Sean “Diddy” Combs sued alcohol company Diageo for mishandling his Ciroc vodka and DeLeon tequila brands.
Diddy accused Diageo of racism in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday (May 31). The Bad Boy Records boss claimed the company neglected his liquors in favor of brands backed by white celebrities such as George Clooney.
“Rather than equal treatment, Diageo has treated Mr. Combs and his brands worse than others because he is Black,” Diddy’s lawyers argued, per The Guardian. “Diageo has typecast Ciroc and DeLeon, apparently deciding they are ‘Black brands’ that should be targeted only to ‘urban’ consumers.”
Diddy said Diageo failed to provide enough financial support to his brands. He sought a court order to secure equal treatment from the company. He also intended to file a separate lawsuit in search of billions of dollars in damages.
“Cloaking itself in the language of diversity and equality is good for Diageo’s business, but it is a lie,” Diddy’s lawyers contended, per the Associated Press. “While Diageo may conspicuously include images of its Black partners in advertising materials and press releases, its words only provide the illusion of inclusion.”
Diageo denied Diddy’s allegations. The company downplayed the lawsuit, calling it a “business dispute.”
“We are saddened that Mr. Combs has chosen to recast this matter as anything other than that,” Diageo said in a statement. “While we respect Mr. Combs as an artist and entrepreneur, his allegations lack merit, and we are confident the facts will show that he has been treated fairly.”
Diddy began working with the company in 2007, becoming the face of Ciroc. He partnered with Diageo to buy DeLeon in 2014.