NEW YORK — Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has granted a request from New York City Mayor Eric Adams to return the key to the city he was given last year.
Combs received the key in a Times Square ceremony in September 2023coinciding with the release of the artist's album “The Love Album: Off The Grid”.
“The bad boy in entertainment is getting the key to the city from the bad boy in politics,” Adams said at the time.
In the months since, Combs has faced lawsuits from several women accusing him of sexual assault i abuse. a man also accused Combs of sexual misconduct.
In May 2024, surveillance video a 2016 incident was released that appears to show Combs attacking singer Cassie, who was his girlfriend at the time, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Days after the video premiered, Combs posted a video on social media apologizing for the alleged attacksaying in part, “My behavior in this video is inexcusable.”
Adams asks “Diddy” to return the key to New York City
On June 4, the mayor wrote to one of Combs' companies saying he was “deeply disturbed” by the surveillance video and asking that he return the key to the city.
“The Key to the City of New York is presented to individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement, and who act as role models for fellow and future New Yorkers. After deliberations internals, the key to New York City committee recommended that Mr. Combs' key be revoked and terminated, I have accepted their recommendation,” Adams wrote.
The mayor asked Combs to immediately send the key to City Hall.
The mayor's office said it received the key back on Monday.
Earlier this month, Howard University revoked an honorary degree that had been awarded to Combs in 2014 and cut financial ties with him.
