Sean “Diddy”
Combs has responded to a $5 million lawsuit filed by Tyson Beckford on Aug. 12
and the music/fashion mogul said he intends to resolve matters with the male super
model.
“He’s an icon and [I respect him] for what he’s done for Black
people in the fashion industry and I’m going to make sure that we get together
and we straighten it out,” Combs told AllHipHop.com. “It’s not
a problem.”
Beckford was the face of Sean John in 2004, but said he was
only paid $600,000 of the contractual $1.2 million he alleges he was signed
for.
In addition, the 32-year-old model’s lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery,
said that Sean John continued to use his client’s image and likeness without
permission.
Nevertheless, Combs said that he admires the work and pioneering
ways of Beckford.
“He’s somebody that I respect and in fashion, sometimes
you decide not to go with a model for another season – its regular practice.
Apparently, there was something still on the website. It wasn’t clear,”
Combs said.
Still, Combs explained with crystalline clarity that he didn’t
feel that Beckford’s $5 million suit was valid.
“I apologize to him for any discomfort that he incurred.
I’m doing my best to make sure that gets rectified, but its not like I
owe him money or anything like that,” Combs concluded
Last week, Beckford
announced his retirement from modeling and attributed his experience with Sean
John as a partial reason for his departure.