Sean “Diddy” Combs was recently in the news for his arrest in September 2024but his first encounter with scandal happened more than 30 years ago.
New documentary about Paun Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy enters into controversy over a December 28, 1991 event promoted by a young Diddy, then working for Uptown Records. In order to earn extra money, he promoted parties, and at one point he was also a rapper Heavy D he collaborated on a charity basketball game that was to be held at City College in New York.
“Not only was there a lot inside, but (there were) probably just as many people outside who couldn’t get in,” Tim Patterson, Diddy’s childhood friendhe recalled in the film, which premiered on Tuesday, January 14.
Sonny Williamswhose sister Sonya was killed at the event, claimed that local radio stations promoted the game as if it were being played in a 10,000-seat arena. (The college gymnasium held only 2,730.)
The situation soon turned deadly, with thousands more people trying to enter than the hall could hold. Nine participants died and 29 were injured.
Jason Swain
PeacockIn the documentary, Diddy’s childhood friend Lee Davis (aka DJ EZ Lee) claimed he saw the future mogul “running around trying to save people” who were in danger. “I saw him giving people mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
Gene Dealwho worked as Diddy’s bodyguard from 1991 to 2005, remembered things differently. “I never saw Sean Combs give anybody CPR,” he stated. “If anyone tells you that, they are telling an outright lie.”
Several former Making the Band members have come forward with allegations about Sean “Diddy” Combs over the years, including Danity Kane, Dawn Richard and Aubrey O’Day. In the new documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, Da Band’s Sara Rivers is the latest participant to share her story. “Sometimes people will stop and say, (…)
No criminal charges were filed, but a lawsuit later found Diddy and Heavy D 50 percent responsible for the death, while the college was responsible for the other half.
“All the families have settled down and received the settlement amount,” he said Jason Swainwhose brother Dirk died in a stampede. “We got $40,000 directly from Sean Combs. But he never admitted it, never just said, ‘I’m sorry.’ There is a video where he says that it is not overbooked. … That is a pure lie. His image is important to him. The lies go back to City College. If someone held him responsible, maybe it would just slow down the process of all the other things that happened to other people.”
Sonny, meanwhile, recalled accepting $50,000 from Diddy, now 55, after initially hesitating because he thought the amount was too low.
“He calls me to the BMG building. It was just me and him in the office and he seemed very nervous. He seemed so nervous that his lips turned white,” claimed Sonny. “And he says, ‘Sonny, I want to offer you $50,000.’ I remember looking around the office and now I see all these plaques on the wall — platinum plaques, gold plaques. I said, ‘Bro, you started all this and you’re offering me $50,000?’ He said, ‘Sonny, man, listen, man, that’s really generous – that’s a generous donation,’ and I lost it.”
Sonny felt like the exchange was a fluke, especially since he believed Diddy and Sonya were friends. After the last conversation, Sonny “reluctantly” accepted the $50,000 payment.
“I don’t want to talk about money. I want you to help me do something in their memory,” he said to the camera. “I said, ‘But is Sonya your friend?’ He didn’t want to answer me.”
While the stampede was a headline-grabbing tragedy, Patterson believes it actually helped make Diddy a household name.
“This thing made him the most famous guy in the world in one way or another,” he explained. “Puffy became more famous. It almost made him in a really weird way.”
Diddy was not involved in the documentary, but at the time of the incident he claimed in court that City College was responsible for security at the event. “I regret being the promoter of the event,” he said. “I just pray for the families and I pray for the children who lost their lives every day. It’s a tragic event, and my heart goes out to the families.”
Investigation Discovery’s explosive docu-series on Sean “Diddy” Combs brings new revelations about the disgraced music mogul — including comments from a surprise interview subject — ahead of his sex-trafficking trial. The network released the official trailer on Thursday, January 9, which featured more than 30 interviews with former friends, employees and colleagues who are all (…)
It’s Diddy currently in prison he is awaiting trial after his arrest last year accusations of sex traffickingracketeering conspiracy and transportation for engaging in prostitution. He denied the charges and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In the statement for Us Weeklyhis representative strongly condemned the new film, saying: “This documentary recycles and perpetuates the same lies and conspiracy theories that have been peddled against Mr. Combs for months. It’s disappointing to see NBC and Peacock wallowing in the same mud as unethical tabloid reporters. By providing a platform for proven liars and opportunists to make false criminal allegations, the documentary is irresponsible journalism of the worst kind.”
Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy premiere is on Peacock Tuesday, January 14.