P. Diddy’s trial continues to push on in New York, as the 55-year-old rapper, whose real name is Sean Combs, faces multiple federal charges. Since the court proceedings began, they’ve drawn attention for the various accounts that have been shared. However, comments on Diddy’s once-buzzed-about parties and alleged indiscretions aren’t all that’s been discussed as of late. Some have also noticed that Combs is now sporting gray hair. It’s a stark change from his usual look, and an ex-federal prosecutor is weighing in on it.
In the lead-up to the trial, Sean Combs remained in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where he lacked access to certain amenities. Hair dye is among the items he’s unable to use in jail, according to NewsNation. However, this new color may not be solely due to a lack of dye or a considerable amount of stress on Combs’ part. Former prosecutor Neama Rahmani tells the news outlet that this new look could serve a strategic purpose for the defense:
Combs is not going to be in court wearing his normal bling. You want to appeal to those jurors. You’re not going to come in wearing a Versace or Tom Ford suit. It’s going to be very different because this all matters. It really, really does.
The past few months have indeed seen Diddy looking significantly different than he has throughout his career. One of the most successful rappers and moguls of all time, the “Bad Boy for Life” rapper’s persona has been synonymous with suave suits, extravagant jewelry and more. What Neama Rahmani’s comments refer to is the need for the (meticulously picked) jury to view the defendant favorably, and they may not feel much for someone dressed to the nines.
Sean Combs was arrested in September 2024 and subsequently charged with two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, two counts of sex-trafficking and a single racketeering conspiracy count. Given these changes, the embattled mogul currently faces up to life in prison. Combs himself pleaded not guilty to any wrongdoing, and he’s also denied the sexual assault and harassment claims leveled at him via various lawsuits.
Even before the trial began, reports swirled around Diddy’s time in the previously mentioned prison, which is also where suspected murderer Luigi Mangione is being held. Another inmate, cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried, also spoke about doing time with Diddy, saying that the rapper had been “kind” to him. Speaking to the effects that jail time can have on a first-time inmate like the “Come with Me,” Neama Rahmani said the following:
These are people who are really in prison for the first time in their entire life. They live a lavish, extravagant lifestyle, and prison can be very different for them … It ages them, and it ages them quickly. It can affect your physical and mental health.
Of course, the general public can’t speak to Sean Combs’ exact mental state and his innermost thoughts. What we can see, however, is that he’s officially gone gray and sporting attire that’s quite different from what many are accustomed to seeing him in. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether that will ultimately earn him any favor with jurors.
