Sean 'Diddy' Combs accuses liquor giant Diageo of racism in lawsuit

Sean 'Diddy' Combs accuses liquor giant Diageo of racism in lawsuit

Sean 'Diddy' Combs is suing spirits maker Diageo, accusing it of neglecting their business agreement because he is Black
Sean 'Diddy' Combs is suing spirits maker Diageo, accusing it of neglecting their business agreement because he is Black. Photo: Angela WEISS / AFP/File
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Enjoy reading our stories? Join YEN.com.gh's Telegram channel for more!

Music producer and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs is suing spirits company Diageo, accusing it of neglecting their business agreement and failing to invest in his liquor brands because he is Black.

The complaint, filed Wednesday with the New York Supreme Court, said that while Diageo publicly promotes itself as a leader on diversity, Combs and his company found it unwilling to treat its Black partners equally.

Combs said Diageo "kneecapped" his Ciroc Vodka and DeLeon Tequila brands by depriving them of resources after they were "typecasted" as "Black brands" meant only for "urban" consumers.

Diageo and its executives "put their feet on the neck of Mr. Combs' brands," the suit said.

"In a business where production, distribution, and sales are the pillars of success, Ciroc and DeLeon have been starved of resources for all three."

Read also

It is written: why France holds to analysing handwriting

In a statement emailed to AFP, Diageo denied the allegations, describing its 15-year partnership with Combs as "productive and mutually beneficial."

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!

"This is a business dispute, and we are saddened that Mr. Combs has chosen to recast this matter as anything other than that," a spokesperson said.

"Our steadfast commitment to diversity within our company and the communities we serve is something we take very seriously. We categorically deny the allegations that have been made and will vigorously defend ourselves in the appropriate forum."

The suit also claimed the UK-based drinks giant devoted more attention and offered better support to other celebrity-backed competing brands, such as George Clooney's Casamigos and Ryan Reynold's Aviation Gin, while failing to meet its promises for investments in Combs Wines and Spirits.

"Diageo has treated Mr. Combs and his brands worse than others because he is Black," the suit said, adding that one of the company's managers "directly acknowledged the company's racist undertones in 2019."

Read also

AI tools threaten to upend ad industry

According to the suit, the manager told Combs that "race was part of the reason Diageo limited the neighborhoods where the Combs brands were distributed," and that if he were "Martha Stewart" things would be different.

Combs, a Grammy-winning rapper who has gone by the stage names Puff Daddy, P Diddy and Diddy, said in the complaint he intends to seek billions of dollars in damages in other legal proceedings against Diageo.

Diageo said in its statement it was "disappointed our efforts to resolve this business dispute amicably have been ignored."

"While we respect Mr. Combs as an artist and entrepreneur, his allegations lack merit, and we are confident the facts will show that he has been treated fairly."

New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.