Circa 2014, Justin Bieber was labelled a “rebel” and “off the rails” for his teen idol-turned-party boy behaviour. Fans turned their backs on him and critics tore him apart, but as allegations emerge and charges are laid against Sean “P Diddy” Combs, his relationship with the rapper is being looked at in a new light and have created cause for concern amongst fans.
Moreover, as we reflect on the way Justin—a child caught up and potentially lost in a world of fame—was so quickly and harshly labelled, we wonder if we were all too quick to judge.
The ‘Baby’ singer’s rise to fame was astronomical. Discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun at just 14 years old, he was taken under the wing of Usher to sign a deal with RBMG Records. Before long, he was brushing shoulders with other high profile musicians including P Diddy.
Recently resurfaced videos of Justin and P Diddy, as well as fans drawing parallels to his songs, have specifically called into question Justin’s welfare during that time.
“Hollywood did you so wrong. Keep ya head up high. This darkness is coming to light,” one used wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Exactly what has sparked such an outcry online? Scroll on.
P Diddy & Justin Bieber: The ‘48 Hour’ Video
An old clip of P Diddy and Justin Bieber has resurfaced online in the wake of allegations, whereby the two discuss spending a “crazy” 48 hours together.
To the camera, Diddy says: “He’s having 48 hours with Diddy, where we hanging out and what we’re doing we can’t really disclose. But it’s definitely a 15-year-old’s dream. I have been given custody of him. “He’s signed to Usher when he did his first album. I don’t really have legal guardianship of him, but for the next 48 hours he’s with me. And we’re gonna go buck fool crazy,” he continues.
The clip was originally posted by Justin to his Youtube channel and remains there to this day.
Other resurfaced clips show Diddy handing Justin a bottle on his birthday, which he kneels down to drink from as a woman exclaims: “Happy Birthday Justin!”
Then, there’s an old episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians from 2014, where Khloe references both Justin and Diddy when recounting her attendance at one of the “naked parties”.
“I got on a plane at 5.30am. Well this party…I think half the people there were butt naked,” she tells sister Kourtney before revealing she was hanging out with “a bunch of friends” and listing off “Diddy. Quincy. Justin Bieber…”
Why Did Justin Bieber Unfollow Usher?
Fan theories have been sent into overdrive after Justin Bieber was spotted culling the list of people he follows on Instagram. Following a sweep of cuts last week which saw the singer unfollow his former manager Scooter Braun and team members Allison Kaye, Ryan Good, Poo Bear, and Kenny Hamilton, Bieber has now also cut his former mentor, Usher.
Almost immediately, fans tied the act to back to P. Diddy.
“Didn’t Usher bring Justin Bieber to the Diddy parties when he was a minor? If so he has every reason to unfollow him,” one X user remarked.
Another shared: “I know I shouldn’t be invested but Justin Bieber unfollowing Usher has genuinely baffled me? And now I’m even more concerned at what the hell happened. Not everyone is old enough to remember the bond they had but I swear concern is the correct response here.”
A third writing: “Something fishy’s going on here because they were like father and son.”
Others reasoned that the move is a marketing stunt by Bieber as rumours build that he’s prepping for a musical comeback in 2025.
“Notice how he’s doing all this to seek attention from people just when news comes that he’s making his music comeback?” one user commented.
What Happened With P Diddy & Justin Bieber?
In the early stages of Justin’s career, it’s clear from videos, photos and interviews that P Diddy played a part in the singer’s career and life, most likely due to mutual their ties to Usher.
It appears Justin later distanced himself—intentionally or not, that is unknown—from Diddy, judging by another resurfaced clip of an uncomfortable encounter between the pair, years after the ’48 hours’ clip was filmed.
In the video, the two shake hands with Justin saying he’s “all good” before Diddy probes again: “Everything’s good? Selling out arenas and everything?”
He can then be heard saying, “Starting to act different, huh? You ain’t been calling me and hanging out the way we used to hang out.”
While a lot remains unknown and unconfirmed from Justin, the recent allegations against P Diddy have had many reflecting on prior judgements of the star. As outsiders, who aren’t privy to the true ongoings of his life and subsequent actions, we can never know why he acted the way he did, does what he does today or in future and maybe we never will. So, who are we to judge?
P Diddy & Justin Bieber’s Viral Song Explained
A soundbite of what seems to be a Justin Bieber song about P Diddy has been accumulating thousands of views on TikTok recently, but with no record of its existence it’s believed to be AI generated.
The lyrics of the song alluded to the rapper’s infamous parties, saying, “lost myself at a ‘Diddy’ party… I was in it for a new Ferrari, but it cost me way more than my soul.”
Fans have however, been voicing concerns over the Canadian signer’s verified hit, ‘Lonely’, in which he sings, “Everybody saw me sick, and it felt like no-one gave a s**t. They criticised the things I did as an idiot kid.”
Whether the lyrics are tied to Justin’s experiences with Diddy are purely speculative, but it has given reason to pause and reconsider the way the star was labelled in his younger years, casting his behaviour in new light.
Did Justin Bieber Break His Silence On The P Diddy Allegations?
Justin hasn’t spoken out on allegations or charges laid against P Diddy.
A new report from Us Weekly claims an inside source revealed the star was in a “hard place mentally right now” going on to add: “He has such a history with Diddy and the allegations against him have been hard to process.”
Instead, the source claims the singer is focusing on being a dad to newborn son Jack, who he welcomed with wife Hailey in August.
“His happiness being a dad has outweighed his anxiety about Diddy,” they told the publication.
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
