No. Diddy later said his April 2023 post claiming he paid Sting $5,000 a day was a joke. The underlying licensing amount—and whether any daily payment continues—is not established by the cited reporting. Sting had previously said in a 2018 interview that he received $2,000 a day, but that remark is not independent proof of the contract terms or current payments.
Where the $5,000 claim came from
In April 2023, a clip resurfaced of Sting discussing the sample used in “I’ll Be Missing You.” Diddy responded on social media, “Nope. 5K a day.” He later clarified that he was joking and said Sting had never charged him $3,000 or $5,000 a day for the song. Music Business Worldwide reported the post and retraction; Complex also covered the exchange.
Because Diddy retracted the number as a joke, it should not be treated as a verified expense or annualized as if it were an actual recurring payment.
What Sting said about $2,000 a day
In a 2018 interview on The Breakfast Club, Sting said Diddy paid him $2,000 a day and described the arrangement as lasting “for the rest of his life.” That is Sting’s account in an interview, not a published license agreement or payment record. The Los Angeles Times and Complex reported the statement.
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The two figures therefore have different origins: $2,000 was Sting’s 2018 description of the arrangement, while $5,000 was Diddy’s 2023 post that he later called a joke. Neither figure, on the evidence in these reports, establishes the actual contractual amount or a present-day daily payment.
What is known about the sample and song
The Police released “Every Breath You Take” in 1983. Diddy’s 1997 “I’ll Be Missing You,” featuring Faith Evans and 112, used material from the earlier song and was released as a tribute to the Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace). Reports say permission was sought after the 1997 release. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 14, 1997, and earned Diddy his first Grammy Award, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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How much does Sting actually receive?
The cited coverage does not establish a definitive licensing figure, verified total paid, daily payment ledger, or whether payments continue. Music Business Worldwide explicitly reported that the actual licensing amount remains unclear. Without the agreement or payment records, the responsible answer is that the precise financial arrangement cannot be confirmed from these reports.
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