Sting has publicly stated that the allegations against Sean "Diddy" Combs do not affect his feelings toward the song "Every Breath You Take“.
The Police's 1983 chart-topping hit was sampled by Diddy for his 1997 track "I'll Be Missing You", featuring Faith Evans which was a tribute to the Notorious B.I.G.
Diddy was arrested in September on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. However, Sting insists that the legal issues surrounding Diddy haven't changed his perspective on the song.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Sting said, "No. I mean, I don't know what went on with Diddy. But it doesn't taint the song at all for me. It's still my song." He also expressed that fans still "absolutely" love hearing the song performed.
Interestingly, Diddy only sought Sting's permission to use the sample after "I'll Be Missing You" had already been released, although Sting noted that the song has been very profitable for him.
Reflecting on this situation back in 2003, Sting remarked, "Those guys just take your stuff, put it on a record, and deal with the legality later“.
He shared a conversation with Elton John, who told him, "You gotta hear 'I'll Be Missing You,' you're gonna be a millionaire!", to which Sting replied, "I am a millionaire!". Elton responded, "You're gonna be a millionaire twice over!". Sting added that he has been able to put a couple of his children through college, thanks to the proceeds from the song.
Combs in 2023 had tweeted that Sting probably makes more than $5,000 a day from one of the biggest songs in history, after Sting had put the number at $2,000.
As Diddy remains behind bars with numerous failed bail attempts, many wonder whether the impending trial will have any effect on his music business.
IOL Entertainment