“Like Driving by a Car Crash”: Listeners Can’t Stop Streaming Diddy’s Music Following Arrest and Indictment

Dominating the ’90s rap scene, Sean “Diddy” Combs built his own hip-hop empire. That legacy is in serious jeopardy as Combs currently faces federal charges. However, the rap mogul’s serious legal woes haven’t seemed to negatively impact his streaming numbers—quite the opposite, in fact.

Diddy’s Streaming Numbers Climb By Nearly 20 Percent

Throughout his 34-year career, Combs has released a vast catalog of music under various monikers—including Diddy, Puff Daddy and P. Diddy. According to an Associated Press report, the industry data and analytics company Luminate said that the record executive has seen an average 18.3 percent bump in on-demand streams during the week of his arrest compared to the prior week.

Federal authorities have charged Diddy with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The 54-year-old music industry mogul has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

George Howard, a distinguished professor of music business management at Berklee College of Music, says that “natural curiosity” is likely the driving force behind the increase.

“It’s like driving by a car crash,” Howard told the Associated Press. “People want to look.”

A similar phenomenon occurred after a documentary accused R. Kelly of sexual misconduct. The now-incarcerated R&B singer’s numbers nearly doubled.

The “anonymization” of streaming could have also factored into the streaming jump, Howard said. “Imagine walking into a record store now like, ‘Yeah, I want to buy this Diddy CD,’” he said.

[RELATED: Music Producer Sues Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs For Sexual Assault and Harassment]

Other Cases Pending

Sean “Diddy” Combs is no stranger to legal troubles these days. Back in July 2024, news surfaced that prosecutors named him a staggering 77 times in a case related to the murder of Tupac Shakur.

In September 2023, Las Vegas police arrested Duane “Keefe D” Davis in connection to the 1996 drive-by shooting that killed the 25-year-old rapper. The accused killer is set to stand trial in November 2024.

According to court papers obtained by The U.S. Sun, Davis, 61, has accused Combs of paying $1 million for Tupac’s assassination.

Combs has not been charged in connection with Tupac’s murder.

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