Gucci Mane seemingly earned himself a feud with Diddy after dropping the diss track TakeDat on Wednesday.
The song — which arrived with a ready-made video — features the 44-year-old rapper mercilessly mocking the 54-year-old record executive while referencing multiple sexual assault allegations and a sex trafficking investigation that have dogged Diddy (born Sean Combs) in recent months.
Gucci (real name: Radric Davis) even recreated a scene that Diddy filmed for The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1994 music video to Big Poppa — which was directed by Hype Williams — to make the comparisons clear.
The attacks started with the title, which references the catchphrase ‘take that,’ which Diddy has used for years.
‘I’m just fooling around, but no Diddy,’ Gucci says at the start of the video.
The Spring Breakers actor continues to cap off lines with ‘No Diddy’ throughout the song, and Complex counted out 119 uses of the phrase throughout the tune.
An early scene features him lounging in a hot tub while surrounded by bikini clad women, an allusion to a similar scene featuring Diddy in Biggie Smalls’ Big Poppa video.
Gucci made sure to match up many of the details, including an animal-print tapestry hanging behind the group, and a woman in a blue bikini to his left, just as in the original scene.
Diddy was originally seated next to the champagne-sipping platinum blond Misa Hylton in Big Poppa, and Gucci played up the visual similarities by casting his wife Keyshia Ka’Oir in a similar role — and he put her in a matching platinum wig for good measure.
‘I’m just f***ing around, but No Diddy,’ Gucci raps, suggesting he’s just having playful fun compared to the crimes the Bad Boy Records founder has been accused of by multiple women, though Diddy has vehemently denied all of the claims.
‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,’ he wrote on social media in December. ‘For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.’
In addition to the cribbed hot tub scene, the video shows Gucci zooming around on a motorcycle and showing off his diamond-encrusted bracelets and Cuban links in a convertible sports car, though the lack of unique scenes indicates that the video may have been shot quickly and cheaply so as to capitalize on the controversy swirling around Diddy.
Gucci raps about ‘underage’ girls, and also alludes to Diddy’s on–off girlfriend Yung Miami, who was accused of being a sex worker in a lawsuit filed against Diddy by his producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones. She has denied Jones’ claim.
‘I got a young Miami b*** from the city / I’m spendin’ money like a trick, no Diddy / I rock pissy yellow diamonds, no Diddy / But she can’t be underage, no Diddy,’ Gucci Mane raps.
Elsewhere, Gucci references Kid Cudi and his exploding car, which Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie accused the mogul of orchestrating in a lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting her, which he ultimately settled after just one day.
Cudi has notably said that he believes Cassie’s claim that Diddy was responsible for blowing up his car.
‘Diamonds dancin’ on my chest, no Diddy / But I blow a n***a car up like Kid Cudi’s,’ Gucci raps.
He includes a mention of Drake, though it’s not as significant a critique as his numerous jabs at Diddy.
‘I’m f***in’ rappers’ baby mommas, no Diddy / I got these n***as in they feelings like Drizzy,’ he raps.
Afterward, he adds that he’s the ‘CEO in the video,’ referencing Diddy’s transformation from rapper to entrepreneur, but he adds that he ‘ain’t dancin’ like a ho, no Diddy.’
The line seems to reference Diddy’s habit of dancing in numerous music videos, both under his own name but particularly in the background of videos of songs led by other artists.
Other artists were briefly poked fun at in the clip, including 50 Cent.
‘Some n***as wanna boss me, I’m not 50 / But get a n***a a** touched like Biggie, no Diddy,’ Gucci rapped.
But despite the line, 50 Cent — who has mercilessly mocked Diddy and his associates on social media for months — was happy to share Gucci Mane’s new track.
‘Oh s*** WOP TOOK DA HIT this Diddy POPPED That’s what you get,’ 50 Cent wrote while resharing the video.
Last month, the investigation to Diddy appeared to heat up after his mansions in Los Angeles and Miami were simultaneously raided.
Diddy was reportedly not home at the time, and he has not been arrested, though authorities appear to still be working to build a case against him.