In a sneak peek from the upcoming documentary "TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy," set to release on Sunday, April 28, via Tubi, former Danity Kane member Aubrey O'Day alleged that Sean "Diddy" Combs attempted to buy her silence by offering her publishing rights on Bad Boy Records. O'Day, 40, claimed she was offered $300.30 for a "full release of all claims against Diddy and many other players."
"I received the publishing deal. I know what it says. I know how much money it was giving me," O'Day stated in the documentary. She further alleged that Diddy's "motivation" behind the move was likely to "keep as many people quiet as possible."
According to O'Day, the publishing deal did not make her "whole financially again" and instead asked her to "stay silent and never speak poorly about a human." This led her to believe that "something really bad is coming."
However, a source close to Diddy, 54, with knowledge of the situation, refuted O'Day's claim that all artists were required to sign an NDA. "Last year, when he reassigned his portion of the publishing to Bad Boy artists, an unprecedented move within the industry and which he did not have to do, not all artists signed an NDA, contrary to what she claims," the insider told Us Weekly.
In September 2023, Diddy made headlines by reassigning his Bad Boy Records publishing rights back to the artists and writers, a move he described as "just doing the right thing" in an interview with Variety. "I think that we as an industry, and as a people, have to look in the mirror and make a shift forward. It's about evolving, leading by example and reforming an industry that needs it, in a world that needs reform," he stated.
The documentary's release comes in the wake of raids on Diddy's homes in Los Angeles and Miami by Homeland Security, which were widely reported to be connected to a federal sex trafficking investigation. Diddy's lawyer, Aaron Dyer, denounced the raids as a "gross overuse of military-level force" and an "unprecedented ambush" paired with an "advanced, coordinated media presence," resulting in a "premature rush to judgment."
Since November 2023, multiple individuals have accused Diddy of sexual assault, allegations he has consistently denied. Dyer's statement emphasized that there has been "no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations," and that Diddy "is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."
The controversy surrounding Diddy's reassignment of publishing rights and the subsequent allegations against him have sparked a heated debate within the music industry. While some view his decision to return the rights to artists as a positive step towards reform, others, like O'Day, see it as a potential attempt to silence individuals who may have claims against him.
As the documentary "TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy" prepares to shed more light on these issues, the music mogul faces mounting scrutiny and legal challenges. The outcome of these ongoing investigations and lawsuits will undoubtedly have a significant impact on Diddy's career and legacy in the industry.
