Sean “Diddy” Combs has been thoroughly exposed. The legal ramifications of what he’s been accused of has yet to be fully realized, but the reputation of the mogul within the music industry has been permanently tainted. More and more footage of Diddy behaving oddly around pop stars has resurfaced, as well as accounts from artists that used to work under him at Bad Boy Records. Justin Bieber falls within the first camp, but his high-profile makes his relationship with Diddy especially compelling to fans.
In April 2024, a video interview between Diddy and Bieber went viral. The interview appears to have been filmed when Bieber was just starting his career. Diddy asks him a series of questions, but the burgeoning pop star is clearly uncomfortable and tries to keep his distance. Things get especially weird when Diddy chastised the then-teenager for not spending time with him. “You haven’t been calling me and hanging out the way we used to hang out,” Diddy says.
What exactly transpired between the two artists? What was their relationship?
Justin Bieber was introduced to Diddy in 2009
Diddy never had a direct tie to Justin Bieber in a musical sense, but they did have a mutual connection. Bieber was signed to R&B superstar Usher, whose career was cultivated in part by Diddy in the 1990s. As such, Diddy was a regular presence during the recording sessions for Bieber’s first album. He also agreed to appear in a video for Bieber’s YouTube channel.
Bieber and Diddy made a video titled “Justin Bieber’s 48 Hours with Diddy!!” in 2009, which saw the two of them hanging out in the latter’s studio and working on a song together. Bieber wanted to sell a song he had written to the Bad Boy Records mogul, but it never got made. Instead, they spent the duration of the video talking about how they’re going to go out and “go crazy” on the town. Diddy joked about buying Bieber a Lambo for his 16th birthday.
The creepiest moment of the video, in retrospect, is when Diddy alludes to what else they have planned for their outing. “Where we’re hanging out and what we’re doing, we can’t really disclose, but it’s definitely a 15-year-old’s dream,” he added.
Justin Bieber refuses to talk about Diddy publicly
Justin Bieber and Diddy did eventually collaborate on an official song. They joined forces for the 2023 song “Moments,” which appeared on Diddy’s The Love Album: Off the Grid. Bieber appeared to be on good terms with Diddy at the time, as he reflected fondly on their past interactions. “Fast forward to a few years ago, Puff asked if I would freestyle something for his upcoming love album,” he wrote on Instagram Stories. “Wild full circle moment, love you @diddy.”
Justin Bieber may have had kind words for Diddy in 2023, but the pop star does not like discussing his affiliation with him in the present. After various legal charges were brought against the mogul in 2024, a source close to Bieber told In Touch Weekly that he refused to comment on the past.
“Justin doesn’t really want to talk publicly about his relationship with Diddy, but he may have to,” the source explained. “I’m not sure if Diddy did anything that Justin now thinks crossed the line, but if he does, he’s not saying. If Justin has to address his past interactions with Diddy, he will.”
Without additional context from Bieber, fans will never really be able to get insight into what transpired between him and Diddy. Be that as it may, it’s safe to assume their relationship has come to an end.