O-Town Expresses Frustration Over Being Mistaken for Diddy’s Group, Impacting Their Career

O-Town’s Confusion with Diddy

O-Town expressed that they have been mistakenly identified as a “group of Didi,” which has negatively impacted their career.

The boy band was formed during the first season of the reality show Creation of a Group in 2000, which later showcased the infamous rap mogul as a central figure who selected and guided emerging young artists.

However, during the O-Town season, Diddy was not involved, alongside controversial figures like Backstreet Boys and manager Lou Pearlman, who acted as a mentor.

Despite his lack of association with Diddy, O-Town mentioned that this misunderstanding has led to agents and brokers distancing themselves from the group. “Of all groups in Creation of a Group, we are the only ones not connected to him,” stated Jacob Underwood from the group, according to Hollywood Reporter.

Impact on O-Town

“The more people mistake us for Diddy’s group and circulate our photos alongside their stories, the more it works against us. We make a living and cannot afford to search for the latest Diddy clickbait,” they voiced.

O-Town’s agent, Matt Rafal, revealed that one major gaming company withdrew an offer due to their supposed connection with Diddy. “The proposal was withdrawn due to the perception that the group was linked to Diddy,” Rafal explained. “We clarified that O-Town’s Creation of a Group had no ties with Diddy, yet the company was concerned about potential confusion among attendees. Since the Diddy news broke, we’ve received inquiries and hesitations from various talent clients, especially for family-friendly tickets at fairs, theme parks, and city-funded events.”

Rather than Diddy, the group is linked to Pearlman, who was the subject of the Netflix mini-series Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, released last year. In 2006, Florida authorities charged him with conspiracy, money laundering, and filing false bankruptcies before his passing at age 62.

“We’ve already inherited our infamous producer/manager from our season of Creation of a Group, and now another version and its tycoon affect us,” said Eric-Mike Estreus from the band. “It’s unfortunate that our livelihoods have been impacted so many years after the brand was handed over to him.”

A documentary about Diddy, titled Creating a Bad Boy, premiered on January 14 on Peacock in the USA. It features former Bad Boy Records artist Sarah Rivers accusing the rapper of threats against her and her group during the show’s run from 2002 to 2004.

Diddy’s legal team has denied the allegations presented in Creating a Bad Boy, asserting that “this documentary perpetuates the same theories of lies and conspiracy that have been leveled against Mr. Combs for months.”

In September of last year, Diddy was arrested on criminal charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering. He has since been held at a federal prison in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, awaiting a trial set to begin on May 5. If convicted, he could face between 15 years and life in prison.

Combs has denied all accusations against him. Recently, Diddy’s attorneys stated that recordings presented as evidence are intended to “prove Mr. Combs’s innocence, showing consensual sexual activity among adults.”