Investigation Discovery will chronicle the rise and fall of entertainment icon and hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs in a new documentary series.

According to the network, the untitled series — to premiere in 2025 — will explore Combs’ rise and influence within the entertainment world, as well as the allegations of violent behavior and illegal activity that led to his arrest and indictment this weel on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. 

The multipart series, through access to archival footage and in-depth reporting from Rolling Stone, will offer insight into the unfolding allegations against the once-untouchable superstar and highlight the toxic power dynamic that played out within the industry that until recently kept many survivors silenced, ID said.

Maxine Productions (Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV) and Rolling Stone Films will produce the docuseries for ID. 

The MTV Video Music Awards went down at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey September 12, and saw Taylor Swift rack up several awards, lively performances from Olivia Rodrigo, Diddy and Shakira, among many others, and a celebration of 50 years of hip-hop near the end that featured LL Cool J, Grandmaster Flash and Nicki Minaj, among other rap icons. 

Swift picked up Video of the Year for “Anti-Hero”, Song of the Year for “Anti-Hero”, Best Direction for the same song, Artist of the Year, and a few other moon-person trophies. 

Swift got her first award of the night, for best video, from the NSYNC guys, and was a bit awestruck by the men she shared the stage with. “I had your dolls!” she exclaimed.  

It is quite a production at the Prudential Center, with the awards and speeches going down on the main moon-man stage, and two oval stages on either side of the moon-man one. Bruce Gillmer and Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic exec produce the event. 

Stagehands would scramble to set up the next act, often with dancers and performers taking their places and waiting patiently on a side stage, with all eyes on the main stage. In one instance, Karol G and two dozen dancers sat quietly on a tiered side stage as the Brazilian performer Anitta got an award on the main stage. 

Nicki Minaj hosted the monster 3 1/2 hour-plus event. Besides airing on MTV, the VMAs were on BET, CMT, MTV 2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, VH1, TV Land and other Paramount networks. 

Getting the moon-person statuette for Song of the Year, Swift spoke about her love of songwriting, and feeling as if she was all alone in her “insecurity and self-loathing” as she wrote, then seeing the songs and lyrics connect with the masses onstage. 

“Maybe we all have the same issues,” she said she came to realize. 

Wyclef Jean then stepped out to introduce Shakira, who got the Video Vanguard award. Shakira was electric, using all three stages as she performed a medley. She even took a guitar solo, then finished things off with a dance involving a couple sharp knives. 

Diddy then made his first VMAs appearance in almost two decades. Introduced by Mary J. Blige, he made it a family event, performing alongside son King and twin daughters D’Lila and Jessie. 

Diddy got the Global Icon Award. “I gotta thank God — that’s my secret weapon,” he said. 

Diddy shared about being a paperboy growing up, then thinking he’d play pro football until he broke his leg and getting more into music. “God made another choice for me,” he said. 

Just before he stepped offstage, Diddy shared that he’s got a new album coming out. “I’m a hustler,” he conceded. 

Just when I’d finally grasped the three-stage concept of the event, Peso Pluma set up on a fourth stage, a small, round one set up temporarily in the center of the floor. A full band, including strings and standup bass, backed him up. 

After Peso Pluma was the K-Pop act Stray Kids, which sent the young women seated near us bonkers. They came equipped with the lollipop-style handheld lights that are apparently the norm at K-Pop shows. 

The show finally had a bit of rock ‘n’ roll when Fall Out Boy played their update of Billy Joel’s history lesson “We Didn’t Start the Fire” — sample line “Unabomber, Bobbitt, John, bombing Boston Marathon” — from an outdoor stage. The Roman rockers Maneskin, winners of the Best Rock VMA, continued the rock vibe with an explosive performance, before country star Kelsea Ballerini played. 

Speaking of history lessons, it was finally time  for the 50 years of hip-hop finale, with DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Lil Wayne, LL Cool J and Minaj sharing the stage for a lively 10-minute performance that the crowd adored. It ended with all the performers onstage for “Walk This Way”, a salute to MTV’s earlier days.

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the hip-hop pioneer and media mogul, will receive the Global Icon Award during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, appearing live on September 12.

Diddy will also perform during the telecast and is nominated for four other awards, including Best Collaboration, Best Rap and Best R&B.

In 1997, Diddy made his first VMA appearance, performing Mo’ Money Mo Problems. He hosted the awards show from Miami in 2005.

The VMAs will appear live from Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center on September 12 at 8 p.m. ET.

Scheduled to perform are Anitta, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Lil Wayne, Moneskin, Shakira, Stray Kids and Tomorrow X Together.

Shakira will also receive the Video Vanguard Award, presented by Toyota.

Official sponsors include Bacardi Rum, Burger King, Clearblue, Descovy, Doritos, Heinz, M&M’s, Swiffer and Toyota Motor North America.

As Paramount Global continues to engage in talks about selling a stake in its BET Media Group, the group is set to launch in June an ad-supported tier to complement its BET Plus subscription streaming service. 

The BET Plus Essential tier will debut June 25 –  the same day as BET's annual BET Awards telecast –at a price of $5.99 per month, which is $4 less than the monthly BET Plus subscription fee, according to BET officials. 

BET Plus Essential will feature a mix of 15 and 30 second ads that will run before and during programming, customized to limit viewing interruption, according to the service. The ad-supported tier will feature the same original programming lineup from BET Plus, including content from Tyler Perry, Gabrielle Union, Lee Daniels, Mary J. Blige and Kevin Hart.

BET Plus joins other streaming services such as Disney Plus and Netflix in launching ad-supported tiers. 

“A primary focus for BET Plus has been delivering consumers the content they want, how they want it and when they want it, so the natural evolution of the service was to provide consumers with a more economical ad-integrated experience, BET Media Group president and CEO Scott Mills said. “We are delighted to expand access to our premium streaming service by introducing this ad-supported tier.”

The move comes as seven out of 10 Black consumers subscribe to at least one SVOD service and more than 80% have used a free ad-supported streaming TV service in the past month, according to a recent Horowitz Research survey. 

“This lower priced, ad-supported tier of BET Plus will not only deliver to our audiences, but to the advertising community, which has long expressed an appetite for more non-linear options in reaching the highly coveted, digital-native Black consumer market,” BET Media Group president of media sales Louis Carr said. 

A number of potential suitors have already inquired about purchasing BET, including hip hop entrepreneur Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Tyler Perry, Byron Allen, and more recently producers Kenya Barris and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, as well as NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.  

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BET will honor Hip Hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy Combs with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the June 26 BET Awards live telecast.

The award, which honors industry giants who have not only significantly shaped culture through their extensive careers, but who have also been transformative leaders that consistently inspire generations by setting a true standard of excellence, will be given to the pioneering hip hop icon and entrepreneur during the telecast, which will be hosted by actress Taraji P. Henson. Combs founded the music and culture-themed cable network Revolt TV in 2013. 

Past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include industry legends Whitney Houston, Prince, Queen Latifah, Anita Baker, Mary J. Blige, Samuel Jackson, Lionel Richie and New Edition.

“Diddy has always been a pioneering force in our community, breaking barriers, achieving unprecedented heights, blazing new trails, and, in so doing, raising the bar for all of us,” said BET CEO Scott Mills. “His virtuosity is matched only by his range – from music to media, culture, business, and philanthropy – Diddy has exemplified Black Excellence. We are delighted to have this opportunity to use our biggest stage to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of our friend Diddy.”

BET Executive Vice President, Specials, Music Programming, Music Strategy Connie Orlando added:  “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is an incomparable cultural force and creative visionary whose impact has created historic paradigm shifts across music, media, fashion, and lifestyle. It’s personally gratifying to celebrate and honor a longtime partner and friend of the network who, through the decades, has laid the blueprint for Black excellence through entertainment. And it is far from over; his legacy continues to break ground, and this Lifetime Achievement Award further cements his undeniable influence on hip hop and pop culture. From his many memorable and creative appearances at our award shows to his growing businesses and philanthropic media ventures, I couldn’t be happier for Diddy. He is a dear friend, colleague, and culture revolutionary. We look forward to celebrating his incredible legacy.”

Revolt TV CEO Roma Khanna is stepping down after three years of heading up the Sean "Diddy" Combs-founded network. 

Khanna, who took over as CEO in 2017, will now serve as advisor to the senior team and shareholders of the network, according to Combs.

Revolt TV EVP and Head of Finance and Operations Colin McIntosh and the network's COO and head of content Detavio Samuels will now also serve as co-heads of Revolt, according to network officials. 

Under Khanna’s tutelage, the music-themed network launched such initiatives and projects as State of the Culture and Revolt Black News as well as the multi-city and the multi-platform Revolt Summit x AT&T. On the distribution side, Revolt has launched across the AT&T platforms as well as on Mediacom and on streaming outlets such as Philo and Sling TV, said Revolt. 

“I am grateful for Roma’s relentless work over the last three years getting Revolt ready for the revolution,” said Combs in a statement. “She has been an ally to the culture and the company. Roma will always be a part of the Combs family and I am happy to have her as an Advisor to Revolt going forward.”

Added Khanna: “Revolt’s time is now and I am very proud to pass the reins to our next generation of amazing leaders as they rise and guide the future. I am grateful to our Chairman, Sean “Diddy” Combs, for his unwavering support and guidance along the way. Revolt is forever in my heart and I look forward to continuing to support the team, our audience and Sean Combs as an ally and Advisor.”

BET and REVOLT TV are planning special programming that look to shine a light on the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on minority communities.

REVOLT TV Thursday will televise a live town hall event moderated by network founder and owner Sean ‘Diddy” Combs. The two-hour discussion, Life or Death; The State of Black America & The Cornoavirus: Its United Effect but Unequal Burden will include Combs, Rev. Al Sharpton, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, CNN personality Van Jones and hip hop performer Meek Mill, and will include segments dealing with the public health issues, the low-income effect, incarceration and economic relief, and the mental toll of quarantine, said the network.

BET is partnering with the NAACP and the United Way Worldwide to produce a special, Saving Our Selves: A BET COVID-19 Relief Effort on April 22 that will feature numerous entertainment personalities sharing their tips on how to manage, cope and help during the pandemic crisis. Singer/actress Kelly Rowland, actor Terrence J and actress Regina Hall will co-host the event, which will feature appearances by DJ Kaled, Charlie Wilson, Chance the Rapper, Kirk Franklin, Fantasia and Melvin Crispell III.

As part of the event, BET and the United Way Worldwide have created a relief fund to assist people of color most impacted by the pandemic, both health-wise and from a financial perspective.

“Our goal for this special is to come together in a collective spirit of strength, community and hope," said Connie Orlando, executive VP specials, music programming & music strategy at BET in a statement. "As we unite in harmony and compassion, through the collective healing power of music, comedy and entertainment, we can bring restoration and inspire the world that our brighter days are ahead,” 

On the digital front, BET on April 8 teamed with the NAACP to create a four part virtual town hall series titled Unmasked: A COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall Series Powered by NAACP & BET that will stream on NAACP.org.

Diversity and inclusion was spotlighted during the annual Walter Kaitz Foundation fundraising dinner, which raised more than $1.6 million on Sept. 27 to support the industry’s diversity initiatives.

One of the brightest lights during the festivities was hip-hop mogul/entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs, who exemplifies what diversity and inclusion looks like for the industry, as well as how far it still needs to travel to reach its goals.

Yes, the industry should be applauded for the positive results generated from the bi-annual WICT PAR and NAMIC AIM employment surveys, which showed that women and people of color continue to hold more top-level positions in greater percentages than in previous years. But Diddy reminded attendees that the hard work is not over.

While he didn’t waste an opportunity to tout his music-themed Revolt TV network in front of a captured crowd of MVPD executives — “This is like a dream come true, I’ve been trying to get meetings with all of y'all,” he declared — he wasn’t there to do a hard sales pitch. Instead he spoke poignantly about his own climb up the corporate ladder, from being raised by a single mother who emphasized a strong work ethic, to honing his entrepreneurial skills though hustling to get a paper route at age 12 even though he was too young to work, to eventually becoming one of the most successful entertainment moguls.

He lamented not seeing positive African-American images on television growing up. “These images really affected me, just like they affect millions of kids out there now who don’t feel they have a position or a voice because of the lack of diversity in films, media, network ownership and also distribution,” he said.

Indeed, Diddy is one of an embarrassingly few number of people of color who own media properties. Such individuals would have a major say in what images and stories appear on the screen, as well as who’s telling those stories behind the camera. Diddy challenged the industry to do better.

“I’ve been blessed with a lot of success, but I would be lying to you if I told you that we have enough diversity within the cable industry.” he said. “True diversity is having a fair and equal chance to compete. This is not about charity but about opportunity.”

Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for The Walter Kaitz Foundation

Cable music/entertainment channel Revolt will look to extend its reach into digital media with original content and network-created apps that will allow fans to better interact with the service.

The Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs-founded cable channel, which launched in October 2013, will soon launch several new digital apps including one targeted to XBOX One users that will provide content and live authenticated viewing, according to network officials.

In addition, the network’s Revolt App will look to feature more exclusive content as the network looks to reach its target multiethnic, millennial audience on all platforms. Executives said Revolt is also undergoing a new website re-design that will provide a more mobile-friendly, “mobile-first design,” and will develop short-form video content that can be easily accessed and shared on iPhones and other portable devices.

“The audience we reach– the Authenticators–want their content on every screen, at any time, and Revolt meets that mandate”, said Revolt CEO Keith Clinkscales. “Revolt is the fastest growing multi-platform, multi-genre network with unparalleled growth across all mediums and showing no signs of slowing down.”

As for the linear channel, network executives say that Revolt is projecting to reach the 50 million homes mark with new partnership and distribution deals expected to be announced in the near future. The network would not reveal specific subscriber numbers but has said that it attracts more 50 million young adults through television, digital, social and mobile properties.

“As we continue our goal to create unique content that influences the media landscape and captivates our audience, we anticipate new distribution partnerships adding to our existing availability on Comcast, Time Warner and Verizon FiOS,” said Clinkscales. 

In programming news, Revolt said it follow the life of rapper Wiz Khalifa in a new documentarj Day Today, whileteaming with Snoop Dogg to bring his popular YouTube show GGN to the network. 

Revolt also said that they finalized a partnership with ESPN/X Games to bring X Games althlete-themed programming and music content to the network.