Russell Brand once joked about adopting a teenage Justin Bieber with his then-wife Katy Perry, but years later, the comedian revisited the remark while making a troubling claim about Sean “Diddy” Combs.
In a video shared in April 2025, Brand recalled joking about taking ownership of Bieber’s career rights before suggesting that Combs might have exploited the young singer during his rise to fame. The comments are drawing renewed relevance following Brand’s November 2026 conviction and sentencing for rape and sexual assault, although Bieber’s representatives previously made it clear that the singer was not among Combs’ victims.
Russell Brand Recalled Joke About Adopting Justin Bieber With Katy Perry
According to AS USA, Brand revisited an old joke involving Bieber during a video discussion in April 2025. The comedian recalled meeting the young singer at the Grammy Awards while he was with Perry, whom he married in 2010.
“I met Justin Bieber at the Grammys when I was with Katy Perry, and we had an ongoing joke about adopting him and all his subsidiary rights,” Brand wrote on X at the time.
The remark referred to the enormous commercial success Bieber was experiencing as a teenager, when his music, merchandise, and public image had already become part of a rapidly expanding entertainment business. Although Brand originally presented the idea as a joke, he later admitted that his perspective had changed after reflecting on Bieber’s experiences in the music industry. His comments came as old videos involving Bieber and Combs were attracting fresh attention.
Russell Brand Suggested Diddy May Have Exploited Justin Bieber
Brand took the conversation further by suggesting that Combs might have taken advantage of Bieber during his early career. As reported by Hip Hop Hero, Brand said his old joke felt different after considering the singer’s association with the music mogul.
“Only now do I realise that Diddy may have been exploiting him, and that changes how I feel about that joke!” Brand wrote.
During the accompanying discussion, he suggested that Combs might have exploited Bieber in a more tangible way than the joke about acquiring the singer’s rights. Brand also reflected on Bieber’s unusual rise to fame, describing him as an early example of a celebrity whose popularity began online before expanding into mainstream entertainment. However, Brand offered no evidence establishing that Combs had exploited Bieber. His comments were speculation, and Bieber’s representatives subsequently rejected suggestions that the singer had been one of Combs’ victims.
- Russell Brand reportedly received a chilling warning from a convicted murderer shortly after beginning his prison sentence.
- Prison officials reportedly placed Brand under special protection amid concerns that his celebrity status could make him a target behind bars.
- Brand allegedly isolated himself in his prison cell to conceal his fear as fellow inmates reportedly mocked him while he read the Bible.
- Concerns reportedly mounted among Brand’s loved ones over his wife, Laura, after a family friend claimed the comedian had “totally brainwashed her.”
- A former classmate of Brand recalled unsettling behavior from his school days, claiming girls would “flinch” at what he described as his “cloak of love.”
Justin Bieber Appeared In Resurfaced Videos With Diddy As A Teenager
Bieber’s past association with Combs became a major subject of online discussion after footage from the singer’s teenage years resurfaced. One widely circulated video, originally posted in 2009, showed a 15-year-old Bieber spending time with Combs. According to People, Combs described plans to spend 48 hours with the young singer and made remarks about activities they would not disclose publicly.
Another clip from a 2011 appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” showed Combs discussing his relationship with Bieber. The music mogul described Bieber as a younger brother figure and said people in the industry wanted to protect him. The old footage prompted widespread speculation about their interactions, particularly after Combs became the subject of criminal investigations. However, the recordings themselves do not establish that Bieber was abused or subjected to criminal misconduct.
Justin Bieber Representative Rejected Claims He Was A Diddy Victim
In May 2025, Bieber’s representative directly addressed the speculation surrounding the singer’s relationship with Combs. According to Reuters, the spokesperson said Bieber was not among the people harmed by Combs.
“Although Justin is not among Sean Combs’ victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him,” the representative stated.
The spokesperson also urged people not to allow speculation about Bieber to overshadow those who had experienced abuse. The statement came after years-old videos of Bieber and Combs generated renewed public attention. It also provided an important distinction from Brand’s earlier suggestion that the singer might have been exploited. While Brand raised questions about the treatment of young entertainers, Bieber’s representative made clear that the singer should not be presented as a victim of Combs.
Russell Brand Past Comments Resurface Following Prison Sentence
Brand’s remarks about Bieber and Combs have gained additional context following his own criminal conviction. On November 9, 2026, the 51-year-old comedian was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the offenses involved four women and occurred between 2004 and 2009.
Brand’s past association with Bieber has already attracted attention. As previously reported by The Blast, a photograph of Brand posing with a teenage Bieber and Perry at the 2010 American Music Awards recently resurfaced, prompting reactions from social media users. However, there is no evidence that Bieber was involved in Brand’s criminal offenses, and the singer has not publicly accused the comedian of misconduct.
Brand also previously discussed his own experiences with Combs, describing the music mogul as an influential personality who could be difficult to refuse. In a 2010 interview revisited by Us Weekly, Brand recalled being taken on a trip to Las Vegas with Combs and described the rapper as “a very intense man.”