Photo Credit: Emiliano Bar
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirms Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has returned the key to the city as requested—less than a year after it was given.
Disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has honored New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ request to return the key to the city which he was given last year. Combs had received the key in a ceremony in Times Square in September 2023 to coincide with the release of his latest album, The Love Album: Off the Grid.
Since then, Combs has faced numerous lawsuits from individuals accusing him of sexual assault, misconduct, and abuse. In May 2024, surveillance footage from a 2016 incident in which Combs attacked singer and ex-girlfriend Cassie was released, leading to Combs posting an apology video after previously denying any wrongdoing.
On June 4, Mayor Adams released a statement that he was “deeply disturbed” by the surveillance video, and requested that Combs 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 a model for fellow and future New Yorkers,” Adams wrote. “After internal deliberations, the Key to the City of New York committee recommended nullifying and rescinding Mr. Combs’ key.”
“I have accepted their recommendation and am requesting that Mr. Combs immediately return his Key to the City,” concluded Adams. “The city record will be updated to reflect our decision.”
The mayor’s office reported last week that it had received the returned key after sending letters to Combs’ addresses in New York and Los Angeles at the beginning of June. Similarly, Howard University also rescinded an honorary degree earlier this month that it had awarded Combs back in 2014.
Combs’ residences in Los Angeles and Miami were raided back in March by Homeland Security as part of an ongoing federal sex trafficking investigation against him.
