Sean “Diddy” Combs’ luxurious lifestyle has been dramatically scaled down since being incarcerated at a federal jail in New York in September.
The formerly celebrated hip-hop icon is being held at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, which has a notorious reputation for its repugnant living conditions, as he awaits the start of a May 2025 trial stemming from a felony racketeering and sex trafficking indictment.
Diddy has reportedly been orchestrating efforts to save and bring in money as his costly legal defense addresses the mounting battle to regain his freedom and clear his name in the hundreds of lawsuits alleging over a decade of abuse.
According to the Daily Mail, the Bad Boy Records proprietor has allegedly made his $60 million Gulfstream 550 private jet available for flyers on elite charter flight platforms.
A ride in the 2015 14-passenger aircraft can range anywhere from $100,000 to half a million dollars depending on the destination. This is the same black jet registered to Loveair LLC that eagle-eyed fans speculated Diddy was using to flee the country in March as Homeland Security executed simultaneous raids at Diddy’s Los Angeles and Miami homes.
But one area the rapper won’t be saving costs on is his music, in particular the split of profits he shares with musician Sting. Following the passing of his Bad Boy artist The Notorious B.I.G. in 1997, Diddy released the mournful tribute record “I’ll Be Missing You,” featuring the singer and Bad Boy signee Faith Evans. The widely successful track samples “Every Breath You Take,” which is performed by Sting’s group, The Police.
With Diddy’s musical legacy and reputation marred by damning allegations of misdeeds, Sting is unconcerned about his 1983 hit also taking a hit.
“No. I mean, I don’t know what went on [with Diddy]. But it doesn’t taint the song at all for me. It’s still my song,” he told The Los Angeles Times.
I want y’all to understand I was joking! It’s called being Facetious! Me and @OfficialSting have been friends for a long time! He never charged me $3K or $5K a day for Missing You. He probably makes more than $5K a day from one of the biggest songs in history.
— LOVE (@Diddy) April 7, 2023
LOVE ❤️😂🙏🏿💫⚡️✨
The rock star previously boasted to Rolling Stone in 2003 that he “put a couple of my kids through college with the proceeds” from “I’ll Be Missing You.”
Diddy famously released the song without clearing the sample, leaving them to sort the matter afterwards. He once claimed that he paid Sting $5,000 a day in royalties, though he ultimately clarified the remark was made in jest.
“He probably makes more than $5K a day from one of the biggest songs in history,” the music executive posted on X in 2023.
Whatever the amount, it comes as no surprise to social media users that Sting is not distancing himself from the song. “Y’all know the white man gonna get his money,” an Instagram user commented.
Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs have filed their renewed bail motion.
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) November 8, 2024
"The evidence makes clear that the government’s case is thin."
Full document:https://t.co/q1UREFYDbe pic.twitter.com/cFAWptQ9xg
Another said, “Folks KNOW they make a bag off of Black ppl some way some how.”
A third user suggested, “…aaaand he’ll be sending his a— to collections when them checks start to bounce. The Puff will really feel that ‘Sting.’” Whereas a court commenter pointed out, “Why would he? He’s benefitting financially…. This is not noble.”
Diddy is facing between 15 years in prison and a lifetime sentence if convicted. His legal counsel’s multiple attempts to obtain bond have been unsuccessful. The latest motion for a release was submitted to the court on Nov. 8. He has maintained his innocence since misconduct allegations were launched against him last year.
