Cultural Norms Masked Abuse

Did he do it?

In this raw, unplanned monologue, Marvyn Harrison picks up the mic with no notes and processes the new Netflix documentary on Sean “Diddy” Combs in real time. Across almost four decades of alleged abuse, violence, exploitation and terror, he tracks how one man was turned into the “blueprint” for Black male success while victims, communities and even whole events were left in pieces. 

Project 1 (5)

Drawing on the documentary executive produced by 50 Cent, Marvyn walks through the timeline of allegations and patterns described on screen:

• A deadly basketball event allegedly over-promoted and under-protected
• Early accusations of drugging, rape and recording assaults
• Financial games with labels, advances and putting companies in other people’s names
• Violence and intimidation of business partners
• Artists like Craig Mack allegedly left broke while their music topped charts
• The jealous orbit around Biggie and Tupac and claims of set-ups, beef and murder-for-hire energy
• Long-running allegations of abuse towards women, including Cassie, and a wider pattern of trafficking-style behaviour
• Robbing artists of publishing and blocking them from their own work

But this episode isn’t gossip. It’s a post-mortem on the culture that let it all slide.

Marvyn goes deeper into:

• How older gatekeepers, executives and media kept co-signing him as a hero
• How young Black men were told to worship men who were dead, in jail or alleged abusers
• How his own leadership style as a young promoter was briefly shaped by “Making The Band”-style bullying before he rejected it
• The cost of building success on coercion, fear and manipulation instead of strategy, wisdom and genuine leadership
• Why he wants no part of a fame, wealth and masculinity model that comes bundled with this level of alleged harm

This is not a polished think piece. It’s a man in his 40s, a father, broadcaster and community builder, processing the grief of realising the “idols” sold to Black boys were either monsters or protected by monsters.

If you’ve ever looked up to industry titans only to later find out about the allegations around them, this episode will feel uncomfortably familiar – and necessary.

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