"People actively supporting a criminal"— Internet reacts as Diddy's music gets increased streams after rapper's arrest

Sean "Diddy" Combs' music catalog has experienced a significant surge in streams following his recent arrest and the unsealing of an indictment against him.

According to industry data and analytics company Luminate, the music mogul's catalog, under his various aliases like Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, and P. Diddy, saw an 18.3% increase in on-demand streams during the week of his arrest compared to the previous week.

The increase in streaming numbers has sparked widespread reactions on the internet.

One user wrote, "The fact people are listening to #Diddy music and giving him more streams is ridiculous. People actively supporting a criminal."

Another user tweeted, "The streaming services still streaming Diddys music. This whole industry is trash."

A user shared, "Diddy is paying for streams while behind bars!"

Many users expressed "frustration" over the situation.

A netizen tweeted, "Diddy’s streams went up 18% since he’s been arrested. You ni*gaz are n*ts lol."

Another fan added, "So all the sh*t fans talk about Diddy but his music streams are up 18% I never got this way of thinking. I Guess controversy sells."

A fan shared his excitement, "All this / these diddy post/ talk got me streaming his music."

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Diddy's streaming surge mirrors past scandals and public curiosity

Professor George Howard, a music business expert at Berklee College of Music, wasn't surprised by the uptick in Diddy's streaming numbers. He compared the streaming bump to a Google search as people try to make sense of the artist behind the alleged crimes in his recent interview with The Associated Press on September 24, 2024.

"Music just becomes another piece of information as people try to comprehend the atrocities," Howard said. "It's like, 'What would someone whose brain works like that, allegedly, what would their music sound like?'"

Sean Combs's career as a musician and entrepreneur spans decades, with several successful ventures, including Revolt TV and Ciroc vodka. However, Howard believes most people associate Combs more with his business persona than his music.

"The natural curiosity that these types of charges evoke makes sense," he added, likening it to the phenomenon of people wanting to look at a car crash.

Diddy is facing federal charges (Image via Getty)

This spike in streams during a scandal is not a new phenomenon. A similar situation occurred with R&B singer R. Kelly, whose music streams nearly doubled after the release of the 2019 documentary Surviving R. Kelly, which accused him of s*xual misconduct involving women and underage girls.

Howard points out that the "anonymization" of streaming platforms contributes to this behavior.

He stated, "Imagine walking into a record store now like, 'Yeah, I want to buy this Combs CD.' Streaming allows people to engage without the public judgment of physically purchasing an artist's music."

Diddy is currently facing federal charges, including s*x trafficking and racketeering, with allegations spanning back to 2008. The indictment accuses him of abusing, threatening, and coercing women for years to protect his reputation and conceal his misconduct. Despite the severity of the accusations, he has pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail.

Diddy's music benefiting from current legal controversy (Image via Getty)

Sean Combs's music isn't the first to benefit from controversy. In addition to R. Kelly, other artists have seen spikes in streams during high-profile scandals. Britney Spears' song "Criminal" re-entered the charts following the arrest of her ex, Justin Timberlake, for a DWI earlier this year.

Despite the grim nature of his situation, his streaming success reinforces the idea that public curiosity, rather than caution, often prevails in such instances.

Sean Combs's arrest and its fallout have brought renewed attention to his music, even under the shadow of serious allegations.