The unraveling of the relationship between Sean “Diddy” Combs and Diageo marks the end of a lucrative but at times tumultuous partnership between the hip-hop mogul and the spirits giant. Going forward, Diageo intends to market the affected brands, Ciroc vodka and DeLeon tequila, without its high-profile partner.
The dispute arose earlier this month, when Combs sued Diageo, alleging the company long underinvested in DeLeon tequila while devoting more attention to other brands it owned, such as Casamigos, the George Clooney-backed tequila Diageo acquired in 2017 for $1 billion. Combs also alleged the company pigeonholed DeLeon as a Black brand, which allegedly limited its distribution compared to other Diageo brands.