New Reporting: 15 years of drug abuse drove Diddy’s fall. Plus, a theory about why he grew into a sexual monster
Longtime insiders explain who he really was
“He’s been an addict for 15 years,” said someone who’s known Diddy for a long time. “Blow, pills, GHB, whatever. I’m sure he’s on the bleeding edge of whatever was out there that could get him high. I just know that he hasn’t really been himself for a long time.”
I had off the record conversations with people who’ve known Diddy for decades. They worked around him, they partied around him, they are people I trust to give me an unbiased view of him. They’re not speaking anonymously because they have an axe to grind. They’re giving their perspective on a story they lived through—the fall of a generational icon, Sean Combs.
People said he had changed over time and grew into the monster we’ve heard about. Someone said, “The last time I saw him there was nothing behind his eyes but a vapid darkness.” Diddy’s perpetual drug haze meant he could not even remember some of the women who’ve sued him in recent months. “He’s getting lawsuits, and he can’t recall who’s who,” someone said. This person said they did not recognize the Diddy they used to know. “He’s been super high and detached from himself for years,” this person said. “He hasn’t acted like himself in years.” There were multiple interventions. They all failed. “No one could protect him from himself.”