Sean "P. Diddy" Combs during "The Next Big Thing" New York City Premiere - After Party at Saci in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
In the late 1990s and 2000s, a “Diddy party” was known for its fun atmosphere, and swanky guest list. There was flowing champagne, huge pools, and all-white dress codes. Now, Sean Combs‘ sex trafficking charges, the prosecution’s 14-page indictment, and resurfaced footage have painted another image of those exclusive kickbacks.
As mentioned, social media users are pulling out the archives to piece together what led to the last nine months of Diddy’s life. That life includes ten lawsuits, with the majority citing sexual assault and three felony charges.
In one viral clip, Combs seemed to predict that one day, his celebrity gatherings would land him behind bars. Ironically, he’s currently in pre-trial detention at Brooklyn-MDC. What’s even wilder is that his charges are related to what prosecutors labeled “Freak-Offs” in their indictment.
In a 1999 interview with Entertainment Tonight, this is what Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs said about his lavish bashes:
“The parties man. They don’t want me to throw the parties no more, but we ain’t gon’ stop. We gon’ keep on having fun, bringing people together from all walks of life. You gon’ hear about my parties, they gon’ be shutting them down. They going to probably be arresting me, doing all types of crazy things just cause we want to have a good time.”
At the time, the Hamptons was Combs’ kingdom and his mansion saw frequent celeb visitors and gatherings. As ET’s interviewer stated during the 1999 sit-down, a “Diddy party” was the “hottest ticket around.” Entertainers across industries popped out for them, from Russell Simmons, Aretha Franklin, Jay-Z, and Aaliyah to Sarah Jessica Parker, Paris Hilton, Martha Stewart, Leonardo DiCaprio, Pamela Anderson, Kelly Osbourne, Chris Brown and more, per Page Six.
To be clear, though, Diddy’s comments appeared to be in reference to a Black man turning up at Hamptons, a historically white residence area. “Whenever you bring up a different element to people’s environment, things that broaden people’s surroundings, people get intimidated. It’s a lot of people out there that feel intimated by it and it ain’t nothing but breaking down racial barriers,” Combs told ET in 1999. Watch the trending clip below.
Speaking of resurfaced content, another interview between Combs and Conan O’Brien shows Diddy discussing how to plan one of his parties. He tells Conan that “beautiful ladies,” “beautiful men for the ladies,” and “alcohols” are needed. Additionally, he said, “You can’t force the situation.”
“You need some water. I dont know if guys have noticed this, but a lot of ladies drink water at parties. So if you dont have what they need, they gon’ leave. Gotta keep ’em there,” Diddy added.
Combs also emphasized that the party needs “locks on doors.” “It’s a little kinky but you know…rock with me. You need a lot of heat. Don’t have no air conditioning. Heat affects the alcohol and everybody gets more comfortable and loose. It builds up a nice little sweat,”Sean said.
As mentioned, the indictment against Diddy alleges he planned, executed, and “electronically recorded” events that included sex workers transported across state and international lines. Furthermore, prosecutors claim Sean provided “controlled substances to victims” to keep them “obedient and compliant.” After the “Freak Offs” the producer would allegedly provide IV fluids for recovery. A Homeland Security bi-coastal raid of Diddy’s homes in March led to the recovery of more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, narcotics, weapons, and ammunition.
To be clear, the prosecution hasn’t argued that every “Diddy party” was a “Freak Off.” In fact, Dame Dash, who appears in several viral photos from a Hamptons party he attended with Aaliyah, recently spoke on his experience. Dame denied attending any “Freak Offs” and clarified that he and the late singer only “hung out” at the party and didn’t witness anything described by the prosecution.
Meanwhile, Leonardo DiCaprio has been trending after another resurfaced clip showed Diddy revealing that the actor tops the guest list at his party. Note that a source allegedly close to Leo has reportedly denied internet speculations about Leo attending “Freak Offs,” per The Daily Mail.
