Stevie J and Diddy have a long history, and the producer credits the Bad Boy founder for giving him a significant boost early in his career.
In a recent interview with VladTV, Stevie J reflected on his come-up in the music industry and recounted the first time he met Diddy. He said the mogul made an unforgettable first impression by handing him $6,500 in cash. He acknowledged that the money played a role in his development, helping him sharpen his production skills.
“Thanks to one guy, Sean Combs, Diddy,” Stevie J said. “When I came into the equation, he was hot—I just was the kerosene. I was the gasoline and the kerosene, and me showing him that I could make a hit.”
While Diddy played a pivotal role in Stevie J’s career, the Bad Boy founder’s public image has taken a significant hit in recent years. In 2023, his ex-girlfriend Cassie filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexual assault, abuse, and other misconduct. Multiple additional lawsuits followed, along with a criminal investigation.
By September of that year, Diddy was arrested in New York City on charges related to alleged sex trafficking and racketeering. He remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, awaiting his trial, which is scheduled to begin in May. If convicted, he could face a lengthy prison sentence.
Adding to the controversy, footage surfaced online just months before his arrest, showing Diddy assaulting Cassie in a hotel in 2016. The video sparked widespread public backlash. In an interview with TMZ for the docuseries The Downfall of Diddy, Stevie J admitted he was deeply disturbed by what he saw.
“It really threw me for a loop,” he said. “I always think about and talk about things I know to be true about Sean Combs. […] After I saw the video, I went and saw him in Miami, and we had a conversation. And I let him know how affected I was by that. I didn’t know he had that in him to do that.”