The ascension and decline chronology of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' career journey

A Hip-Hop Titan's Fall from Grace: A Timeline of Allegations Against Sean "Diddy" Combs

Over the years, Sean "Diddy" Combs has been a titan in the hip-hop community, leveraging his music prowess into a sprawling business empire. However, things take a dark turn as US prosecutors allege that he coerced and abused women, enlisting a network of associates to silence victims through blackmail and violence. Despite the accusations, Combs maintains his innocence and pleads not guilty. Jury selection for his trial starts on May 5, 2025.

Here's a look at the major events in his rise and fall:

1990: Combs, as a University student at Howard, begins his music career with an internship at Uptown Records in New York.

Dec. 28, 1991: Nine people die at a celebrity basketball game promoted by Combs and the rapper Heavy D when thousands of fans rush into a gym at the City College of New York. A mayoral report points part of the blame at poor planning by Combs.

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1992: Combs becomes one of the executive producers of Mary J. Blige's debut album, "What's the 411?"

1993: After being fired from Uptown, Combs establishes his own label, Bad Boy, which quickly lands a lucrative deal with Arista Records.

1994: Bad Boy releases Notorious B.I.G.'s album "Ready to Die." Two months later, Tupac Shakur survives a shooting in New York, accusing Combs and Biggie of prior knowledge, which they deny. On a separate note, Combs is convicted of criminal mischief after allegedly threatening a photographer with a gun.

1996: Biggie is killed in Los Angeles. Combs, known as Puff Daddy, releases "I'll be Missing You" in honor of his slain star.

1998: Combs wins two Grammys with the best rap album for "No Way Out" and best rap performance by a duo or group for "I'll Be Missing You" with Faith Evans. The same year, Combs' Sean John fashion line is founded.

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April 16, 1999: Combs and his bodyguards are charged with attacking Interscope Records music executive Steve Stoute in his New York office during a music video dispute. Combs is sentenced to an anger management course.

Dec. 27, 1999: Combs is arrested on gun possession charges after fleeing a shooting that wounded three people at a New York City nightclub. Some witnesses claim Combs was among the shooters in the club. He later offers his driver $50,000 to claim ownership of the 9mm handgun found in his car.

March 17, 2001: Combs is acquitted of all charges related to the nightclub shooting. One of his rap proteges, Jamal "Shyne" Barrows, is convicted in the shooting and serves nearly nine years in prison. Two weeks later, Combs decides to be known as P. Diddy.

2002: Combs becomes the producer and star of "Making the Band," a talent-search TV show.

Feb. 1, 2004: Combs performs at the Super Bowl halftime show alongside Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and others. A week later, Combs, Nelly, and Murphy Lee win a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group for "Shake Ya Tailfeather."

April, 2004: Combs makes his Broadway acting debut in "A Raisin in the Sun."

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2005: Combs announces he is changing his stage name to Diddy, dropping the P.

March, 2008: Combs settles a lawsuit brought by a man who claims Combs punched him after a post-Oscar party outside a Hollywood hotel the previous year. In May, Combs is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2015: Combs is arrested after a confrontation at UCLA in Los Angeles, where one of his sons played football. Assault charges are later dropped.

2016: Combs launches the Capital Preparatory School charter school in Harlem and donates $1 million to Howard University.

2017: Combs takes the top earner spot on Forbes' list of the 100 highest-paid celebrities, with earnings of $130 million in a single year.

2018: Kim Porter, Combs' former girlfriend and mother of three of his children, dies from pneumonia at age 47.

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2022: Combs receives a lifetime honor at the BET Awards.

September, 2023: Combs releases "The Love Album - Off the Grid," his first solo studio project since 2006's chart-topping "Press Play."

Nov. 16, 2023: R&B singer Cassie (Casandra Ventura) sues Combs, alleging he subjected her to years of abuse, including beatings and rape. The lawsuit is settled under undisclosed terms the next day. Combs, through his attorney, denies the accusations.

Nov. 23, 2023: Two more women accuse Combs of sexual abuse in lawsuits. Combs' attorneys label the allegations false. Dozens of additional lawsuits follow, with plaintiffs including singer Dawn Richard, a "Making the Band" contestant, who alleges years of psychological and physical abuse. Combs denies all the allegations.

March 25, 2024: Federal agents search Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Florida.

May 17, 2024: CNN airs video showing Combs attacking and beating Cassie in a hotel hallway in Los Angeles in 2016. Two days later, Combs posts videos on social media apologizing for the assault.

Sept. 16, 2024: Combs is arrested at his Manhattan hotel. A sex trafficking and racketeering indictment unsealed the next day accuses him of using his business empire to coerce women into participating in sexual performances. Combs denies the allegations. His attorney calls it an unjust prosecution of an "imperfect person."

Recent reports have shed light on sexual abuse allegations against Combs, with multiple lawsuits filed in November 2023. Cassie was the first to file, while others followed shortly after. In September 2024, Combs was arrested on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, resulting in a multi-year trial scheduled to begin on May 2025. As of the release of this article, Combs has repeatedly denied all allegations through his legal team.

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In the 90s, Sean Combs, a rising celebrity from Seattle, was embroiled in a tragedy at a celebrity basketball game he promoted, resulting in nine deaths due to poor planning.
Amidst his business empire expansion, Combs was involved in a shooting incident at a New York City nightclub in 1999, and was accused of coercing witnesses to claim ownership of a 9mm handgun found in his car.
Fast forward to 2023, R&B singer Cassie sued Combs, alleging years of abuse, including beatings and rape. Shortly after, two more women accused him of sexual abuse, followed by dozens of additional lawsuits.
As of the release of this article, Combs, through his attorney, continues to deny all allegations, but federal agents have searched his homes in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, and he faces a multi-year trial in May 2025.
Despite the ongoing allegations, Combs remains a significant figure in the entertainment industry, with recent reports highlighting his arrest on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, and his nomination for a Tony Award in 2025.