Usher garnering backlash after speaking positively about disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. The Bad Boy Records founder is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence after his July 2025 conviction on two federal-related prostitution charges.

Usher described Diddy as ‘legacy’

In an interview with Jabari Young for Forbes’ The Enterprise Zone, Usher said the word “legacy” best described Combs before discussing their long-standing relationship. Usher emphasized that, regardless of Diddy’s high-profile scandals, he believes his contributions to the music industry should remain recognized.

“In many ways, I think certain people are prosecuted and maybe not recognized for the greatness that they offer,” Usher said, according to People and Complex. “I don’t have anything negative to say about Sean Combs because my experience was not what the world has seen and how he’s been misrepresented.”

While he’s not dismissing Combs’ actions, Usher wants people to remember the impact Combs had on Black culture.

“I’m not saying that every man is perfect,” Usher explained, per Complex. “I’m not saying that all of us don’t have flaws, but I can’t with any sense of humanity not recognize the valuable contributions that this man made for us as Black entrepreneurs, for us as people who transition culture and ideas into something that’s tangible. SO many people benefited from what he created. And I acknowledge that. That’s why I see him as legacy.”

Usher met Combs when he was still a teenager in the early 1990s

Since then, Combs took Usher, who’s now 47, under his wing—guiding and mentoring Usher throughout his music career.

“Puff was a mentor above… I think that the idea of the level of discipline came with that time in business, especially in an era that was trying to prove itself culturally in hip-hop,” Usher said, per Complex. “Now, you can’t turn on the television and not see the influence of hip-hop. The people who actually made that appropriate and are the forefathers are people like Sean Combs. Not just in the great times that they had, musically, but in the idea of being able to find ways to monetize culture and create something that was not just black or white, it was colorless.”

Usher also stated that Diddy taught him many of the things he applies today as a businessman.

“I put respect on his name because I realized that, you know, what I learned as a businessman before I even understood what business was came as a result of seeing the incredible things that he was able to do, and the way he positioned himself as a businessman,” he said, according to Complex.

“There are trials and tribulations that come with the pressures of success and power,” he added. “But what we choose to do with it is what I hope that you see with me and hopefully other people that I’m involved with, right?”

Clips of the interview have since circulated across social media, with many users sharing their thoughts on Usher’s remarks.

“When you lay down with dogs, I might start wondering if you’re a dog too 🤔 Hope Usher is ready for the heat that opening this door brings, he could’ve just chosen not to answer but you know what, I’m glad he did. Now we know what you might be all about too,” one user wrote.

“Claiming that Combs is misrepresented is Stockholm syndrome at it’s peak. I’m really disappointed in him,” another said.

“Knew his ass was one of #those …. He’s grown as hell and still doesn’t get that he was also a victim,” a third user wrote.

One user responded to Usher’s comment about Combs helping others’ careers: “And so many other DID NOT ! He took from so many black artists from mismanagement, broken opportunities. This is out of touch.”