments… you start to understand the weight of it. I was also surprised by how much humanity came through. It wasn’t all dark. There were parts about ambition, drive, vulnerability — things that make you look at him as a full human being, not just a headline.
How did you acquire the footage filmed right before his arrest?
A journalist would ask that, but a journalist would also say, “I’m going to keep my sources secure.”
You’ve said you think Combs will like the documentary. Why do you believe that?
It shows his full story. Puff cares a lot about legacy, everybody knows that. This doc doesn’t shy away from any part of it. The success, the trauma, the power, the contradictions… all of it. He might not like every single thing that’s said, but I think he’ll respect the scope of it. It’s honest. It’s complete.
For many years, no one spoke out about him. Why?
Well, he’s a big part of the culture, and he made it to a respectable position within the culture. So any smart person would pick their fights and say, “It’s not my business, so why say something?” I was comfortable saying stuff about him because I’ve been saying it for 20 years.
Why aren’t you scared of him?
Those people may have had scenarios that make them fearful of him. I’ve been through more extreme things than these people. He’s never done anything to me. Maybe it’s because I’m a little more rough around the edges — they know that I’m going to meet your aggression.
Could other high-profile people be implicated in bad behavior?
If you participated in it, your name could be [brought up]. A lot of people have been in attendance at those parties because they’ve happened around large events, and [Combs] was always creating the party. [That’s] not to say they’ve all done extreme things described in the freak offs.
Do you think Combs has secrets he can hold over people?
Any company that makes $2 billion a year, they have lobbyists. I think it’s part of why it becomes a full-on federal investigation. I think he rubbed some people the wrong way.
Tell Us about how your relationship with Combs soured.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and 50 Cent, 2004. Denise Truscello/WireImage for Universal Music Group
I think it was my invitation to come hang out [and then he] was like, “Oh, let me take you shopping.” [In a 2018 interview with The Breakfast Club, 50 said Diddy had asked to take him shopping years earlier, and that it made him a “little uncomfortable.”] This is something a man says to a woman he’s interested in, and I’m like, “Nah, I’m good.” That was weird to me, and I was vocal about it being weird. But there’s no beef. He didn’t do one thing to me, I didn’t do one thing to him. And I’ve hired [Combs’ sons] Quincy and Justin to work in scripted television programs. Why would I hire them if I hated him?
You also had a working relationship with him. What was that like?
I wrote music for him. That worked [out] pretty good, but he couldn’t hear a hit anymore. He’ll play [a song] and look at everybody else in the room.
A few of the artists you talked to for The Reckoning said Combs has no musical talent. Would you agree with that?
I describe him as [a] “stand next to the fire to keep warm [person].” Stand next to Biggie, keep warm. Stand next to Mase, keep warm.
What do you think makes him tick?
I think he has a king complex to a degree.
When did you last speak with him?
I haven’t spoken to him since he [went] through his case. I had communications with his son. There was a point when they were interested in being a part of the doc because they wanted to show their perspective. They were concerned about how [things] would be portrayed.
The doc implies Combs was involved in the murders of Biggie and Tupac and features audio of Duane “Keefe D” Davis saying Combs offered to pay him to kill Tupac. [Davis will go on trial for Tupac’s murder in 2026.] Do you think Combs will ever be implicated?
He’s already been implicated. I don’t think that he could actually go through a murder-for-hire case when the person is saying they weren’t paid. [Davis previously alleged that Combs placed a $1 million bounty on Shakur’s life, though he later attempted to walk back his statements. Diddy has always denied the allegations.]
Combs’ relationship with ex Cassie Ventura is explored in detail. How do you think she’ll feel about the doc?
I think she’s going to understand it. It was important [that I] spoke to her to understand how things transpired. [I had] conversations with her and her husband, [Alex Fine]. [We had] separate, individual communication. When you hear things multiple times from different people, it rings true.
When do you think Combs started to go off the rails?
Sean “Diddy” Combs. Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for REVOLT
His pattern with the freak offs started with Cassie. She was 19, so all she knew was what he conditioned her for.
Is there anyone you didn’t get for the doc who you wished you had?
Jane Doe, so you can see that every woman around him wasn’t a victim. [Jane Doe dated Combs for three years until his 2024 arrest; She revealed at his trial that she had previously been involved with a man with whom Combs had a tense relationship and testified that Combs had coerced her into performing sex acts with male escorts during their time together.] She’s accepted that lifestyle. He got what he wanted from her the first time she hung out with him, and then he saw [what] she was willing to do. He didn’t do things [to] every woman he came in contact with. Yung Miami [who dated Combs between 2021 and 2023] is not saying the same things that you heard in court. Jane Doe is not a victim; that’s a hoe — she’s willing to do those things in exchange for the finances. I’m well aware of that going on. That’s not what fueled me to do a documentary.
It seems like he was always going after other people’s women…
That’s a fact. He doesn’t pick things for himself; he picks to have confirmation [of who he is] through [her being] with him. Like, “Now she’s with me. I have her.”
Combs was found not guilty on the stronger charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. What did you think of the split verdict?
That was luck. He beat the case [but people] don’t understand why he was [crying] on a chair, right? His finances are dwindling. [He] should have filed for bankruptcy. [And] he thought he was coming home. His attorneys are bad people. They convinced him he was going to come home when he went to court — he had already booked public speaking engagements.
What was your reaction when you saw the footage of him saying he wanted to bathe after greeting fans in Harlem?
I said, “I can’t wait to [show] everybody else.” It shows you how he actually feels about the people when he’s in the act. That’s why I said king complex. He felt awful. [He said,] “I feel dirty, I need hand sanitizer [and] a hot shower” [after] just saying what’s up to somebody on the street? He knew he was being filmed. Maybe [he was] just high and didn’t know what the f**k he was saying.
Do you think he has remorse?
I don’t think he’s uploaded everything. I think he’s still processing.
Is he capable of change?
Everyone is capable of change, but some people have to go through more to see a reason for change. I’m not sure. I hope so.
What do you think the future holds for him?
He’s going to come home and be spiritual. The experience will help him.
Is there a way back for Combs?
Not in entertainment. I think the lawsuits will finish off his finances, and [he] won’t be able to recover. [Combs is facing more than 50 civil cases.]
How has Combs’ downfall changed music culture?
I don’t think it [did]. I think [there are] less parties. [Laughs.]
What do you think of the photos that have surfaced of him from prison?
He got old real fast. All I saw [before were] the pictures from the courtroom when they drew him. He looks like a raccoon.[Laughs.] I was like, “When did this happen?”
What do you say to people who might think you’re going hard on Combs because you troll him on social media?
I do things differently on social media than I do in life. If they watch the series, they’ll understand it’s done tastefully and that it’s the best version of a docuseries you’ll see on this. [Social media] is entertainment, and if you’re an entertainer, the idea is to provoke emotions. Whether they love me or hate me [that’s] fine — as long as they have feelings about me.
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