Diddy’s Streaming Numbers Surge Amid Arrest and Legal Scandal

Following his arrest on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ music experienced a notable surge on multiple streaming platforms. 

Songs released under his multiple aliases over the years, such as Diddy, Puff Daddy, and P. Diddy, saw a significant 18.3% jump in on-demand streams between September 13th and 19th, according to data from Luminate, a music analytics outlet. it’s unknown what his previous figures were on Spotify, but he currently has 9,758,290 monthly listeners on this streamer alone.

This trend mirrors the behavior seen with other controversial artists whose legal troubles have driven increased interest in their work.  For example, R. Kelly’s streaming numbers doubled after the release of a Lifetime documentary detailing allegations of sexual misconduct involving women and underage girls. However, this is also a common occurrence for artists who have passed away.

The Bad Boy founder was arrested by Homeland Security agents at a New York City hotel on September 16th after traveling there in anticipation of his indictment. He was arraigned the following day in Manhattan’s federal court, facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting individuals for prostitution.

An unsealed indictment revealed shocking allegations, with prosecutors accusing the music mogul of orchestrating “freak-off” performances to satisfy his sexual desires, protect his image, and cover up his actions.  The indictment further alleges that Combs used guns, kidnapping, and arson to intimidate and control his victims.

Diddy has maintained his innocence.