In a shocking new Netflix documentary, former Danity Kane singer Aubrey O'Day has come forward with detailed allegations of sexual harassment by music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. The claims are part of the streaming service's four-part docuseries, "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," which examines the numerous accusations and legal troubles surrounding the disgraced Bad Boy Records founder.
Explicit Emails and Alleged Harassment
During the documentary's third part, O'Day reveals that Combs, her then-boss, sent her a series of sexually explicit emails. She states there were "emails with pictures of his penis" and reads aloud one particularly graphic message allegedly from Combs.
The email, as presented in the series, contained lines such as, "I don't want to just fuck you, I want to turn you out." It continued with Combs allegedly writing about his desire for control, stating, "I make my woman do what I tell her to do, and she loves it." The message concluded with Combs saying he would finish watching porn and masturbating while thinking of O'Day, adding a happy face emoji. The signature read, "God bless. Diddy. God is the Greatest."
"This is your boss at your work sending you that email," O'Day emphasizes in the film, pointing out the profound power imbalance. She argues that in any other workplace, someone sending such communications would be immediately fired. Instead, O'Day claims she was removed from the pop group Danity Kane roughly six months after the alleged harassment.
"I absolutely felt that I was fired for not participating sexually," O'Day declares in the documentary. While she has spoken about her firing and negative experiences with Combs before, these new statements provide unprecedented detail about the nature of the alleged misconduct.
The Docuseries and Broader Allegations
"Sean Combs: The Reckoning" is executive-produced by rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton. The series delves into Combs's rise to fame and fortune, suggesting his public success concealed a long pattern of abusive behavior. It includes never-before-seen footage of Combs in New York City and in anxious meetings with his legal team prior to his 2024 arrest and indictment.
O'Day is not the only voice featured. The documentary also includes interviews with:
- Bad Boy artists Kalenna Harper and Mark Curry
- Joi Dickerson-Neal, one of Combs's alleged victims
- Capricorn Clark, a former employee who testified against him
- Jurors from his 2024 trial, where he was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution
Director Alexandria Stapleton told Netflix's Tudum that the series aims to be a societal mirror. "Ultimately, this story is a mirror [reflecting us] as the public, and what we are saying when we put our celebrities on such a high pedestal," she said. She expressed hope that the documentary serves as "a wake-up call for how we idolize people."
Combs's Fierce Rebuttal
Hours before the series premiered on a Tuesday, Sean Combs fiercely condemned the project. In a statement released by his publicist and reported by The Hollywood Reporter, he labeled it "a shameful hit piece."
The statement accused Netflix of using "stolen footage" that Combs had intended to use to tell his own story. It criticized the platform for sensationalism and for granting creative control to 50 Cent, whom it called Combs's "longtime adversary with a personal vendetta."
"For Netflix to give his life story to someone who has publicly attacked him for decades feels like an unnecessary and deeply personal affront," the statement concluded. "At minimum, he expected fairness from people he respected."
In response, director Stapleton asserted to THR that the pre-arrest footage of Combs was "obtained completely legally," though she and Jackson did not disclose their specific methods.
The docuseries arrives after two years of civil lawsuits and serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Combs, marking a significant moment in the ongoing public reckoning with his legacy. "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" is now available for streaming on Netflix.
