Boy band O-Town, famous for its role in the third season of the music reality show Making the Band in 2002, is facing unexpected challenges due to their past connection to Sean “Diddy” Combs. Despite the show being rebranded under Combs’ leadership years later, the band members are now dealing with the fallout from Diddy’s controversial legal issues, including his September 2024 arrest on charges like racketeering and sex trafficking.
Erik-Michael Estrada, a member of O-Town, expressed his frustration, explaining how Diddy’s legal troubles have impacted their careers even though their involvement with him ended long ago. “For our livelihood to be impacted this many years after the brand was moved to him is so unfortunate,” Estrada shared with The Hollywood Reporter. He emphasized that O-Town has no current ties to Diddy.
Following Diddy’s arrest, O-Town has faced cancellations and reluctance from event organizers. Their agent, Matt Rafal from Universal Attractions Agency, revealed that even though the band has clarified their disassociation from Diddy, some talent buyers are still concerned that their involvement with the reality show might cause confusion. “We’ve received questions and hesitancy from several talent buyers,” Rafal noted, reflecting how the scandal is affecting the group’s opportunities.