Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson recorded a major boost on Spotify’s streaming charts this week following the release of his much-anticipated documentary examining the career and criminal conviction of rival Sean “Diddy” Combs, which recently debuted on Netflix.
Jackson emerged as the biggest gainer on the Spotify U.S. artists chart for the week reflecting streaming activity from December 5 to December 11, climbing 54 places from No. 199 to No. 145. Combs did not appear on the chart, which ranks the 200 most-streamed artists in the United States over the past week. Jackson also advanced on the global artists chart, rising 26 spots from No. 136 to No. 110.
His momentum extended to Spotify’s daily charts, where on December 11 he ranked as the 119th most-streamed artist in the United States and the 83rd most-streamed artist globally. The surge followed the December 2 release of his docuseries on Netflix, which quickly became a streaming hit and topped the platform’s series charts.
The documentary, titled Sean Combs: The Reckoning, made a strong debut on Netflix, recording nearly 22 million total minutes viewed within its first six days. It ranked as the most-watched show in the United States for the week of December 1 to December 7 and placed second globally over the same period, trailing only the new season of Stranger Things.
The docuseries features previously unseen footage that Combs had commissioned during his arrest and trial, a move that has drawn legal threats from Combs’ team, who argue that the material was obtained illegally. In footage filmed shortly before Combs’ arrest in September 2024, he is shown speaking with his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, saying: “We have to find somebody that’ll work with us, whether they’re from this country or from another country. It can be somebody that has dealt in the dirtiest of dirty business of media and propaganda,” adding that he was “taking eight nuclear bombs straight to the head” and “losing.”
Following a sexual assault lawsuit filed that same month by former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, Combs is seen instructing his team to locate “any Dawn Richard interview where she speaks positively about her relationship with Diddy,” while describing the wave of civil lawsuits against him as “f—ing dozens of liars.”
The documentary also includes interviews with two jurors from Combs’ criminal trial, which resulted in convictions on two prostitution-related charges and acquittals on three more serious counts, leading to a 50-month prison sentence. One juror acknowledged that Combs was violent toward his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, referencing surveillance footage showing Combs attacking her in a hotel, but noted that “domestic violence wasn’t one of the charges.” Another juror said he was “confused,” explaining that while evidence of violence against Ventura was presented, “the next minute, they’re going on dinners and trips.”
In response to the documentary, Combs issued a cease-and-desist letter to Netflix, stating that he “will not hesitate” to pursue legal action. His spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, described the use of the footage as “fundamentally unfair, and illegal,” noting that it was originally intended for a documentary Combs planned to make about his own life. Netflix has responded by stating that the footage was “legally obtained” and that the documentary is “not a hit piece.”
