Doc or Diss Track? 50 Cent's Diddy Exposé Blurs Line Between Truth and Revenge

In the turbulent world of hip-hop rivalries, few conflicts have endured with the intensity of the feud between 50 Cent and Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Yet their latest clash takes place far from the arena of diss tracks and social-media jabs. Instead, it unfolds on Netflix, where the new four-part docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning — executive-produced by 50 Cent — positions itself as a searing exposé of decades of allegations against Diddy.

But beneath its documentary framework lies a thornier debate: is this a pursuit of truth, or the ultimate revenge project served cold?

A Feud Rooted in Two Decades of Rivalry

The animosity did not begin with the documentary. The pair's relationship deteriorated in the mid-2000s, most publicly when 50 Cent released the 2006 diss track widely referred to as 'The Bomb,' which implied Diddy's involvement in the 1997 murder of The Notorious B.I.G. Since then, their feud has played out through interviews, social-media sparring and a string of pointed accusations.

In previous interviews, 50 Cent has suggested he had long harboured doubts about Diddy's alleged behaviour, claiming the documentary merely made these concerns 'full-facing in the news.'

From Studio Beef to Streaming Exposé

With The Reckoning, released on 2 December 2025, the long-standing rivalry shifts into a more polished and potent format. The series compiles decades of allegations from former associates, employees and individuals who claim to have suffered at Diddy's hands. It also includes previously unseen footage, some of which was reportedly recorded just days before Diddy's 2024 arrest.

This shift from rap diss to documentary production lends the feud a new seriousness. While diss tracks are expected to embellish or exaggerate, the structure of a documentary carries an implicit expectation of truth, evidence and transparency.

Shocking Footage and Troubling Testimony

The documentary's most striking moments involve unreleased video showing Diddy in a Manhattan hotel room, visibly shaken as he senses his legal troubles closing in. Surrounded by his sons, he instructs those around him to prepare recordings, cutaways and media clips, an apparent attempt to shape his own narrative in the face of mounting allegations and imminent arrest.

These scenes, layered between testimonials, aim to build a broader picture of a star grappling with a collapsing public image and worsening legal peril.

Is It Journalism or Justified Retribution?

Diddy has fiercely criticised the project, labelling it a 'shameful hit piece' funded and spearheaded by a 'longtime adversary bent on revenge.' He further alleges that certain footage was 'stolen,' never authorised for public release, and used maliciously to damage his reputation.

Netflix, along with the documentary's directors, disputes this claim. They argue that all material was obtained legally and that 50 Cent did not hold editorial control. The streaming service frames the documentary as a journalistic investigation into serious allegations, not a personal attack.

Still, with 50 Cent as the project's most prominent public face, critics question whether impartiality is truly possible. Can a documentary be objective when produced by someone with a well-documented personal vendetta?

A Broader Cultural Reckoning

The docuseries is landing at a time when the entertainment industry faces heightened scrutiny over abuses of power. By elevating allegations into a structured investigative format, The Reckoning taps into cultural demands for transparency and accountability.

50 Cent has said the documentary was necessary precisely because 'nobody else was speaking up,' positioning himself as filling a gap that others, perhaps too close or too intimidated, refused to address.

For viewers, the series becomes not just a document of Diddy's alleged misconduct but a broader commentary on fame's ability to silence victims and shield power.

Somewhere Between Exposé and Execution

Ultimately, Sean Combs: The Reckoning neither sits fully in the realm of neutral journalism nor descends entirely into revenge fantasy. It exists in the murky middle, a place where damning testimony meets personal grievance, and where the truth-seeking mission is viewed through the lens of a very public feud.

What remains clear is that the documentary has transformed a long-running rivalry into a defining cultural moment. For better or worse, 50 Cent has taken their feud out of the recording studio and into the documentary arena and the world is now watching closely.