Inside P Diddy's copyright scandal as he's set to be honoured at VMAs

12 September 2023 , 17:17

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As P Diddy is set to be honoured with a Global Icon Award we're looking back at his costly controversial sampling case with Sting (Image: Getty Images for NARAS)

We're taking a look inside P Diddy's controversial illegal sample of The Police song that reportedly causes him to pay Sting a shocking $5,000 (£4,000) a day as the the legendary hip hop mogul and pioneer is set to receive the prestigious Global Icon Award at MTV's 2023 VMA awards.

Rapper P Diddy - legally known as Sean Love Combs - is reportedly caught up in a 26-year-long copyright scandal with The Police singer Sting. As the 53-year-old rapper joins the lineup of artists being presented with the prestigious award and taking to the stage for his first VMA performance since 2006, we're diving deeper into his ongoing controversial sampling case that dates back to 1997.

Sting takes legal action against P Diddy

Sting took legal action against P Diddy in 1997 for sampling his song Every Breath You Take (Getty Images)

The controversy between P Diddy and Sting - legally known as Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner - first began in 1997 when the rapper released a song sampling The Police song "Every Breath You Take" without asking Sting permission for the usage.

Since the Puff Daddy didn't ask before using the sample, Sting was able to take legal action against the rapper which led to Sting receiving all of the royalties that were generated by his number one hit song "I'll Be Missing You." The reason Sting received all of the royalties from the song and not the entire band is because he was listed as the sole songwriter for the song. So now, Sting brings in a whopping amount of money because he is not only being paid for all the royalties that come from "Every Breath You Take" but also “I’ll Be Missing You."

Sting ruffled some feathers in the band as he claimed full credit for the song "Every Breath You Take" as Andy Summers, who wrote the underlying guitar riff for the song, feels that he should receive partial credit for the hit. Since the legal case took place, the guitarist told the AV Club that he was annoyed calling the song "the major rip-off of all time," Andy told the news outlet: “He actually sampled my guitar…that’s what he based his whole track on. Stewart’s not on it. Sting’s not on it. I’d be walking round Tower Records, and the f****g thing would be playing over and over. It was very bizarre while it lasted.”

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Since then, Sting did right by his bandmates after recognizing the injustice. Sting admitted that his bandmate's artistic contributes are what gave his songs dimension and agreed to give them 15% of the royalties for all of his songs.

Meaning behind the famous P Diddy's song

Rapper P Diddy created the song as a heartfelt tribute to his friend The Notorious B.I.G. who was murdered at 24 (Getty Images)

P Diddy's song using the illegal sample shot to the top of the charts following its release making it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earning the rapper an award at the 1997 Billboard Music Awards Ceremony for top rap artist and top rap song. At the 40th Annual Grammy Awards, the song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

P Diddy released the song as the second single from Puff Daddy and the Family's debut album, No Way Out. The song incorporated samples from The Police song with a chorus sung by Faith Evans. The song was a tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. who died in 1997 at 24 years old after he was shot and killed in Los Angeles. In the heartfelt song, P Diddy expresses how hard it is for him to wake up and keep living life without his close friend. He reminisces about their time spent together and how meaningful their friendship together was.

Recently, P Diddy shared a loving tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. on the 26th anniversary of his death. The rapper Tweeted: "There will NEVER be another. The GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME," he continued: "Today we celebrate and honor you king. Love and miss you!!"

Inside P Diddy and Sting's relationship now

Sting and P Diddy are reportedly good friends following the controversy (Getty Images for NARAS)

In a Tweet, P Diddy revealed that to this day he is still paying $5,000 a day in royalties to Sting. The original Tweet from Black Millionares read: "Diddy reportedly pays $2,000 a day to the artist Sting for sampling his hit song “I’ll be Missing you” dedicated to rapper Biggie Smalls without permission 'We are very good friends now.'"

P Diddy quoted the Tweet with a correction stating: "Nope. 5K a day. Love to my brother @OfficialSting!"

In the interview with The Breakfast Club, The Police singer shared that there is no bad blood between him and P Daddy now. During the interview, Sting shared that he and the rapper are good friends now and his song is a "beautiful version of that song."

Since the pair landed on a deal for the royalties, they have been pictured smiling together at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden in 2018 in New York City. With Sting's hand placed over P Diddy's chest, the duo showed the world that there is no long-lasting negativity between the two artists.

Caroline Gaspich