Sean “Diddy” Combs saw his radio play nosedive and streaming numbers tumble as his sex trafficking trial kicked off in New York City, signaling a steep fall from grace for the Hip-Hop mogul once synonymous with chart-topping hits and platinum plaques.
According to Luminate data reviewed by Billboard, Diddy’s radio spins have cratered 86% year-over-year, with just 1,671 plays in the first 16 weeks of 2025 compared to 11,870 during the same stretch in 2024.
The sharp drop aligns with the lead up to his criminal trial, where prosecutors allege he ran a sprawling enterprise fueled by abuse, coercion and sexual exploitation.
While his streaming catalog hasn’t vanished, it’s taken a hit too, down nearly 45%, from 52.7 million on-demand streams in early 2024 to 29 million so far this year.
The decline in radio airplay alone could slash his publishing royalties by 6% to 9%, translating to a potential loss of around $34,300 in radio-related income.
Historically, Diddy reportedly pulled in roughly $2.4 million annually from master recordings and another $600,000 from publishing royalties between 2021 and 2023.
But the current backlash is reshaping how his music is consumed—and where.
Notably, DJs have all but stopped spinning his tracks on commercial radio, even as his longtime collaborator Notorious B.I.G. racked up more than 63,000 spins in the same period. The contrast is glaring.
The backlash follows Diddy’s September 2024 arrest on federal charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
The indictment paints a disturbing picture of a man who allegedly used his business empire to facilitate “sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
Prosecutors say Diddy hosted events known as “Freak Offs,” where women were allegedly manipulated into “extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers,” sometimes under the influence of drugs to keep them “obedient and compliant.”
A superseding indictment filed in April 2025 added two more charges and expanded the timeline of alleged crimes from 2021 to 2024.
Combs now faces five criminal counts: one for racketeering conspiracy, two for sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two for transporting individuals for prostitution.
Combs has pleaded not guilty and maintains the relationships were consensual, calling the accusers “former long-term girlfriends.”
Four women, identified as Victim-1 through Victim-4, are expected to testify.
Combs has been held without bail since his arrest and declined a plea deal before the trial began.
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