When Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson declared his intent to develop a documentary about the sexual abuse, rape and sex trafficking allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs, many didn’t believe him. Those who did thought him opportunistic for pursuing what was assumed would be a hit piece about his former rap rival.
“I knew some [people] would have something negative to say about the doc because they would look at it and go, ‘Ugh, kicking the man while [he’s] down,’ ” says Jackson. “These are people that have had relationships [with Combs]. … That’s not what it is. It’s finally saying something about it.”
Despite the dismissals, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, executive produced by Jackson and directed by documentarian Alex Stapleton, premiered in December on Netflix to critical acclaim. The four-part docuseries was praised for its meticulous timeline, its unwillingness to engage with the most sensationalized allegations against Combs and its inclusion of candid footage of the hip-hop mogul in the days leading up to his September 2024 arrest. The duo delivered arguably the most comprehensive examination of what Stapleton calls the “tentacles” of industry-backed power that enabled decades of alleged exploitation and violence.
