Exploring The Storied History Behind Diddy and Jay-Z's Long-Lived Friendship
Diddy and Jay-Z have been friends for over two decades. Here is a timeline of the friendship between the two moguls, which began in NYC.
By D.M.April 2 2024, Published 9:16 p.m. ET
The friendship between Diddy and Jay-Z dates back to the early 1990s. Since their early days in the rap game, Sean "P Diddy" Combs and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter have built a connection that includes musical collabs and off-camera support.
From their humble beginnings in New York City to their rise to global superstardom, the duo has shared triumphs, setbacks, and everything in between. Here is a timeline of the rappers’ friendship.
Jay Z and Sean "P. Diddy Combs during Royal Birthday Ball for Sean "P. Diddy" Combs inside at Cipriani's in 2004.
Here's a breakdown of Diddy and Jay-Z's years-long friendship.
Diddy and Jay-Z’s friendship traces back to the 1990s when both artists made their mark in the music industry. Despite the competitive nature of hip-hop, P Diddy and Jay found common ground in their shared ambition and passion for music.
In 1997, the pair collaborated on a track that landed on No Way Out, Diddy’s debut studio album. The following year, Hov provided a verse for Diddy’s sophomore project. Around that time, both of their careers were subject to controversy.
The rappers found themselves in legal turmoil in 1999, and they were facing the same amount of time in jail.
Per the New York Post, Jay was facing charges for stabbing Lance “Un” Rivera. Meanwhile, Diddy was on the hook for his involvement in the infamous club shooting, which saw him flee the scene of a Times Square hotspot alongside Jennifer Lopez.
Both men avoided jail time, and their friendship continued to grow.
Jay-Z and Sean Combs attend Sean Combs 50th Birthday Bash presented by Ciroc Vodka on December 14, 2019.
Jay-Z and Diddy's relationship has seen its fair share of controversy.
Diddy and Jay-Z remained friends into the new millennium, and their bond seemed unphased by their previous legal troubles. They were often spotted out together, and they regularly voiced support for each other in public.
However, an incident that occurred in 2007 has resurfaced amid assault allegations against Diddy. In a video from a performance at Screamfest ’07, Diddy appears to touch Jay’s butt, but the exchange is hard to make out.
That did not stop 50 Cent from using the clip to drag Jay into Diddy’s drama. 50 took to Instagram in November 2023 to troll the pair, suggesting that Diddy intentionally slapped Jay-Z’s butt (via Complex.) The video has also been shared on YouTube and TikTok, and people can’t stop talking about the moment.
“This aged well,” one person commented. Another wrote, “Besides the slapping a-- situation thats going on ... this definitely was the good times in hip-hop. Most definitely missed.”
Fat Joe, Jay-Z and Sean Combs attend the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony for DJ Khaled.
Where does Diddy and Jay-Z’s friendship stand now?
Diddy and Jay-Z seem to be just as cool as they ever were with each other. Diddy showed love to the Brooklyn native during an appearance on Sway In The Morning and revealed that they had plans to go into business together.
“Me and Jay – we’ve talked about it. We said we want to pick the best one,” Diddy explained. “It’s going to have to be that one thing that gets it all the way popping.”
In 2022, Diddy and Jay stood by DJ Khaled as he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were spotted chatting during the ceremony. However, Hov has stayed quiet amid allegations that Diddy was involved in a litany of salacious acts, leaving fans to wonder about the state of their friendship.
Meanwhile, 50 Cent has continued trolling the pair. He took to Instagram on March 27, to suggest that Jay was missing – because he had not spoken out about Diddy’s legal trouble.
