A Look At Diddy's Decades-Long Relationship With Jay-Z
Controversy has surrounded P. Diddy and Jay-Z following lawsuits that allege Diddy's involvement in numerous counts of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sex trafficking. Jay-Z was also named in one of the lawsuits for participating in an alleged assault. The allegation comes after a decades-long, public friendship between the two rappers, beginning in the 1990s.
Diddy and Jay-Z became close in the years after their good friend Biggie Smalls was murdered in 1997. In 1999, they collaborated on Diddy's track "Do You Like It ... Do You Want It..." They frequently praised each other for their success, having both risen from poor backgrounds to become self-made men. When discussing a photo taken of him and Jay-Z at one of his birthday parties, Diddy said, "People see us as competitors and different icons in the hip-hop game, but that was just a moment of two Black brothers telling each other how much they appreciate each other." Jay-Z has shared similar messages of support over the years.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Jay-Z attempts to distance himself
P. Diddy and Jay-Z have seemingly made their friendship known over the years. However, Jay-Z's lawyer, Alex Spiro, has a different story. He stated that while Jay-Z and Diddy know each other professionally, their relationship does not go beyond that. "There is no friendship or longtime bond here," he said. "Just because they knew each other, know each other, that doesn't mean anything" (via The Daily Beast).
Considering Diddy's new home behind bars, creating some distance may be Jay-Z's best defense in this disturbing lawsuit. While staying quiet might be the right PR move, it doesn't erase the publicly established bond between the two rappers. In 2022, Jay-Z even made a tribute video for Diddy's Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards, saying, "Here's this guy from a neighborhood similar to where I grown up that made it to these unreachable heights. Puff was the first one that came through and made us feel like it was us" (via Prestige). With their past collaborations, photos together, and quotes supporting each other, it may take more than a lawyer's denial to convince fans that they hardly know each other.