LOS ANGELES – American rapper Diddy says he is paying The Police frontman Sting US$5,000 (S$6,650) a day for sampling the British rock group’s 1983 hit Every Breath You Take on his own song, I’ll Be Missing You, in 1997.
Sting was originally not credited on the song, but the matter was later resolved.
Diddy, 53, posted a tweet on Wednesday in response to a resurfaced video clip from a 2018 interview with Sting, 71.
At the time, Sting claimed he was paid US$2,000 a day for the sample and added that Diddy had to pay him “for the rest of his life”.
He added that Diddy asked for permission to sample the hit only after I’ll Be Missing You was released, and they became “very good friends”.
I’ll Be Missing You was a tribute to Diddy’s friend and collaborator The Notorious B.I.G., who was killed in a shooting in March 1997. It became a massive worldwide hit that year.
Sting added: “It was a beautiful version of that song.”
In his latest tweet, Diddy disputed the US$2,000 figure, writing: “Nope. 5K a day. Love to my brother @OfficialSting.”
Every Breath You Take was the biggest hit by The Police, which have since disbanded, although Sting is still actively touring. He last staged a gig in Singapore in March at The Star Theatre.
