Former Vibe editor-in-chief Danyel Smith has accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of threatening her life over a 1997 cover dispute, as detailed in a new personal essay for The New York Times Magazine.
In the essay, published on Friday, Smith recounts that in 1997, she selected Combs as the cover star for Vibe magazine’s December/January double issue.
The photoshoot, inspired by the poster for the 1978 film “Heaven Can Wait,” featured Combs with white angel wings. The covers were split-run, with one displaying heavenly imagery and the other hellish motifs.
After the photoshoot, Combs requested to see the covers, which Smith denied as it went against the magazine’s policy. She then heard that Combs planned to visit the office to force them to show him the covers and potentially change them if he disapproved.
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Smith recalled that Combs had been found guilty of criminal mischief in 1996 for threatening a New York Post photographer with a gun, but she felt strongly about featuring him on the cover. Fearing Combs’ potential actions, Vibe employees devised a safety plan for Smith in case he showed up at the office.
One day, Combs did arrive with two security guards and demanded to see Smith. In response, employees shuffled her from office to office, allowing her to escape with the cover proofs in hand.
The next day, Combs allegedly called the office and threatened Smith, telling her she would end up “dead in the trunk of a car” if she didn’t comply. Smith warned him that she would call her lawyer if he didn’t retract the threat. Combs then told her, “I know where you are right now. Right on Lexington.” Following Smith’s legal threat, Combs faxed an apology two hours later.
Shortly after the incident, the magazine’s servers were stolen, which included the issue featuring Combs. Rumors circulated that members of Combs’ label, Bad Boy Entertainment, might have been involved in the theft.
The New York Times Magazine article comes amid Diddy’s mounting legal issues, including a sex trafficking probe and sexual assault lawsuits.