In a new four-part documentary by Emmy and Grammy Award–winning executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Emmy Award–winning director Alexandria Stapleton, Sean Combs: The Reckoning is a staggering examination of the media mogul, music legend, and convicted offender. (In July, Combs was found guilty of two counts of transportation for purposes of prostitution, and is currently serving time in federal prison. He is appealing his conviction and his sentence.) Born with an insatiable drive for stardom and a knack for spotting talent, Combs made a quick ascent through the ranks of the music industry with Bad Boy Entertainment and was crucial in bringing hip-hop to the pop masses and launching the careers of dozens of generation-defining artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, and Danity Kane. But along the way, and as detailed by his former associates, childhood friends, artists, and employees, something darker began to color his ambitions — much of which began coming to light following R&B singer Casandra Ventura’s lawsuit against Combs in November, 2023.
“Being a woman in the industry, and going through the #MeToo movement — watching giants in music and film go on trial, and to know what their outcomes were … When Cassie dropped her lawsuit, I just thought this could go a million different directions,” says director Alexandria Stapleton. “I wondered how she had the confidence to go out there against a mogul like Sean Combs. As a filmmaker, I instantly knew it was a stress test of whether we’ve changed as a culture, as far as being able to process allegations like this in a fair way.
“This isn’t just about the story of Sean Combs or the story of Cassie, or the story of any of the victims, or the allegations against him, or the trial. Ultimately, this story is a mirror [reflecting us] as the public, and what we are saying when we put our celebrities on such a high pedestal. I hope [this documentary] is a wake-up call for how we idolize people, and to understand that everybody is a human being,” Stapleton says.
“I’ve been committed to real storytelling for years through G-Unit Film and Television,” says executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. “I’m grateful to everyone who came forward and trusted us with their stories, and proud to have Alexandria Stapleton as the director on the project to bring this important story to the screen.”
The documentary series features intimate footage, shot with Combs’ knowledge, in the six days leading up to his arrest and indictment. At the time, Combs was under federal investigation. Director Alexandria Stapleton explains the origin of the footage: “It came to us, we obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights. One thing about Sean Combs is that he’s always filming himself, and it’s been an obsession throughout the decades.”
“We also reached out to Sean Combs’ legal team for an interview and comment multiple times, but did not hear back.”
Aubrey O’Day, member of Danity Kane and Making the Band contestant
Appearing in the documentary are interviews with those formerly in his orbit, many of whom are telling their stories for the first time, like Bad Boy Entertainment co-founder Kirk Burrowes; former assistant and Bad Boy Entertainment executive Capricorn Clark; Bad Boy artists like Aubrey O’Day, Kalenna Harper, and Mark Curry; jurors from Combs’ federal case; and individuals who have filed civil suits against Combs.
These exclusive interviews include the following participants:
“I spend a lot of time with interview subjects. Especially with artists, writers, producers, and rappers — [I want them to] talk about what it felt like to be in the music [industry],” Stapleton says of her approach. “No one entered thinking that they were going to get chewed up and spit out. They had a dream and were trying to get a piece of the American dream.”
“Extreme efforts were made to contact as many people as we could,” Stapleton says. “I’ve had many off-the-record conversations. There are some people who I’ve been able to talk with to verify and fact-check certain pieces of information, but they did not want to do an interview. And their reasons are vast. There was a lot of fear — Combs’ tentacles spread very wide. And I think a lot of people want to put this behind them. A lot of people are really struggling with being so connected to his legacy and want to be independent of that. And some of those reasons I will never know.”
“We also reached out to Sean Combs’ legal team for an interview and comment multiple times, but did not hear back.”
The documentary series features intimate footage, shot with Combs’ knowledge, in the days leading up to his arrest and indictment. At the time, Combs was under federal investigation. Director Alexandria Stapleton explains the origin of the footage: “It came to us, we obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights. One thing about Sean Combs is that he’s always filming himself, and it’s been an obsession throughout the decades.” Click here for more about what’s depicted in the exclusive footage.
Among the exclusive materials shown in Sean Combs: The Reckoning are journal entries from Bad Boy Entertainment co-founder Kirk Burrowes, who took hand-written notes while on the job, and managing — as Burrowes alleges in the documentary — financial aspects of Sean’s personal life, “and all that came with it.” Click for more about what the documentary shows from Burrowes’ journal entries.
Episode 1 “Pain vs. Love” — How did a kid from Harlem transform himself into a powerful hip-hop mogul? The first episode details Combs’ origins; reveals how Sean Combs became Puff Daddy; and includes interviews with early collaborators at Uptown Records and Bad Boy Entertainment, and those involved in the tragic events of the City College stampede.
Episode 2 “What Goes Down Must Come Up” — As Bad Boy Entertainment exploded with new talent The Notorious B.I.G., Combs found himself in a dangerous rivalry with Death Row Records. Those interviewed include people who were part of the Bad Boy Entertainment orbit at the time, an individual formerly affiliated with the Mansfield Crips, as well as the former LAPD detective who oversaw Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.’s murder cases. This episode contains footage from Biggie’s murder that has never been broadcast.
Episode 3 “Official Girl” — After Biggie’s death, Combs’ career skyrockets alongside a string of violent incidents. Alarming allegations emerge about abusive relationships with Bad Boy Entertainment artists and Combs’ romantic partners. Participants interviewed in this episode include Aubrey O’Day, former members of law enforcement, and former sex worker Clayton Howard.
Episode 4 “Blink Again” — Combs’ accusers step forward with shocking claims of abuse, triggering a federal investigation that leads to his 2024 arrest and subsequent high-profile trial. The episode contains interviews with two jurors, former Bad Boy Entertainment executive Capricorn Clark, and producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones who provided filmmakers with footage from 13 months working alongside Combs.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning is now streaming on Netflix.
A true-crime investigation for hip-hop heads, Sean Combs: The Reckoning is a jaw-dropping, investigative, and revelatory documentary series that unpacks the shocking allegations behind Sean "Diddy" Combs and his Bad Boy empire, spanning decades of his life and career.
