Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs has thanked his children for the birthday wishes they sent him over the phone while he remains in custody at a detention center in Brooklyn.
In a joint Instagram post shared on Monday, his seven children—Quincy, Christian, Justin, Chance, twins D’Lila and Jessie, and Love—celebrated their father’s 55th birthday, captioning the post “Happy Birthday Pops, we love you!”
In the video, six of his seven children are sitting around a cake as his youngest daughter, Love, sings “Happy Birthday” to her father on speakerphone. Chance was not with her siblings but could be heard on a different phone speaking to Combs.
“I can’t wait to see you all and I just want to say I’m proud of you all, especially the girls. I mean, all of you, all, but just for being strong,” Combs can be heard saying. “Thank you all for being strong and thank you all for being by my side and supporting me. I love you all. I’ve got the best family in the world.
“My birthday, I’m happy. Thanks to you all for giving me this call.”
The children said they were looking forward to seeing Combs “in a couple of days.”
Charges
Combs, who was arrested in September, is currently being held in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center after being charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and interstate transportation for prostitution. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky denied bail for Combs after prosecutors told the judge that “he is extremely dangerous to the community.”
The indictment alleges that Combs “abused, threatened and coerced victims to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct,” Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a press conference.
Williams said the Bad Boy Records CEO used his business empire to carry out sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, and bribery, as well as to obstruct justice.
The indictment alleges that the rapper abused and exploited women and others in multiple ways for years using threats and coercion, leading victims to take part in recorded sexual performances called “freak offs” that he planned and controlled.
On Oct. 22, six of Combs’s children shared a joint post on Instagram showing support for their father following his criminal charges.
“The past month has devastated our family. Many have judged both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories, and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity on social media,” read the post. “We stand united, supporting you every step of the way. We hold onto the truth, knowing it will prevail, and nothing will break the strength of our family.”
“We miss you & love you Dad,” they added, using all caps.
Lawyers acting on behalf of Sean Combs’s mother, Janice Smalls Combs, shared a statement on Instagram on Oct. 7 expressing her devastation and sadness over the allegations against her son.
“I come to you today as a mother that is devastated and profoundly saddened by the allegations made against my son, Sean Combs,” the statement reads. “It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies. To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.
“I am not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not. He has made mistakes in his past, as we all have.”
Smalls Combs said her son “may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel’s surveillance showed otherwise.” The statement referenced hotel security camera footage released by CNN in May showing Combs chasing down his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura near the elevators of a hotel, throwing her to the ground and kicking her.
“Not being entirely straightforward about one issue does not mean my son is guilty of the repulsive allegations and the grave charges leveled against him,” Smalls Combs wrote.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all federal criminal charges and will remain in the detention center in Brooklyn awaiting his trial date, which has been set for May 5, 2025.