There’s been much that has been spoken about Diddy’s parties in recent months, as many of these events have allegedly tied in with the racketeering and coercion charges he is facing in court. Among these, the most famous of his parties were his “White Parties,” held during Labor Day weekend for more than a decade.
Celebrities attended. All guests invited were tasked with wearing white, seemingly a nod to the old phrase, “No white after Labor Day.” But new details are highlighting how over-the-top and opulent these events could really be, and yes, the Declaration of Independence was once even involved.
In 2004, Diddy Brought The Declaration Of Independence As His White Party Date
While all celebrities are different, plenty of them are known for throwing over-the-top parties. SNL is known for raucous after parties. (I particularly enjoy Fallon’s story about the SNL 40 after party.) And there are reports Justin Bieber allegedly makes people sign NDAs before they show up for parties at his house, so it’s not just Diddy who has been known for wild partying behavior in the a-lister crowd.
But in 2004 (via USA Today), reports indicate Diddy flew in on a helicopter and brought a copy of the Declaration of Independence as his "date." He noted at the time it was a bit of an ostentatious thing to do, saying to his rapt a-lister audience:
No one would ever expect a young Black man to be coming to a party with the Declaration of Independence, but I got it and it's coming with me. And I promise not to spill champagne on it.
Over time, some major names attended his White Parties, including Jay-Z, Kim Kardashian, Aretha Franklin and Justin Bieber (who would later rise to fame in 2009.) Leonardo DiCaprio was once spotted near Diddy as he held champagne. The likes of Howard Stern and Regis Philbin attended. Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Iovine, Demi Moore, Tyrese Gibson, Jonah Hill and so many more were also spotted at parties like these. Professional photographers were even on hand to catch the stars in action.
Yet decades later, many of those same names are attempting to distance themselves from Diddy after his arrest. This is particularly true of Jay-Z, who was until recently cited in one of the lawsuits, but who was removed after the mogul proved he was not present.
So Why White Parties?
More recently, we’ve been hearing about Diddy’s “freak offs” and "Wild King Nights," which were allegedly held inside in more intimate settings outside of some of the rapper’s larger parties. Allegations about drug use and even the appearance of a large amount of baby oil have sparked the public's attention as this case has wound its way through the court system.
In ID's The Fall of Diddy docuseries (which you can stream with a Max subscription), the all-white dress code was also mentioned to be a way for the rapper to break into "mainstream culture" and not just "Black hip-hop culture."
Don't forget that Black people in the Hamptons wasn't a common thing. He wanted to show he was breaking in mainstream culture, not just with Black hip-hop culture in Harlem. And it worked. It was a smart marketing thing, and at the same time it was a cultural touchstone.
Starting in 1998 and running through 2009, Diddy's White Parties were a celebrity milestone. Being invited was no mean feat. But now we're at the point where the likes of Will Smith are joking about "baby oil" to distance themselves from those days.
The era of the White Party has been over for a while, but its legacy remains. Diddy will officially go on trial starting on May 5th, 2025.
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