A lot of you have probably wondered if there was ever any connection between Prince and Diddy, especially with all the shady stuff Prince was revealing about the music industry. And allegedly, there was a strange connection between them. First off, Diddy had a deal with Warner Brothers—the same label Prince was fighting against for years. Prince was exposing Warner for the way they exploited artists, making money off them without fairly compensating them and blackballing those who dared to speak out. It was a huge issue back then.
Prince once explained, “Ever since my third album, I stopped taking big advances from record companies. I was recording everything myself in my own studio, so to me, I owned the work. I paid for it, I created it, so it should belong to me.” But the record companies didn’t see it that way. They would hold up the contract and say, “Well, you signed it.” And Prince would respond, “I’m not trying to leave; I just want to make it fair.” But they wouldn’t budge, because changing the rules could threaten their entire business model. Prince predicted they wouldn’t last much longer if they didn’t adapt, saying it wasn’t about going against them but about finding a fairer way to work together. “If they’re just a delivery service, that’s fine,” he said, “but even FedEx doesn’t claim they own the package they deliver.”
Then, there was the fact that Prince would lend his house to Diddy for parties, though he never attended them himself. Apparently, he was suspicious about what Diddy was doing at these infamous “freak offs.” The first Diddy party held at Prince’s house was like nothing else—Tyrese was performing, and Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher were swinging on swings. It was wild, but what made Diddy’s parties different from other celebrity gatherings was that he didn’t allow anyone to bring security inside, adding a layer of secrecy that left people wondering about what really went down behind closed doors.
Number three: Prince’s estate found itself in a legal showdown with Jay-Z, who had a pretty close relationship with Diddy before all this drama unfolded. The heart of the issue? Jay-Z was allegedly distributing Prince’s music on Tidal without permission. Unfortunately, we all know how it usually goes for those who stand up to big names like Jay-Z, Diddy, and record labels like Warner. Prince even tried to give us a heads-up—so buckle up, everyone, because things are about to get even wilder with all this Diddy madness.
Now, when it came to owning and controlling his music, Prince was a warrior. He spent his entire career fighting against anyone he believed was infringing on artists’ rights and pocketbooks. Some say he paid the ultimate price for this battle—his life. The question of whether Warner Brothers had a role in his untimely death is still hotly debated, but plenty of fans think they might have been involved.
Let’s rewind a bit for some context: Prince signed with Warner Music in 1977 when he was just 18. Even though his early albums from 1978 to 1981 didn’t set the charts on fire, the label kept him on because they saw him as an artist who could enhance their reputation. Back then, Warner was known for investing in serious talent for the long haul. Then in 1982, just after MTV launched, Prince dropped more music and finally hit the top 10 in the U.S. for the first time. He became one of the first artists to truly grasp the power of music videos, using them to craft his own unique image and mythology. By 1984, with the release of Purple Rain, he was not just a star—he was arguably the biggest and most exciting pop icon on the planet.
As his fame grew, Prince decided to start his own label, Paisley Park Records, which was partially funded by Warner, who also managed its distribution. However, he quickly realized he wasn’t getting the fair shake he deserved. He thought it would be simple to tell Warner Brothers he wanted out, but he soon learned that dealing with record labels is anything but straightforward.
As the release of The Gold Experience approached, Prince found himself in a heated battle with Warner over money and creative control. Frustrated, he took a bold step to make his feelings known by showing up in public with the word “slave” written on his face. He believed that since he was signed to Warner, they effectively owned his name and everything he created under it. To further emphasize his stance, he changed his name to a symbol, leading people to refer to him as “the artist formerly known as Prince,” “symbol,” or even “squiggle” for a while.
The conflict with Warner only intensified. In a 1999 interview with Paper Magazine, he expressed his frustrations, saying he wanted to buy back his music rights. When Warner said no, he declared, “I’m going to re-record all my music. You’ll end up with two catalogs of pretty similar songs, but mine will be better. So now you can choose: give your money to the big corporation, Warner Brothers, or support my label, NPG. The choice is yours.”
Prince often spoke about the challenges artists face with record labels during interviews and at award shows. He highlighted the unfairness of the system, saying, “It’s not your game. You didn’t create the rules, so everything feels like a struggle. When you sign a contract, you only get a tiny slice of the pie. A few of us might hit it big, but the majority won’t. As a community, we’re seen as a minority. But hold on—take a look at yourselves. You have so much talent and are truly blessed. You always show gratitude when you succeed in their game. So tonight, I want you to think about what we could accomplish in our own game. Let’s spread peace and love for one another.”
Prince was serious about taking back his art. In 2007, he even threatened legal action against platforms like YouTube, eBay, and the Pirate Bay for using his music without permission. Eventually, he regained control of his name and worked out a deal with Warner. Tragically, not long after that, he passed away under very suspicious circumstances.
For those who remember the day Prince passed away, it was a shocking moment. He was only 57 when he was found unresponsive at his estate in Minnesota. Health officials later determined that he died from an accidental fentanyl overdose after unknowingly taking counterfeit Vicodin that was laced with a potent synthetic opioid. Tragically, he was discovered in an elevator—the very elevator he once called “the devil.”
A close friend shared a haunting memory: “One thing that really spooked me about it all was that he had this song called ‘Let’s Go Crazy,’ and it includes the line, ‘Don’t let the elevator bring us down.’ I remember one time when we were together, he said to me, ‘You know what the elevator is, right?’ I was confused and asked him, ‘No, what’s the elevator?’ He told me, ‘Well, the elevator is the devil.’ That really shook me. I don’t usually talk about stuff like that, but it stuck with me. So when I heard he was found in that elevator, it felt really eerie.”
His death just didn’t sit right with anyone. How could the famously clean-living Prince die from a painkiller overdose? “There are health issues I can’t really speak on,” another friend remarked. “But what I do know is that he was super health-conscious. He was a vegan, didn’t drink alcohol, and I never saw him do drugs. He was dedicated to working out. It really made me think—here’s someone who takes such good care of himself, and yet he dies so young. It’s just heartbreaking.”
There were reports that Prince was really struggling with his health in the weeks leading up to his death, and it was said he had even overdosed before. In the days before his passing, he canceled several shows and had to make an emergency landing while flying home, where he received treatment for an opioid issue. This raised a lot of eyebrows—people wondered why he wasn’t seeing a doctor, especially after his overdose less than a month earlier and the clear signs that he had been unwell for a while.
It was pretty strange that Prince wasn’t under medical care. When artists schedule tours, there’s usually some understanding that they’ll be fit enough to perform, especially at big venues. It just doesn’t add up.
What’s even more unsettling is that some believed Prince had a sense that something was coming for him. There’s a narrative about how the industry often targets those who try to speak out, and shortly before he died, Prince posted a photo with a now-deleted message that read, “Just when you thought you were safe.” He seemed to predict his death not just once but twice. In fact, during his last appearance at a party at Paisley Park—just after his reported treatment and only days before he died—he told the guests, “Wait a few days before you waste any prayers.”
It’s all pretty fascinating, right? Many people started to think he was intentionally silenced, a theory shared by celebrities like Kanye West. Some even say Kanye is like a modern-day Prince, fighting for the same causes that Prince stood for in his time.
Look, this isn’t just another independent label; this is the only 100% Black-owned independent entity out there. I can’t say what’ll happen after this interview, but you know what I mean. When we sign these contracts, we’re not just committing to one person; we’re signing up for the whole system, like Universal’s big machine. People see my tweets and think they’re wild, but here’s the thing: Prince gave me the song “Jail” because he appreciated how I handled contracts. He recognized that I wasn’t playing by the rules, which is classic Gemini behavior.
For those who don’t know, I’m talking about Prince—the same guy who tried to break free from corporate control, even tattooing “slave” on his face. If you dropped late-’70s or ’80s Prince into today’s social media landscape, people would see him in a light similar to how they see Kanye West now.
L.A. Reid even told Access Hollywood, “People love Kanye; he’s great—he’s on the same level as Prince but in the hip-hop world. Sure, he doesn’t play guitar or piano, but he’s a king in his genre.”
Now, let’s get into Diddy for a moment. Remember when he and Warner Group teamed up? They made a deal that gave Warner a 50% stake in Bad Boy Records. This arrangement meant that Warner would handle marketing and distribution for Diddy’s catalog, including big names like Mase, Mario Winans, and Notorious B.I.G. Diddy was all about how this partnership would secure the label’s future, but honestly, it’s the very kind of exploitation Prince fought against his entire life.
And do we really need to go through the list of former Bad Boy artists Diddy has allegedly screwed over? I mean, that could go on forever. It’s said that this exploitation was one reason Prince distanced himself from Diddy. Just before Diddy faced his first lawsuit, he started giving back publishing rights to some of his former artists, including Biggie. But those artists were quick to point out that Diddy had already taken everything worth having, so the rights he was returning were basically worthless.
It’s pretty wild when you think about it. People laugh at Diddy’s funny TikTok moments, but those of us who poured our lives into this industry see it differently. Imagine working for years and someone else makes $48 million while you don’t see a cent. We spent years performing in skimpy outfits, and what did we get from MTV? A pittance, and they never even ran reruns of our show. Unlike those kids from Jersey Shore, who are making millions now, we got left in the dust.
Prince probably knew all about Diddy’s wild lifestyle and chose to keep his distance. Jason Lee once shared that the first Diddy party he went to was at Prince’s house, and the crazy part was that nobody was allowed to bring their own security. That’s a huge departure from your typical celebrity bash.
After that experience, maybe Diddy realized what was going on and decided to cut ties.
Now, let’s touch on Diddy’s former best friend Jay-Z. Allegedly, when Prince was dealing with his issues at Warner, he thought he could trust Jay-Z because he believed Jay-Z cared about his artists. They struck a deal with Tidal, which is partly owned by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. But in 2016, Prince’s estate had to file a lawsuit against Roc Nation for putting 15 of his albums on Tidal without permission.
The lawsuit claims that Tidal was only given a 90-day exclusive license for Prince’s newly recorded album, Hit n Run. However, it alleges that Tidal committed copyright infringement by streaming 15 of Prince’s other albums. Tidal insists that they had both written and verbal agreements allowing them to be the first streaming service to distribute several of Prince’s albums. On the flip side, NPG argues that the agreement in the equity term sheet between Tidal and Prince was fabricated and backdated to look legitimate. They acknowledge that Prince did make a deal with Tidal for Hit n Run, but they say there’s no evidence that this deal included other works or that Prince ever received Tidal equity before the dispute started. Plus, Roc Nation reportedly ignored repeated requests for documentation or proof of any verbal agreements that might have granted those rights.
So, in essence, what people are saying is that Jay-Z and Diddy are cut from the same cloth—two artists who operate in similar ways.
Many believe that when Prince was warning others about “the machine,” he was referring to figures like Diddy and Jay-Z. Sadly, like many before him, he faced the consequences of speaking out.
What do you think about Prince’s efforts to expose the music industry’s darker side? Do you believe this ultimately played a role in his untimely death? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
