Diddy, Justin Bieber and the ‘crazy 48 hours’: History of their relationship after singer denies being rapper’s ‘victim’
As the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs continues in New York, attention is turning to the rapper and music mogul’s relationships with other celebrities, particularly Canadian superstar Justin Bieber.
Combs, 55, is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges after being arrested in September last year. He has denied any accusations of wrongdoing and rejected a government plea deal offer.
Bieber, now 31, frequently appeared alongside Diddy when he was a teen pop idol but moved on Thursday to dismiss online speculation that he too might have been abused by Combs.
“Although Justin is not among Sean Combs’ victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him,” a representative told TMZ. “Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve.”
Sources speaking to TMZ also dismissed the pair’s past public appearances as “performative” and claimed Bieber was actually friends with Diddy’s sons.
Below we look at the origins of the relationship between the former teen idol and ‘Big Brother Puff’ and what has happened since then.
The duo appear to have met early on in Bieber’s career, shortly after he signed with Usher and Scooter Braun’s label RBMG Records in 2008, when he was just 14 years old.
In November 2009, Bieber uploaded a video to his official YouTube channel titled “JUSTIN BIEBER’s 48 HRS with DIDDY!!”
“You ever seen the movie 48 Hours?” Diddy asks the camera after presenting his protege with a silver Lamborghini, referring to the 1980s buddy movie starring Eddie Murphy.
“Right now [Justin is] having 48 hours with Diddy, him and his boy. They’re having the times of their lives. Like, where we hanging out and what we’re doing, we can’t really disclose. But it’s definitely a 15-year-old’s dream.”
The producer continues: “I have been given custody of him. You know, he’s signed to Usher, and I had legal guardianship of Usher when he did his first album… We’re gonna go full. Buck full crazy.”
He then asks Bieber what he wants to do with the day and the teen responds: “Let’s just go get some girls.” Diddy approves of the suggestion and calls Bieber “a man after my own heart.”
In another video dating from a year later that recently resurfaced on social media, Bieber is seen working in a recording studio when Diddy arrives unexpectedly.
“What’s up man, you good? Selling out arenas and everything?” Diddy asks, before pivoting to a more challenging, resentful tone: “Starting to act different, huh? You haven’t been calling me and hanging out the way we used to hang out.”
