Usher revisited his early career with Diddy, but one part of his response is making people uncomfortable

Usher has spoken publicly about his past working relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs, saying he has “nothing negative to say” about the convicted music mogul. The comments, made in a recent interview, have drawn sharp reactions given Combs’ current legal situation. As first highlighted by UNILAD, Usher was 14 years old when he began working with Combs in 1994 on his self-titled debut album, living with him during that period and describing him as a significant mentor.

“Puff was a mentor above… I think that the idea of the level of discipline came with that time in business, especially in an era that was trying to prove itself culturally in hip-hop,” Usher said. He credited pioneers like Combs with not only shaping the sound of hip-hop but monetizing the culture at a critical moment.

Usher was also explicit that his personal experience did not reflect what has since emerged publicly. “I don’t have anything negative to say about Sean Combs,” he said. “My experience was not what the world has seen.”

The comments landed differently given what Combs was convicted of

Combs was arrested in September 2024 and later found guilty of two counts of transporting people across state lines for prostitution. He was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges, and U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced him to 50 months in prison.

He is currently serving that sentence at Fort Dix Federal Correctional Facility in New Jersey, amid a string of high-profile criminal cases drawing public attention, including a murder charge against a cornhole champion that similarly stunned observers. Combs has consistently denied all allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

Usher said he was not defending Combs’ alleged behavior but emphasized his contributions to Black entrepreneurship and the music industry. “I can’t with any sense of humanity not recognize the valuable contributions that this man made for us as Black entrepreneurs, for us as people who transition culture and ideas into something that’s tangible,” he said.

Combs’ legal team has filed an appeal seeking a reduced sentence of 14 months followed by supervised release with mandatory drug treatment, therapy, and group counseling. The filing, submitted September 22, included 70 letters of support from family and associates, and noted that Combs has maintained an incident-free record while incarcerated.

His lawyers also cited his sobriety in prison, his mother Janice’s age of 84, and his seven children as factors warranting leniency. A type of appeal that has drawn scrutiny in other high-profile verdicts, including a recent $2.5 billion jury ruling that also prompted immediate pushback from the losing side.

Prosecutors have until September 29 to recommend a sentence and have stated that a substantial prison term is warranted, while noting that federal sentencing guidelines appear to cap the recommendation at just over five years. Judge Subramanian is scheduled to sentence Combs on October 3.