“Free Puff” T-Shirts Outside of Sean “Diddy” Combs Trial May Be Part of a Paid Protest

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This past week, within the bustling crowd of journalists, bloggers, and at least one passionate bystander who had gathered outside the federal courthouse on Pearl Street in lower Manhattan, a group primarily of Black individuals could be seen. They were all wearing identical black t-shirts with either “Free Puff” or “Free $Diddy” written in bold white capital letters on them.

As the jury selection kicked off on May 5, I proudly sported my “Free Puff” t-shirt among the crowd, a move that set us apart. My longtime friend Charlucci Finney, a staunch supporter of Combs, was the only one visible outside the downtown courthouse during this high-profile trial. With his legal team in their third week of vigorously fighting federal charges at the trial for the fallen rap mogul on sex trafficking and racketeering allegations, it’s clear that true allies are few. Wearing this t-shirt was my way of showing solidarity with Combs during these challenging times.

Inside the courtroom, most reporters were intently listening to the testimony and waiting for potential reprimands from Judge Arun Subramanian. Journalist and podcaster Emilie Hagen, host of Emilie Knows Everything, delved deeper into the unexpected display of support to determine if it was a paid demonstration, a show of solidarity for the once popular rapper, or something else entirely.

Based on Hagan’s account, it seems there were elements of various possibilities at play. Upon interacting with some demonstrators wearing t-shirts, she discovered that this demonstration might have been a paid one or a show of support which could not be entirely attributed to genuine grassroots backing for Combs. In a TikTok video, a woman shared that while observing the “Free $Diddy” group silently, she was approached and offered $20 per hour to wear a t-shirt for a few hours outside the courthouse during the trial proceedings.

In the video, the woman explained to Hagan, “He said it was for a ‘Diddy coin,’ which I don’t understand. They offered me $20 to put on a ‘Free Puffy’ t-shirt. The woman there persistently tried to persuade me to wear it, but I declined, saying, ‘I’m fine.’

The video gained widespread popularity on the internet and was seen by 50 Cent, a longtime rival of Combs in the hip hop industry who often uses such occasions to poke fun at his adversary on Instagram. In his caption on the platform, the rapper jokingly commented, “Diddy offering money for people to wear ‘Free Diddy’ shirts is underhanded.” Adding humorously, “However, $20 an hour isn’t too shabby. I might consider it for an hour tomorrow.

Leaving jokes aside, the idea that the distribution of T-shirts and what appears to be a paid protest could be linked to the DIDDY coin does bring up some ethical concerns regarding Diddy’s relationship with the organizers of the demonstration. This is because his memecoin, the DIDDY coin, was created by his sons, Justin and King Combs, on May 8th; since his arrest in September, they have been managing social media for the coin.

The Diddy currency, a memecoin created on the Solana blockchain, seems to be leveraging the publicity surrounding Combs’ trial. It started trading only a few days after jury selection began. Since its introduction, it has gained attention online through endorsements by Combs and later by his friend and renowned rapper Kanye West. This promotion appears to have boosted its price, albeit temporarily. On Tuesday, the real-time Diddy price stood at $0.00001613, with a 24-hour trading volume of $594.74.

Powered by memes, drama, and the raw energy of the internet, $DIDDY represents the internet’s reaction – humorously, chaotically, and collectively creative. Step into the show. Step into $DIDDY.

The Hollywood Reporter contacted Combs Global to inquire about Combs’ potential role in the distribution of t-shirts and for a response regarding accusations of sponsored demonstrations outside the court. However, they have yet to receive a reply.

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2025-05-21 21:25