Diddy's legal team has shared an 11-minute video ahead of the Bad Boy Records founder’s sentencing on Friday.
The video consists of a compilation of clips from across Diddy’s career, including appearances by his children and an excerpt from Babyface’s 2022 speech when presenting him with the BET Lifetime Achievement Award. The artist formerly known as Kanye West, as readers may recall, was also on hand for that 2022 moment. However, Ye's comments are excluded from Diddy’s pre-sentencing video.
“One thing about great producers is they make you wanna do better and be better about what you do,” Babyface said at the time, as featured in the video below. “He made me feel like I could do anything and go anywhere.”
Elsewhere, several charitable endeavors are given screentime, as are various statements from Diddy about his “love” for New York and his desire earlier in his career to bring “an aspiration to hip-hop.” The 2018 death of Kim Porter, with whom Diddy had three children, is also prominently featured in the video.
“She loved me unconditionally,” Diddy is heard saying at one point.
In the video’s final moments, Diddy is heard contemplating how “20 hit records” alone won’t get him into Heaven.
“If I had to pick which trophy I want, I want the best person trophy,” Diddy said. “I know in order for me to get into Heaven, I’m not gon’ get in there [like] ‘Well, come on in Heaven. You had 20 hit records.’ That don’t mean nothing and that’s what this world is for. They gon’ say, ‘Oh, come on in Heaven. You was a nice person.’”
The exact origin of these remarks wasn't immediately clear.
The campaign-style video is expected to be played during Diddy’s sentencing hearing on Friday. As Complex’s Shawn Setaro previously reported, while Diddy’s lawyers are hoping for time served, prosecutors have argued for a lengthier sentence behind bars. Earlier this week, prosecutors said Diddy should be handed down a sentence of over 11 years, citing the “damage he has inflicted.”
At least four members of Diddy’s defense team are slated to address the court during Friday’s hearing. In the days leading up to the sentencing, multiple letters to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian have been made public, both from those in support of a lighter sentence and those arguing the opposite.
In July, Diddy’s trial ended with a split verdict. While he was found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking, he was convicted on prostitution-related charges.
“I want to apologize and say how sincerely sorry I am for all of the hurt and pain that I have caused others by my conduct,” Diddy wrote in a recent letter to Subramanian. “I take full responsibility and accountability for my past wrongs.”