A Music Exec Warned Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Would Make the Industry ‘a Great Business for Criminals to Thrive’
Years before his current legal problems, Sean “Diddy” Combs pleaded guilty to harassment after a violent confrontation with music executive Steve Stoute. Diddy disagreed with the direction of a music video he appeared in, so he went to Stoute’s office to make his displeasure known. Stoute said that if people like Diddy were able to act that way without consequences, the music industry would be a worse place.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs confronted a music exec in his office
In 1999, Diddy appeared in the music video for the Nas song “Hate Me Now.” He wore a crown of thorns and posed as though he were crucified on a cross. Diddy approved the final video but had second thoughts just before the video aired. As Sony spent $14,000 to have him appear in the scene, they denied his request to delete the scene from the video.
Several days later, Diddy and two men confronted Stoute at his office.
“One minute I’m in the middle of a meeting, and the next minute I’m down on the floor and Puffy and his guys are kicking and pounding me,” Stoute told the LA Times. “One of them picks up a chair and throws it at me. Then Puffy throws my desk over and they just walk out like nothing happened.”
Stoute believed he was lucky to walk away with his life.
“I was laying there on the floor bleeding,” he said. “My jaw and my head were all swollen. I couldn’t move my arm. It was a traumatic experience, and in the middle of it, I didn’t know exactly how to feel. I was upset. Embarrassed. Scared. Angry. As far as I’m concerned, this was an attempt on my life. The only reason I’m not dead is because they missed.”
The music exec said Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was setting a dangerous precedent
Police arrested Diddy on felony charges. He faced seven years in jail if convicted. Stoute believed it was vitally important that Diddy faced consequences.
“If this kind of behavior is allowed to go unpenalized, it’ll be like an invitation for extortion in the music business,” he said. “If somebody can get away with walking into the headquarters of the world’s biggest record company and beating up a senior executive over a disagreement, I guarantee you this is going to be a great business for criminals to thrive in.”
Diddy pleaded guilty to harassment and was sentenced to attend an anger management program.
He is currently in jail awaiting trial
Years after this legal trouble, Diddy is currently in jail on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. His trial is currently set to begin on May 5, 2025. Since his indictment, over 100 people have come forward.
“We had several cases before the indictment. We were just kind of waiting to see what the federal government was going to do,” attorney Tony Buzbee explained to the Law&Crime Network. “… Then, when the indictment came about, and then when the arrest occurred, and then when bail was denied, I think those events led to more and more calls. … In about a 10-day period, we got about 3,200 calls. From the press conference we had yesterday, we had 12,000 calls in about 24 hours.”
