On December 2, 2025, streaming platform Netflix dropped Sean Combs: The Reckoning, a four-part documentary chronicling the rise and fall of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The series — executive produced by long-time rival 50 Cent and directed by Alexandria Stapleton — promises a “staggering examination” of Combs’ decades-long career, his musical empire, and the serious criminal, civil, and moral allegations now shadowing his legacy.
Public interest was high even before release. But the build-up was defined not only by anticipation, but by legal and ethical alarms: on the eve of the premiere, Combs’ legal team sent a formal cease-and-desist to Netflix — demanding the series be pulled, alleging unauthorized use of private footage.
The Reckoning draws on a trove of archival footage — including video recorded by Combs himself — as well as new interviews with former associates, employees, artists, childhood friends, and even jurors from his 2024 trial.
The filmmakers say this broad array of voices is meant to create a comprehensive portrait, not just a one-sided exposé.
Among the most impactful footage: video captured just days before Combs’ September 2024 arrest — including a hotel-room phone conversation in which he reportedly told his lawyer, ‘We are losing,’ reflecting panic and desperation in the face of mounting legal pressure.
The documentary revisits a wide array of claims and allegations — some previously public, others newly surfaced or recontextualized:
Former associates and ex-girlfriends — among them a former member of the group Danity Kane — describe a pattern of coercion, sexual advances, and harassment.
One claimant alleges she was fired from the group after rejecting Combs’ sexual advances; the doc shows purported explicit emails and messages sent by Combs as part of his alleged pressure.
Another former associate alleges that Combs exploited power dynamics, grooming young women, and employing manipulative tactics — contributing to a culture of fear, silence, and abuse around his name.
The doc also touches on long-standing controversies beyond sexual allegations. Some former insiders raise claims linking Combs with violent incidents and even with broader investigations into high-profile murders — including accusations (though unproven and strongly denied) of involvement in the killing of Tupac Shakur.
Through trial-juror interviews, the doc revisits the 2024 federal trial which resulted in conviction on prostitution-related charges — but acquittals for racketeering and sex-trafficking charges.
Jurors weigh in on what the mixed verdict meant, how they interpreted evidence, and why the prosecution fell short on certain counts.
Taken together — footage, voices, testimonies — The Reckoning presents a portrait of a powerful figure whose public success belied a darker, controversial, and contested private life.
Given the long-time animosity between Combs and 50 Cent, many anticipated that any project by the latter about the former would be fraught with tension.
50 Cent has publicly stated that this documentary was never meant as mere revenge, but as a necessary act of accountability.
In a recent interview, 50 Cent said: “If someone’s not saying something, then you would assume that everybody in hip-hop is okay with what’s going on.”
He described his involvement as a moral and cultural decision — to shine a light on serious allegations that, he argues, many in the industry have ignored.
He added he was not shocked by what ended up in the doc — much of the content had been around before — but believed it required a formal, structured retelling, and that the doc amply serves that purpose in a way that prior media coverage did not.
Despite the personal history between them, the filmmaking team and 50 Cent maintain the goal was journalistic — to let evidence, testimony, and documentation speak for themselves, and provide viewers a platform to decide for themselves.
Unsurprisingly, Combs’ camp did not receive the documentary with silence. On the eve of release, his lawyers issued a cease-and-desist letter to Netflix, condemning the doc as a “shameful hit piece” built on “stolen footage that was never authorised for release.”
They argued much of the visual material — including private conversations, legal strategy calls, and personal moments — comes from archival footage Combs had himself recorded since his teens to tell his own story.
The complaint says no rights to that material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party.
In a scathing statement, Combs’ spokesperson accused Netflix of exploiting his life for profit — “sensationalizing every minute” without regard for truth or context.
The statement aimed at 50 Cent, calling it “staggering” that creative control was handed to a “longtime adversary with a personal vendetta.”
The letter demands Netflix: pull the series, verify all statements, return or withdraw all materials, and cease dissemination — warning that Combs reserves all rights for further legal action under copyright law, contractual claims, or tort.
Netflix and director Stapleton responded by asserting that all footage was legally obtained and that they had the “necessary rights.”
According to them, they reached out multiple times to Combs’ legal team for comment but received no reply.
With the doc now live, Combs’ representatives are reportedly considering a full lawsuit, possibly involving the platform, 50 Cent, and others — citing misappropriation, defamation risks, and breach of privacy rights.
With The Reckoning now streaming, public reaction is pouring in.
Initial reviews call the doc “relentless,” “exhausting,” but also “necessary” — for its breadth, testimonies, and willingness to tackle difficult truths.
Meanwhile, the legal chess game is just beginning. Combs’ cease-and-desist suggests he’s ready to launch full-scale legal action against Netflix — and possibly others behind the documentary.
If successful, it could lead to the removal of the series (or parts of it), trigger financial damages, or redefine licensing norms for personal footage.