Sting Says Sean "Diddy" Combs Allegations Don't "Taint" His Song

Sting commented that Sean "Diddy" Combs' recent legal troubles do not "taint" his hit song "Every Breath You Take." This song was sampled in Combs’ 1997 track "I'll Be Missing You."

After twenty-seven years since Combs’ sampling, Sting reflected on the implications of the rapper's current issues. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times on November 11, he said, "No. I mean, I don't know what went on [with Diddy]. But it doesn't taint the song at all for me. It's still my song."

Sean "Diddy" Combs, now 55, used the iconic song for his tribute to "The Notorious B.I.G.," whose real name was Christopher Wallace, recorded with Faith Evans. At that time, Combs was signed to Bad Boy Records when Wallace was murdered in March 1997.

"I'll Be Missing You" achieved eleven weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1998.

When the song was released, Combs reportedly did not seek Sting's permission to sample "Every Breath You Take." This was revealed in a 2018 interview where Sting discussed how he only secured rights after the song's release. There are ongoing payments to the singer of "Message in a Bottle."

In a humorous note to Rolling Stone in 2003, Sting mentioned, "I put a couple of my kids through college with the proceeds." He added that he and Combs remained "good pals."

Sting has stated he made around $2,000 a day from "Every Breath You Take." However, in 2023, Combs claimed on X (formerly Twitter), "He probably makes more than $5K a day from one of the biggest songs in history."

Sting’s remarks surfaced during a federal investigation involving Combs. The rapper faced arrest in September on allegations of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer filed a motion for bail on November 8 after two previous requests were denied.