On Wednesday, Diddy filed a lawsuit against Diageo, claiming that the international beverage company has been displaying discriminatory practices towards his DeLeón Tequila brand. The legal filing was at the Supreme Court in Manhattan after the rap mogul from NYC was reportedly told that his brand was restricted to urban regions and that upper management within Diageo had indignation towards him because of his success.
“Cloaking itself in the language of diversity and equality is good for Diageo’s business, but it is a lie,” the lawsuit read. “While Diageo may conspicuously include images of its Black partners in advertising materials and press releases, its words only provide the illusion of inclusion.”
Diddy launched DeLeón in 2009 and partnered with Diageo five years later.
In response to Diddy's lawsuit, a spokesperson for Diageo released the following statement:
This is a business dispute, and we are saddened that Mr. Combs has chosen to recast this matter as anything other than that. Our steadfast commitment to diversity within our company and the communities we serve is something we take very seriously. We categorically deny the allegations that have been made and will vigorously defend ourselves in the appropriate forum.
For more than 15 years, we’ve had a productive and mutually beneficial relationship with Mr. Combs on various business ventures, making significant investments that have resulted in financial success for all involved. We are disappointed our efforts to resolve this business dispute amicably have been ignored, and that Mr. Combs has chosen to damage a productive and valued partnership. While we respect Mr. Combs as an artist and entrepreneur, his allegations lack merit, and we are confident the facts will show that he has been treated fairly.
Source: Complex
