50 Cent’s Diddy Documentary Sparks Legal Fight Over Secret Footage

Rapper and producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is defending the controversial use of never-before-seen footage of Sean “Diddy” Combs in Netflix’s upcoming documentary Sean Combs: The Reckoning, escalating a long-running public feud between the two.

The footage, filmed in early September 2024, shows Combs in a hotel room discussing his legal troubles just days before his arrest on federal charges, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Though a jury later acquitted him of the most serious charges, he was convicted on two counts of transportation for purposes of prostitution and sentenced to 50 months in prison.

Combs’s publicist says the footage was never authorized for release and contains private moments and legal-strategy discussions from an abandoned project. His legal team issued Netflix a cease-and-desist letter, calling the documentary’s use of the material “reckless disregard.”

Netflix and director Alexandria Stapleton insist the footage was legally obtained. “One thing about Sean Combs is that he’s always filming himself,” Stapleton said, adding that they sought comment from Combs’ legal team but received no reply.

Jackson said he felt compelled to help produce the documentary to make clear that hip-hop culture does not condone Combs’s alleged actions. He rejected the idea of “beef” between the two, calling it more of a competitive dynamic. Notably, Jackson has hired two of Combs’s sons for roles in his TV shows.

Sean Combs: The Reckoning premieres on Netflix on Tuesday.