Diddy says ‘I was joking’ when he claimed Sting makes $5k a day 1997 hit Missing You
Diddy said it was just a joke.
The 53-year-old rapper and producer, who adores his six-month-old daughter Love, is trying to clear the air after tweeting that he pays Sting $5,000 a day in royalties for sampling the 1983 single Every Breath You Take on his 1997 Hit I’ll Miss You.
The spat came about when an excerpt from a 2018 interview with The Breakfast Club was shared on Twitter by Black Millionaires on Wednesday.
In the clip, Sting, 71, estimated he made about $2,000 a day in royalties from the song.
Then Diddy re-shared the clip, writing, “No. 5K a day. Love to my brother @officialsting!’
Clarification: P Diddy, 53, has attempted to clarify a comment on Twitter saying he was joking about Sting, 71, making $5,000 a day from the 1997 hit Missing You, which includes a sample of Every Breath You Take which was released in 1983 when Sting was with The Police
The post quickly went viral, and on Friday, the Grammy-winning artist attempted to set the record straight.
“I want you to understand I was joking!” wrote the Bad Boy For Life artist.
‘It’s called being funny! Me and @OfficialSting have been friends for a long time! He never charged me $3K or $5K a day for Missing You. He’s probably making over $5,000 a day doing one of the biggest songs in history,” the penitent rapper wrote.
Royalties are paid to singers, songwriters, and others involved in the production of a song every time it is played on the radio or streaming service, or when a physical album is purchased from a store.
Sting sued after Missing You was released, admitting in the original interview that Diddy didn’t ask permission to use the sample until after the song was released.
He added, “We’re really good friends now.”
Sting confirmed the rumors after host Charlamagne Tha God asked him about the daily payment, to which the British rocker replied, “Yeah, for the rest of his life.”
He also praised the tune: “It was a nice version of that song.”
Joke: Diddy took to Twitter on Friday to say he was joking in his previous Tweet
Viral: This tweet went viral after Diddy shared a post from Black Millionaires sharing a clip of a 2018 interview with Sting, who claimed at the time that he was making about $2,000 a day in royalties on Missing You
Good friends: The two successful artists have put the matter behind them and have since become good friends
I’ll Be Missing You was a tribute to iconic New York rapper The Notorious BIG, who was murdered in 1997 at the age of 24.
Diddy was joined by Biggie’s widow, Faith Evans, on the track, along with R&B group 112.
Sting and Diddy sang the emotional tune together at the MTV Video Music Awards held September 4, 1997 at Radio City Music Hall, New York City.
The tribute was a hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 11 weeks. Diddy also won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards.
I’ll Be Missing You was the second single from Diddy’s 1998 debut album No Way Out.
Tribute: The sample was used on Diddy’s 1997 single I’ll Be Missing You – a tribute to iconic New York rapper The Notorious BIG, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 24; Biggie in the picture 1996
Throwback: Sting and Diddy performed the song together at the MTV Video Music Awards held September 4, 1997 at Radio City Music Hall, New York City
Music catalog: Sting sold his music catalog, including his solo work and hits with The Police, to Universal Music Group for approximately $250 million in 2022. Pictured 2023
Diddy recently honored Biggie in a tweet shared last month on the 26th anniversary of his death.
‘There will NEVER be another one. The GREATEST RAPPER of all time,” he wrote, adding, “Today we celebrate and honor you king. love you and miss you!!’
It comes after Sting sold his entire music catalog to Universal in a deal reportedly worth $250 million in February 2022.
The publishing group now owns both his solo work and albums with The Police – which includes hits such as Roxanne, Every Breath You Take and Fields Of Gold, so any royalties from those songs will be paid to the company.
Universal Music Group (UMG), home to Sting’s label throughout his career, will now represent both his song catalog and his recorded music catalog.