More than 20 years ago, Sean “Diddy” Combs predicted that he would one day be arrested for his wild parties.
The 54-year-old “Act Bad” rapper, who was arrested Sept. 16 on federal charges including sex trafficking and racketeering, said in a resurfaced 1999 interview with Entertainment Tonight that his drinking spree, which is at the center of the federal charges, will “probably” land him in prison.
“They don’t even give me permission to party, and they don’t want me to have parties anymore,” Combs said during a conversation about his parties, which the interviewer said are “the most popular.”
“But we’re not going to stop. We’re going to keep having fun. We’re going to bring people together from all walks of life.”
Diddy predicted in a 1999 interview with Entertainment Tonight that he would one day be arrested for his wild parties. “We’re not gonna stop,” Diddy said of Entertainment Tonight. Entertainment Tonight
“You’re going to hear about my parties,” he added. “They’re going to shut them down. They’re going to arrest me. I’m doing all kinds of crazy stuff because I just want to have a good time.”
Federal prosecutors allege in an unsealed indictment against Combs that the music mogul hosted “freak-off” parties, lured female victims into having sex with male prostitutes, gave the women illegal drugs and recorded video of the performances that could later be used to blackmail them.
“When you bring something different into people’s environment, the objects they bring in, the people around them, it makes them feel intimidated,” Combs told ET.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and his lawyers Mark Anifilo and Tennie Geragos attend a bail hearing in federal court in Manhattan, New York City, USA, September 18, 2024. REUTERS
“So a lot of people out there are scared of it. But it’s about breaking down racial barriers, it’s about breaking down generational barriers. People from all walks of life. Ron Perlman talking to Jay-Z, Jay-Z… you know what I mean?”
He continued: “It just goes on and on. It’s just people from all walks of life connecting and coming together.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs and Justin Bieber attend the Ciroc party at Vanquish Lounge in Atlanta, Georgia on February 5, 2014. FilmMagic LR) Drake, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Rick Ross attend Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Ciroc New Year’s Eve Party at his Miami Beach, Florida home on December 31, 2013. WireImage
When asked how it felt to know his party invites were so popular, Diddy replied, “No, it’s nice, but it doesn’t make me feel anything. I don’t feel like I’m a bigger person.”
He added: “It makes me feel like I know how to throw a party.”
In addition to so-called “freak off” parties, Diddy also hosted more highly publicized and lavish gatherings, such as his famous Hamptons White Party.
Over the years, this event and others have featured some of the hottest celebrities in attendance, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Drake, Justin Bieber, Russell Simmons, Aaliyah, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Howard Stern, Kelly Osbourne, Aretha Franklin, Martha Stewart, Tommy Lee, Pamela Anderson and Vera Wang.
However, there is no evidence to suggest that any of the celebrities at Diddy’s parties knew about or participated in the alleged drug use, orgies, or “freak-off” performances.
Sean “Diddy” Combs mingles with industry lawyers and businessmen at the annual Labor Day White Party on September 4, 1999. ZUMAPRESS.com Leonardo DiCaprio (back row, center) and Sean “Diddy” Combs (front row, center) relax with friends at Diddy’s Labor Day White Party at his home in East Hampton, New York on August 29, 1998. ZUMAPRESS.com
Diddy’s resurfaced ET interview is just one of many the rapper has given in the past that are now coming under renewed scrutiny.
In 2002, the “Bad Boys for Life” star joked with Conan O’Brien about trapping women at parties, telling the late-night host, “A lot of women drink water at parties, so if you don’t have what they need, they leave. You need a lock on the door to keep them locked at the party.”
Beyonce, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Cassie celebrate at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards after-party at Pasquale Jones on August 28, 2016 in New York City. GC Images
He added that the air conditioning would be turned off to keep the women “comfortable and relaxed.”
Combs is currently being held at the Federal Detention Center in Brooklyn while awaiting trial. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.