Sean “Diddy” Combs: A Closer Look at His Legacy
NEW YORK – Sean “Diddy” Combs is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, but his indictment Tuesday on sex trafficking and racketeering charges further clouds his legacy. For some, it may change their relationship to his music.
The indictment, detailing allegations dating back to 2008, accuses him of abusing, threatening and coercing women for years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
Some experts believe the severity of the crimes may tarnish his career moving forward.
“The chance to just be looked at strictly in musical terms, and that being the defining part of his legacy, is pretty much gone,” says Peter A. Berry, a music journalist with work in XXL and Complex.
“He’s gone from this aspirational, go-getting music industry legend to essentially, arguably, the Bill Cosby of hip-hop.”
The Impact on the Music Industry
Berry views Combs indictment as “a continuation of a reckoning for the rap world,” which includes sexual misconduct allegations leveled at Russell Simmons by multiple women, as well as R&B-singer R Kelly who is serving a 30-year prison sentence for using his fame to sexually abuse young fans, including some who were just children, in a systematic scheme that went on for decades.
Sowmya Krishnamurthy, music journalist and author of “Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion,” sees it differently.
“It’s always a question of — are fans going to separate the person from the art? Are you able to differentiate the good musical contribution somebody has made, the artists they’ve introduced us to, the hit songs they’ve given us, the soundtrack to our lives versus what’s going on in their personal life, the legal issues that they’re facing?” she asks.
“My hope is that folks don’t use Diddy example to scapegoat hip-hop, because this isn’t a problem that’s unique to hip hop,” says Carson.