Usher's X account hacked, not deleted amid Diddy's arrest

Some X users speculated about the timing of Usher's apparent social media cleanse, citing his ties to Diddy.

There was widespread speculation on social media about why Usher deleted his entire X (formerly Twitter) feed, but it turns out he didn’t. 

"Account got hacked and damn y’all ran with it!" Usher wrote on X at 6:13 p.m. ET on Sunday, following a surge of commentary and theories about his account history being erased. His previous posts were also restored at that time. "See you tonight at Intuit Dome."

Account got hacked and damn y’all ran with it! 😂😂😂 See you tonight at Intuit Dome ✌🏾👀✌🏾

— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) September 22, 2024

Usher mentioned the Intuit Dome in his update, where he was scheduled to perform for the second consecutive night on Sunday. The Usher: Past, Present, Future Tour will next head to Oakland, California, before making stops in Texas, Florida, and other locations.

Some users on X speculated about the timing of what appeared to be a social media cleanse, especially given Usher’s professional connection with Sean "Diddy" Combs, who was arrested last week on charges of federal sex trafficking and racketeering. Usher has worked with Combs since his early career; Combs executive produced Usher's 1994 debut album.

“For decades, Sean Combs … abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct,” read documents obtained by Billboard. Combs, who pleaded not guilty, was denied bail at his Sept. 17 arraignment. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum life sentence.

In addition to Usher trending on Sunday, pop star P!nk also saw her X feed mysteriously disappear. Billboard reached out to her representative for comment, but no response had been received by press time, and her X posts had not yet been restored.