One of the biggest news stories of the year, rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs currently faces charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, in addition to several sexual assault lawsuits previously held against him. As the high-profile case becomes the talk of the town, Netflix is looking to capitalize on the situation by producing a documentary series that will revolve around Diddy’s case, while also giving a spotlight to those affected by his alleged horrific and violent actions.
Netflix confirmed the news (via Deadline) along with announcing that Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Alexandra Stapleton (who will also be directing) are set to produce the upcoming documentary series on Diddy. The untitled project is currently in production after being greenlit by Netflix earlier this year, around the time when the unsettling allegations against Diddy began making the news. For Jackson and Stapleton, the main purpose of the project is to not only showcase the “complex” decades-long history behind Diddy’s alleged crimes, but also to give the voiceless victims a chance to make themselves heard across the world. Their joint statement:
“This is a story with significant human impact. It is a complex narrative spanning decades, not just the headlines or clips seen so far. We remain steadfast in our commitment to give a voice to the voiceless and to present authentic and nuanced perspectives. While the allegations are disturbing, we urge all to remember that Sean Combs’s story is not the full story of hip hop and its culture. We aim to ensure that individual actions do not overshadow the culture’s broader contributions.”
Netflix Continues to Expand Its True Crime Library
Netflix is no stranger to producing true-crime shows and feature-length documentaries. Neither are they immune from the controversies they invoke, of course. In 2020, they released Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, a four-episode series revolving around the convicted sex offender and the victims of his child sex trafficking ring. It was quickly put together after the high-profile case made news, but it still got positive reviews. Netflix also came out with the smaller-scale docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, which in true Netflix fashion captivated viewers across the world and garnered major praise. Most recently, they’ve been getting a lot of valid criticism towards Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez drama miniseries, but they are also double-dipping into that story by releasing a documentary that tells the “real story” behind the brothers. Netflix is having its true crime cake and eating it too.
When it comes to the Sean “Diddy” Combs docuseries, Netflix smartly chooses to seemingly focus on the most important aspects of the bizarre and often disgusting cases against the former rapper. Director and producer Alex Stapleton was aptly chosen to handle the sensitive subject after making Reggie for Amazon Prime, a documentary on the courageous life of baseball megastar Reggie Jackson, and How Music Got Free, a Paramount+ doc focusing on the rise of music piracy. Meanwhile, 50 Cent is no stranger to showing his disaster for Diddy over the years, and just recently posted on X/Twitter a meme image of “Diddy oil,” a reference to authorities ceasing 1,000 bottles of baby oil from Diddy’s homes. As their statement said, there will be an effort to also focus on the positive aspects of music, so as to not paint the entire industry in a negative light. Diddy is currently being held behind bars without bail, so it’s reasonable not to expect an appearance or interview by him in Netflix’s doc.