Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and filmmaker Alex Stapleton joined ABC’s Good Morning America to discuss the highly anticipated Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, which features never-before-seen footage of the music mogul in the days leading up to his arrest last September.
The exclusive footage shows Combs consulting with attorneys about legal strategy, saying, “I’m going to get off the phone right now and I am going to let you professionals look at the situation and come back to me with a solution… you are not working together the right way, we’re losing.” Jackson commented, “It was surprising that he actually filmed it.” Stapleton added, “It was very interesting to watch a man known for his brand presence and how he was taking that into account in how he was coming off to the public.”
Addressing criticism that the series focuses on personal tension rather than victims’ experiences, Jackson said, “The real goal was to tell a story… not everyone needed to have an allegation to be part of this project.” He also spoke about Cassie Ventura, calling her “a victim in all of this” and reflecting on her early involvement in the industry.
Stapleton emphasized that the series is not simply a collection of salacious details. “We weren’t trying to just get the highlights… The real goal was to tell a story.”
Jackson further noted the broader cultural impact, saying, “If I didn’t say anything, you would interpret it as hip-hop being fine with his behavior… those things would allow an entire culture to register as if they were for that behavior.”
On how Combs might react, Jackson concluded, “Like, wow — this is amazing. He may feel differently about pieces and bits of it, but he knows the truth. I think he’ll see the truth in it.”
Sean Combs: The Reckoning is set to premiere exclusively on Netflix on Dec. 2.