While skate crews were skating curbs and tagging “No Diddy” in the streets, Sean “Diddy” Combs was inside a Manhattan courtroom hearing the verdict in his federal trial.
According to reports, after eight weeks of testimony, the jury found him not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking.
However, he was convicted of two counts related to transporting individuals for prostitution.
The case centered on disturbing claims made by two women. One was Casandra Ventura, known for her past relationship with Combs. The other used the name “Jane” during her testimony. Prosecutors accused Combs of using his position and influence to pressure the women into sex acts with escorts, with the help of people around him.
Although the most serious charges were dropped, each of the remaining counts carries a sentence of up to ten years. Combs now faces a possible twenty years in prison. The judge will determine his sentence in the coming months.
As the trial played out in court, skaters across the country responded in their own way. Jason “Slug” Hobson, the artist behind Slug Skates, released a parody skateboard deck featuring Combs with an alien.
The board was titled “Alien vs Predator” and quickly got attention at skate shops and on social media.
The design was a remix of an older graphic from Brad Staba’s Skate Mental brand, which originally featured Michael Jackson. Slug’s version swapped Jackson for Diddy and gave skaters something to ride or hang on their walls.
Around the same time, the phrase “No Diddy” began to spread. Skaters started saying it for no homo or using it as a joke when something felt off.
Though Combs avoided the harshest outcome, the charges he was convicted of are serious. In court, lawyers speak in formal terms. In the streets, skaters are saying "No Diddy."