Usher addresses past relationship with Diddy: 'I don't have anything negative to say about Sean Combs'

Usher has addressed his past relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs as public attention around their history continues to grow.

The singer, who was mentored by Combs during his teenage years, reflected on the experience in a recent interview with Forbes’ The Enterprise Zone. Describing that period of his career, Usher said his early exposure under Combs was intense and “wild”.

When asked to summarise influential figures in his life in one word, Usher responded with “Legacy” when referring to Combs. The discussion also revisited comments from a 2015 interview, in which Usher said he “knew better” than to get distracted by certain influences while on tour.

Clarifying his current perspective, Usher acknowledged the complexity of his past, stating that his “controversial” view is that they “can't ignore the reality of the history”.

He added, “In many ways, I think certain people are prosecuted and maybe not recognized for the greatness that they offer,” and continued, “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.”

Usher also described Combs, whom he referred to by his former moniker “Puff,” as “a mentor” and likened him to “a really, really hard teacher” who provided lessons “in real time”.

The renewed focus on their relationship comes amid wider scrutiny involving Combs and follows TMZ's reports of a rumoured “heated exchange” between Usher and Justin Bieber at a post-Oscars event in 2026. The alleged incident has been linked by some observers to their shared history within the music industry.

Addressing the scandal, Usher’s friend and rapper Da Brat denied the reports during an episode of The Rickey Smiley Show, stating that he spoke to Usher and that the allegations are 'an exaggeration' of what actually happened.