Usher Credits Diddy with "Legacy" of Black Entrepreneurship Amid Legal Battles

In a 2026 Forbes interview, Usher defends Sean "Diddy" Combs’ professional contributions and mentorship, even as Combs serves a 50-month prison sentence.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 25, 2026, 4:19 AM EDT

Source: Bisnow

"Legacy" Over Controversy

Speaking with Forbes’ The Enterprise Zone on March 24, 2026, Usher engaged in a word-association exercise with senior writer Jabari Young. When prompted with Combs’ name, Usher immediately responded with the word "Legacy." He argued that while the world is focused on the "negativity" surrounding Combs’ recent criminal history, the public should not ignore the "reality of the history" and the doors Combs opened for Black entrepreneurs.

A "Hard Teacher" and Mentor

Usher’s relationship with Combs dates back to the early 1990s when a teenage Usher lived with the producer in New York—a period often referred to as "Puffy Flavor Camp."

Mentorship: Usher described Combs as a "really, really hard teacher" who provided real-time lessons in business and brand positioning.

Cultural Impact: "I can’t, with any sense of humanity, not recognize the valuable contributions that this man made for us as Black entrepreneurs," Usher stated, emphasizing that many in the industry today benefited from the infrastructure Combs created.