At Diddy's trial, influencers broadcast legal drama from NYC to the masses

Sean "Diddy" Combs' high-profile sex trafficking trial has attracted a swirl of social media influencers who have been reporting daily inside and outside a Lower Manhattan federal courthouse for nearly two months.

The

se content creators — some of whom reach more than a million people on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram — line up each morning among legacy media reporters. The stretch of sidewalk outside the courthouse has transformed into a mix of celebrity red carpet, block party, tourist destination and livestream studio.

Several influencers told Gothamist they have never covered a trial before, but they felt compelled to document this moment in the cultural zeitgeist because of the outsize role Combs has played in the music industry. Some Black social media influencers said they wanted to ensure coverage of the criminal trial of a Black male icon was handled fairly.

A few wanted to express their support — others, their disdain.

Since jury selection started in early May, social media influencers have been arriving early each morning to film Combs, his family and other noteworthy observers as they walk into the building. During the midday lunch break, the sidewalk fills with music, chatter, and occasional clouds of marijuana and cigar smoke. In the evening, social media influencers leaf through their pages of handwritten notes and speak into their cellphones, recapping the day’s events.

“It’s euphoric, this whole thing,” said Oota Ongo, a content creator whose YouTube page has about 15,000 followers. “This whole environment outside, it’s a zoo. Inside, sometimes it’s a zoo, as well. It’s a circus.”

Prosecutors have accused the rapper and producer of abusing women and using his business to cover up various crimes, including sex trafficking. Combs denies the allegations. His weekslong trial has included testimony from musicians Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi and Dawn Richard, as well as a drop-in visit from Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. Closing arguments began Thursday morning. The trial has punctuated a public fall from grace for the Harlem native, who in 2023 was awarded a key to New York City.

Ongo is a writer from Flatbush. Before the trial, he said, he was writing movie scripts, music and the occasional love letter. He said he created his YouTube account a few months ago specifically to observe the trial. He’s a bubbly presence outside the courthouse, often dancing, sharing lively updates with his audience, and making small talk with whoever walks past, whether it’s the courtroom sketch artist, a local tour guide or Combs’ defense attorney. But in the courtroom without his cellphone, Ongo said, he’s focused.

“It took us back to school,” he said. “We got to scribble and dribble.”

Trevor Harris moved to New York from Mississippi five years ago and said he felt inspired to cover the case after seeing someone else doing it on TikTok. At first, he said, he had no fan base.

“I was just curious,” he said. “This is a guy I listened to as a child, you know what I’m saying? What the heck is he doing in here?”

Harris said he’s been leaving his home in the Bronx around 6 a.m. every day to get to the federal courthouse ahead of the celebrity-studded cast of characters in Combs’ trial. As one of Combs’ sons walked toward the courthouse on a rainy day in mid-May, Harris called out to him that it looked like his father was “going to walk” and that “they ain’t talking about nothing in court.” “Yes, sir,” King Combs replied. A video of that brief interaction has garnered 3.6 million views. Harris said his TikTok account, Tee Harris, has picked up about 20,000 followers since the start of the proceedings.

“I’ve gotten to meet some of the biggest YouTubers out here,” he said. “I told myself from now on out, I’m going to cover every event I could get my hands in.”

‘They really know who Sean Combs is’

Sherri Williams, an assistant journalism professor at American University who studies the role of race in the media, said many social media influencers are personally invested in this case because they feel connected to Combs and his cultural contributions. She said they’ve followed his evolution from Puff Daddy to P. Diddy to Sean John, from a creator of a new blend of hip-hop to owner of Bad Boy Records and a reality TV star.

They're bringing that interest in the culture through their coverage,” Williams said. “And they're also introducing their audiences and the public to another side of Combs that cameras are not allowed to show us in court.”

Williams said it’s clear from the influencers’ coverage that many are digging deep into the story out of genuine interest.

“ But I don't think that all of these influencers are pro-Combs and just leaning toward him,” she said. “Some of them are, but there are some who are really disturbed.”

Some influencers told Gothamist they consider themselves Combs fans, while others said the allegations against him had tainted their opinions. Those differences in viewpoint sometimes spark heated debates outside the courthouse, said Andre Boyd, who is working on a documentary for his YouTube page, The Real Rap Show, which has more than 130,000 followers. Boyd said his feelings on the accusations against Combs have been “mixed” as he’s tried to absorb all the information.

“I kind of believed it at first, then I didn’t believe it,” he said. “I’m confused about it, to be honest.”

All the tension — and attention — surrounding the case has put some influencers on edge. Content creator Stephanie Soo told her followers she thought Combs was staring her down in court. Two female content creators interviewed by Gothamist declined to share their full names for publication. One said she’s afraid of Internet haters.

Samuel Wilson, who goes by African Diddy on TikTok, said he came from Las Vegas to cover the trial and show his support for Combs. He said he listens to his favorite song, “It’s All About the Benjamins,” on his way to court. But he said the various influencers covering the trial generally get along, in spite of their conflicting opinions on the case.

“We are like family now,” he said, adding: “We all talk, we all interact, we all go eat.”

Wilson said he’s planning to stay in New York after the trial ends, because he thinks there's more excitement to record for his social media account.

“You can go to Times Square, you can go anywhere in the city, there’s something going on,” he said. “I told my mom and dad, ‘You know, I’m going to come visit. But I’m in New York City.’”