In 1993, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs founded Bad Boy Records and quickly rose to become one of the most influential figures in hip-hop and R&B. As his fame grew, so did his reputation for throwing legendary parties, especially his annual 4th of July White Party and his exclusive birthday bashes. Everyone in the industry wanted to be on the guest list, and people were willing to do just about anything to be a part of the scene. But now, it looks like those days are over. Diddy’s celebrity circle seems to be slowly distancing themselves, and it’s likely we won’t see any more of his famous parties for a long time. He’s currently facing serious charges, including trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy, and facilitating paid intimate acts, and if convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
In today’s video, we’re going to take a closer look at the shocking details behind Diddy’s parties. The public saw them as wild, glamorous affairs filled with celebrities and beautiful women. But the reality was more complicated. For those who got a peek behind the curtain, it wasn’t always the non-stop party you might imagine. Some attendees, even as young as 13, were drawn in by the luxury lifestyle—expensive cars, mansions, and the allure of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. Yet, much of what happened at these events stayed hidden until now, with new allegations coming to light that have rocked the entertainment world.
In 1998, Diddy threw his first Fourth of July White Party at his East Hampton home, and it quickly became one of the most exclusive events of the summer. Getting an invite meant you were in on the hottest ticket around. Over the years, he took things to another level, hosting massive birthday bashes and award show after-parties. One of the most famous was in 2002 when he threw a party following the MTV Video Music Awards. The New York Post managed to get a hold of the invite, and the rules were pretty intense. Guests were expected to stick to a strict dress code—show up in scuffed shoes or jeans, and you might not get in. The invite even suggested that guests have their stylists pick out their best outfits or choose something “fly” from their closets. What counted as “fly”? Top designers like Diddy’s own Sean John, Gucci, YSL, Versace, and Dolce & Gabbana. There were even grooming requirements: guys had to have fresh haircuts and clean shaves, and ladies were expected to show up waxed and with manicures and pedicures.
Keep in mind, this was before everyone had smartphones, so details about the party spread mostly by word of mouth. In a 2002 interview with Conan O’Brien, Diddy shared a glimpse into what made his parties so special. He said the key was having beautiful people, plenty of alcohol, and—surprisingly—no air conditioning. Why? He claimed the heat made people more comfortable and loosened them up, leading to a sweaty, fun atmosphere, though that might sound less appealing to some.
Later in 2002, Diddy celebrated his 33rd birthday in Morocco with a lavish palace party. According to reports, the celebration featured 30 Moroccan musicians, belly dancers, and jugglers, setting the perfect scene for his 300 guests, which included big names like Naomi Campbell and Ivana Trump. Fast forward to July 2003, and Diddy was ready to party again, this time in honor of Bruce Willis at his East Hampton house. As reported by SFGate, Diddy surprised Bruce with a swimming pool full of topless women, and those who didn’t want to join in were told to leave. Bruce, on the other hand, dove right in and partied with the women until the early morning hours. The party finally wrapped up around 8 a.m. with breakfast served by none other than Diddy himself.
During an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Diddy shared a memorable story from one of his 2003 parties. He recounted how Michael Jackson unexpectedly showed up at his doorstep, even though he hadn’t been invited. Diddy was surprised to see the King of Pop there but soon learned that Michael wasn’t there to party. Instead, he asked, “Where is Beyoncé?” At that time, Beyoncé wasn’t married to Jay-Z, so Diddy pointed him in her direction, and they ended up hitting the dance floor together.
Fast forward to Diddy’s White Party in July 2004, where he really upped the ante. Not only was it a celebration of Independence Day, but it also served as a platform for his “Vote or Die” campaign, aimed at getting people engaged in the presidential election that year. Over 1,000 guests joined him in the Hamptons, including notable figures like Reverend Al Sharpton, Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, Aretha Franklin, and Paris Hilton. Ironically, it later came to light that Hilton wasn’t even registered to vote. The New York Post reported that Diddy arrived at the event around 9:30 p.m. in a helicopter, draped in diamonds and clutching a copy of the Declaration of Independence. However, the festivities were soon interrupted by local authorities. By 10 p.m., code enforcers, cops, and fire marshals arrived in response to complaints about noise and traffic, towing 16 vehicles and issuing a slew of tickets. Diddy’s party planners faced several violations, and even the city councilman who issued the party permit expressed regret, saying he “used poor judgment” in allowing such an event in a residential neighborhood.
In a 2008 interview with People magazine, Diddy revealed that he looked up to the late Frank Sinatra. He said, “I love showing people a good time, throwing parties, and seeing people have fun. That’s me, and Frank was the same. He loved entertaining.” He acknowledged, though, that he wasn’t exactly like Sinatra. Diddy mentioned that Chuck D from Public Enemy even called him the “Black Sinatra,” a title he took pride in. That same year, while filming a commercial for his vodka brand, Ciroc, the set turned into a six-hour party. Diddy joked, “Somebody got naked and jumped into the pool. Actually, two people did, and one of them was me. We’ve got that footage locked away in a safe. I always keep cameras rolling because you never know what might happen.”
Katt Williams once humorously pointed out that “P. Diddy be wanting to party, and you gotta tell him no.” But rapper Xzibit didn’t get that memo in time. During a February 2009 interview with Foxhole Radio, Xzibit recounted a wild night he had with Diddy and Karrine “Superhead” Steffans. He was at Diddy’s New Year’s party in Miami when Diddy invited them back to his place. Once there, Diddy pulled Xzibit aside and warned him about Karrine, saying, “That girl you’re with, she’s the devil.” He added, “She will videotape you with [bleep] in the booty.” Xzibit was taken aback and thought Diddy must have had a past encounter with Karrine that he wasn’t aware of. When Xzibit mentioned it to Karrine, she laughed it off, saying she’d explain it to him later.
The night took an even stranger turn when they all decided to head to a club. Inside, Xzibit noticed some bizarre activity—men were kissing each other, and in another corner, two men were “blowing each other’s backs out.” Feeling uncomfortable, Xzibit quickly left the club without even saying goodbye to Diddy. He remarked, “I’ve been to a lot of clubs, but I’ve never mistakenly walked into one like that.” After the interview aired, it seemed like Diddy’s team got in touch with Xzibit, as he later released a statement, supposedly supplied by Bad Boy Records (even though he wasn’t signed to Diddy’s label). In his statement, Xzibit clarified that Diddy had called to explain the nature of the club they had attended and emphasized, “I have no beef with Diddy. I woke up this morning to my phone going crazy, and when I checked online, I saw all this [bleep] about me throwing Diddy under the ‘gay bus.’ That wasn’t my intention, and the media is blowing it out of proportion.”
As Diddy’s 40th birthday rolled around in 2009, Marlon Wayans tweeted out a shoutout: “I’ve been doing Diddy’s parties for 15 years, and I gotta say, you never let me down, Puff. There’s no party like a Diddy party. Good times, people!” Diddy celebrated big at the Plaza Hotel in New York and even shut down Fifth Avenue so his friends could party without a care in the world.
But, as usual, the cops weren’t thrilled with him. Page Six reported that undercover officers were on-site, making drug arrests throughout the night. I mean, it was Diddy’s party, so is anyone really surprised that some guests might be indulging? Several of Diddy’s friends, including NBA player Lamar Odom, have spoken about his history with drugs. In his memoir, Darkness to Light, Lamar detailed how Diddy introduced him to a darker lifestyle. He recalled a night out where, after hitting the club, he ended up at Diddy’s hotel suite, which was filled with “mountains of drugs.” Lamar mentioned that the substances gave him a burst of energy and new ideas, but sadly, it spiraled into addiction. After that initial introduction to drugs from Diddy, he found himself spending $1,000 a day on cocaine. That’s just wild.
In 2021, Diddy sold one of his East Hampton homes for $4.7 million, and let’s just say, the neighbors were pretty happy to see him go. Apparently, the parties at his place were notorious for being wild and out of control.