In a November 2023 lawsuit, singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura accused hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs of physical assault and sexual misconduct. Following the allegations, the record producer denied the claims, settling the lawsuit outside of court for $20 million. Since then, dozens of accusers have made similar allegations against the music mogul. Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial commenced on May 12. He faces charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, and the trial is anticipated to continue for about eight weeks.
As the trial progressed, people took to social media to follow the case’s developments. Others have parodied the investigation, making frivolous comments to mock Combs. One of the comments popping up everywhere is “Nice try, Diddy,” which has left many wondering what the phrase means.
What Does the “Nice Try, Diddy” Comment Mean?
“Nice try, Diddy” refers to a spam comment that social media users have repeatedly posted under advertisements and reels since the spring of 2024, as the Daily Dot reported. Users posting the comment strategically target content selling a product or a service. The “meme” sarcastically insinuates that Combs is behind the social media posts that users comment on.
But what does “Nice try, Diddy” really mean? Social media users provided several different explanations for the larger point the comment is trying to make. Some insisted that it called out Diddy’s desperate attempts to distract from the allegations against him by getting involved in new projects. Others explained that the real joke behind the comment was that Diddy was willing to advertise anything because he’d need the money to pay his legal fees. Still others wrote that it was a play on the phrase “Nice try feds,” which has been used as a spam comment on posts that social media users perceive as an attempt to gather data. What does that have to do with Diddy? Social media users who shared this explanation stated that it’s because Diddy is a federal informant, a claim not supported by evidence.
The comment has a satirical wit similar to 2009’s “Thanks, Obama. That phrase poked fun at the tendency to blame everything that ever went wrong in the world on Obama’s two terms as President.
Where Did the Spam Comment Originate?
As with anything on the Internet, it isn’t easy to pinpoint exactly when or where the trend originated. However, Know Your Meme reported that one of the earliest uses of the comment was posted to X on May 14, 2024. Someone with the username @raccoon2u2 posted the comment under an advertisement for Newsbreak’s “Safety Map.” The map shows users the location of registered sex offenders in the area. In this case, the “Nice try Diddy” comment seems like a joke about the charges against Combs, not his infamous hustling skills and what he might be using them for in the wake of the accusations against him. It seems to imply that Combs was trying to convince people he wasn’t a sex offender because he wasn’t on the map.
The initial joke spread widely across social media platforms, particularly on Instagram and TikTok, where users poked fun at the rapper under posts advertising all sorts of products and services. An example includes an Instagram post for Piece by Piece, the 2024 LEGO-animated movie about the life of record producer Pharrell Williams. Since then, the phrase has popped up under paid ads across social media.
The “Meme” Has Grown in Internet Popularity Across Different Apps
Since May 2024, the spam comment has taken on a life of its own. It’s evolved to represent generic trolling of Diddy in the midst of his very public downfall. However, internet users are starting to question the point of the spam comment.
One Redditor wrote, “Thus, people speculate that ‘Nice try Diddy’ is a meme sarcastically implying that Diddy is somehow behind the post that they are commenting on. That said, for the most part, it seems to just be one of those cases where everybody jumps on the bandwagon, even if they don’t fully understand the joke.”
This comment suggests that people aren’t effectively using the comment to call out Diddy, but are just following a trend.
On a different thread explaining the phrase, another Redditor called out the irony of commenters spamming posts with “Nice try, Diddy.” They explained that overloading the posts with comments just makes the site’s algorithm show more ads.
A search of Reddit’s recent posts with the “Nice Try Diddy” comment seems to show that the spam comment is slipping away from any noticeable tie to Diddy or the trial. It’s seemingly morphing into a way to troll the original poster rather than a way to troll Diddy. However, as Diddy’s trial continues, the “Nice try Diddy” spam comments persist.
Some Users Believe the Running Joke Signifies a Dark Truth
Although many netizens see the phrase as a lighthearted joke, others believe a darker meaning is hidden in the comment. Given the seriousness of the allegations against Combs, some think the record producer and his alleged actions shouldn’t be the punchline of a joke. Sara Pequeño penned an opinion piece for USA TODAY urging people to stop making jokes out of “the terrifying reality of abuse.”
“To me, the flippancy with which people are treating the case is just as dangerous as the jokes made about it,” she wrote. “We must resist the urge to make everything into a joke. We must take some things seriously – domestic violence should be one of those things. We can’t let our urge to laugh at discomfort win over our desire for justice. Something has to matter.”
Pequeño’s words address the very real concern that society is becoming too desensitized to serious subjects. Despite the spam comment’s intent to troll Diddy, it can also be interpreted as downplaying the serious allegations against him.
Combs’ Trial Commences and Media Coverage Escalates
The Sean “Diddy” Combs Trial began on May 12 in Manhattan, New York. Besides Ventura, Kid Cudi, and former employees of the music mogul, such as Capricon Clark and Brendan Paul, have testified. Other anonymous witnesses attested to experiencing abuse throughout Combs’ career.
The highly publicized trial has garnered extensive media and internet coverage due to the serious allegations and A-list witness testimonies given since the lawsuit’s opening statements. Major news outlets have provided comprehensive coverage despite the Combs trial remaining non-broadcast. Bloggers and news influencers are also reporting on the case for their audiences on social media.
Week 7 of the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial began on Monday, June 23. Witness testimony officially concluded on June 23 as well. Since the case’s opening statements on May 12, the prosecution called a total of 34 witnesses to testify against Combs. In court, jurors have seen explicit videos of “freak-offs” and text messages to strengthen the prosecution’s case.
As reported by NBC News, Combs’ defense team won’t call any witnesses to support the rapper’s case. Combs will not testify at his trial. His attorneys stated on Monday, June 23, that the defense team had about three witnesses they could call. However, lead defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian that Combs’ team will submit its evidence rather than call witnesses. On June 24, Diddy’s defense team asked the judge to dismiss the case. The judge declined to rule on the decision, and Diddy’s defense team rested its case.
Continue to stay informed of live updates about the trial with Blavity News.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people choose to spam the comments?
There isn’t a clear motive for why the specific phrase “Nice Try Diddy” became a spam comment. It is clear that the comment was and is used to troll Diddy. The comment went viral to make fun of Diddy after the accusations against him went public.
How many followers did Diddy lose on Instagram?
According to Newsweek, Diddy lost over 27,000 followers on Instagram in the 30 days after the initial raids on his house in 2024. As of April 2024, Diddy still had approximately 20.2 million followers on Instagram. As of June 2025, that number is down to 19.4 million. These numbers suggest that Diddy has lost around 800,000 followers since April 2024.
