Liam Payne Didn't Mince Words On His Thoughts About Diddy

Liam Payne, former member of the beloved boy band One Direction, tragically passed away on October 16, 2024, at the age of 31 after a fall in Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to a preliminary autopsy, Payne died from an "internal and external hemorrhage." Payne leaves behind one son, Bear. Following his untimely death, several past interviews featuring the late pop singer opening up about awkward experiences with other celebrities have been resurfacing, two of which include Payne discussing an uncomfortable encounter with disgraced rapper Diddy at a party. 

Payne first came into prominence when he auditioned for the fifth season of "The X Factor" at just 14 years old. He was cut from the season shortly following his audition, but he returned for season 7 of the show in 2010 and was placed with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, who would together become the worldwide phenomenon known as One Direction. The band's success ballooned, causing Payne to encounter fame quite quickly. While living the fast life, Payne went to an industry party where many big-name stars were in attendance. In a story he told on two separate occasions, Payne revealed that he met Diddy and Jay-Z at that moment, and the experience was nothing close to pleasant. 

In 2016, while having an exclusive chat with Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS FM,  Liam Payne detailed the moment he met Diddy, who acted in a way that frightened the One Direction singer. "I went over to speak to him and Jay-Z, and as I shook his hand, he just chuckled ... the most evil laugh I've ever heard," Payne recalled. "So I'm a little bit fearful of that man." Payne continued on about the encounter, explaining that he expected Diddy to be an approachable figure, but he was mistaken. "It was like the most daunting celebrity experience that you could ever imagine," Payne added. "I thought P Diddy was a safe bet ... "

This experience with Diddy must have lingered with the "Strip That Down" singer, because he revisited the story while a guest on "The Graham Norton Show" in 2017. During this retelling of the strange story, Payne stated that Diddy wouldn't let go of his hand after they greeted one another. "It was the longest handshake ever," Payne recalled. "[I thought,] when is this going to end?" 

Payne's encounter with Diddy is extremely uncomfortable because the rapper has been arrested on charges of human trafficking and racketeering, among others. If the allegations are true, then perhaps Payne was lucky to experience nothing more than an unforgettably weird handshake.