What Was the Real Relationship Between Clive Davis and P Diddy?

The rabbit hole of what Sean "Diddy" Combs allegedly did and who he did it with seems to be endless. Although nothing is certain at this point because all that we have are allegations, it seems as though Diddy was involved with at least nefarious-adjacent activities with a large number of powerful people.

One of those powerful people is potentially Clive Davis, an entertainment mogul and mentor to many music stars who got their start in the industry through him. Rumors claim Clive and Diddy's relationship was more than just mentor and protégé. Here's what we know about their connection.

Making it big in the music industry is a greater than one in a million chance. It's nearly impossible to do, and the success stories we hear are dwarfed by the "almost was" and "might have beens." Yet Diddy exploded onto the music scene in the '90s and took the industry by storm. At his side was media mogul and entertainment titan Clive Davis.

For years, people have wondered if there was more to their relationship than that of teacher and student. Clive has admitted in the past to sleeping with men in the industry. And new revelations suggest that Diddy may have had sexual relations with at least several powerful men. So is there something to the rumor that Clive and Diddy had more than a casual business relationship or even a close friendship? That depends on who you ask.

Rapper Suge Knight once alleged that Clive and Diddy were lovers. Suge, whose real name is Marion Hugh Knight Jr., remembers walking into executive Jimmy Iovine's office at Westwood Interscope and hearing something he thinks he shouldn't have. In a March episode of his podcast, Collect Call With Suge Knight, he recalls a moment with Jimmy.

"He said, ‘I’m here because Clive Davis told me that him and Puffy’s real tight. And, uh, you know, lovers.’ So I thought he was talkin’ like, they got love for each other. I’m like, aight. He said, ‘Nah, they are lovers.'”

The conversation continued; “And I’m like, ‘Why do you keep saying that?'” He added, “I said, ‘Are they lovers, like, f--kin’ and s--kin’?’ And he said, ‘I don’t wanna say that,’ but that’s what that means, right?”

According to Suge, who ran Death Row Records alongside Dr Dre, gay relationships among powerful men were well-known in the industry, but kept secret. “These men in the industry don’t consider theyself gay. They consider themselves messing with women, but they really don’t like the women because they beat the s--t out of them," he said.

In the music industry, especially in the 1980s and 1990s, powerful men felt compelled to hide their relationships with other men. Diddy has been accused of sexual assault against women, yes, but men as well. According to rumors, Diddy took advantage of young men looking to get into the industry the same way they suggest Clive took advantage of Diddy.

Some fans have worried that Clive pressured Diddy into sex acts in exchange for building his career, in an abusive model that many celebrities say they have experienced while trying to break into the industry. Harvey Weinstein and his actions come to mind. Of course, rumors don't mean Diddy had a sexual relationship with Clive.

Diddy is facing a slew of new allegations added to those of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and more. The only thing we do know for certain is that Diddy and Clive were friends, and Clive helped Diddy launch his career. Beyond that, everything remains speculation.