O-Town is making it clear that they have no connection to Sean “Diddy” Combs.
One original member of O-Town, Jacob Underwood, emphasized in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on January 14 that the band is the only one from Making the Band that is not associated with Diddy. He expressed concerns about how the constant confusion with Diddy’s bands could negatively impact O-Town’s reputation. As a band that relies on touring for their livelihood, they can’t afford to have bookers mistake them for a Diddy-affiliated group based on misleading online content.
Underwood, 44, pointed out that he has never even met the 55-year-old rapper.
O-Town was brought together during the first season of Making the Band, which premiered on ABC in 2000. The show, orchestrated by Lou Pearlman, the mastermind producer behind successful boy bands like Backstreet Boys and ‘NSync, aimed to create the next big boy band. Jacob Underwood, Erik-Michael Estrada, Trevor Penick, Ashley Parker Angel, and Ikaika Kahoano initially formed the group. Later, Kahoano left, and Dan Miller joined as a replacement. Ashley Parker Angel also departed from the group permanently in 2003.
Following their debut season, O-Town secured a record deal. Subsequently, a new season of Making the Band was in development. The show transitioned from ABC to MTV, and with this shift, Diddy came on board to scout for talent. Under Diddy’s guidance, musical acts like Danity Kane, Da Band, Day26, and solo artist Donnie Klang were formed through the MTV version of Making the Band.
While O-Town was not involved in Diddy’s version of the singing competition series, the group has claimed to suffer from fallout amid the rapper’s current legal situation. Diddy remains behind bars awaiting trial after being indicted on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering last year. Diddy has denied all the allegations and has pleaded not guilty.
“We already inherited our own infamous producer/manager from our version of Making the Band and now another version and its mogul is affecting us.”For our livelihood to be impacted this many years after the brand was moved to him is so unfortunate, ” Estrada, 45, said to The Hollywood Reporter, referring to Pearlman’s legal scandals. In 2008, Pearlman was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements during a bankruptcy proceeding. He died of cardiac arrest in 2016 at age 62 while in prison.
The band’s agent Matt Rafal added that O-Town has had offers “pulled due to the perception of the group being attached to Diddy” despite making it clear there was no connection between them and Diddy.
“I can’t play victim because there are people who have experienced atrocities from this person and are scarred for life,” Estrada said to the outlet. “We have financial and booking stress, but they have emotional stress. We just have to take this on the chin and keep going.”
