Rapper 50 Cent has been celebrating after his new documentary about Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs reached number one in Netflix charts this week.

The four-part doc, called Sean Combs: The Reckoning, is an examination of the media mogul, music legend, and convicted offender. Produced by Emmy and Grammy Award–winning executive producer 50 Cent – real name Curtis James Jackson III – and directed by Emmy Award–winning director Alexandria Stapleton, the series looks at Diddy’s quick ascent through the ranks of the music industry with Bad Boy Entertainment, during which he helped launch the careers of dozens of generation-defining artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, and Danity Kane.

However, as detailed by his former associates, childhood friends, artists, and employees, something darker began to emerge along the way. The documentary came out this week and it soared past Stranger Things in both the US and the UK.

Sharing his happiness with his fans, 50 Cent wrote on Instagram, “Now I’m #1 in the US, and #1 in UK, Stranger Things gotta move over FIGHTLAND is on the way stop playing with me ! @50centaction.” Fans congratulated the producer on the documentary’s success so far, with one commenting, “Na the fact that you beat Stranger Things FINAL SEASON is HELLLAAAAAAAA impressive!!”

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The doc reached the first spot in US and UK charts

“Beating stranger things is crazy,” another said. A third wrote, “Finished it last night, how you got some of that footage is beyond me hahaha it was well done too btw!”

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Someone else commented, “I mean who told Puff to tape all that s— himself along with his camera guy? Who does that?” A fan shared, “I liked his documentary cause he started all the way from the beginning leading up to his trial and conviction.”

“You sirrr are THE GOAT,” one told 50 Cent, who is a longtime critic of Diddy and often mocked the rapper on social media during his court trial. “Should have been 10 episodes,” a person wrote. “Real good documentary my guy,” a person added. “Me and the wifey stopped watching stranger things to watch the documentary,” a Netflix subscriber added.

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Sean Combs: The Reckoning came out on Netflix this week

Director Alexandria said of the documentary, “Being a woman in the industry, and going through the #MeToo movement — watching giants in music and film go on trial, and to know what their outcomes were … When Cassie dropped her lawsuit, I just thought this could go a million different directions. I wondered how she had the confidence to go out there against a mogul like Sean Combs. As a filmmaker, I instantly knew it was a stress test of whether we’ve changed as a culture, as far as being able to process allegations like this in a fair way.

“This isn’t just about the story of Sean Combs or the story of Cassie [Ventura], or the story of any of the victims, or the allegations against him, or the trial. Ultimately, this story is a mirror [reflecting us] as the public, and what we are saying when we put our celebrities on such a high pedestal. I hope [this documentary] is a wake-up call for how we idolize people, and to understand that everybody is a human being.”

50 Cent added, “I’ve been committed to real storytelling for years through G-Unit Film and Television. I’m grateful to everyone who came forward and trusted us with their stories, and proud to have Alexandria Stapleton as the director on the project to bring this important story to the screen.”

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The documentary includes some videos filmed by Diddy himself(Image: Netflix)

Diddy’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to Netflix ahead of the documentary’s December 2 premiere. In a statement to CNN, Diddy’s rep, Juda Engelmayer, claimed that “Sean was making his own documentary since he was 19 years old. This footage was commissioned as part of it.” The rapper’s team also accused Netflix of using “stolen” footage that was “never authorised for release,” declaring the doc a “shameful hit piece.”

However, the streaming giant insisted the series is “not a hit piece or an act of retribution.” A spokesperson for Netflix pointed to a statement from the director of the docuseries, who insists that her team obtained the footage legally. “It came to us. We obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights,” she said at the time.

“We moved heaven and earth to keep the filmmaker’s identity confidential. One thing about Sean Combs is that he’s always filming himself, and it’s been an obsession throughout the decades.” The documentarian added, “We also reached out to Sean Combs’ legal team for an interview and comment multiple times, but did not hear back.”