In the midst of a reported sex trafficking investigation, Sean “Diddy” Combs has sold his majority stake in Revolt TV, according to TMZ.
The buyer is currently anonymous but will make an announcement in coming weeks, TMZ said, noting that Revolt will remain Black-owned.
A spokeswoman for Revolt did not respond to a request for comment on the reported sale.
The network, which Combs started in 2013 as a home for Black culture, moved its production hub to Midtown Atlanta a couple of years ago and shoots several shows in the city including the ensemble talk show “Black Girl Stuff,” talk show “Caresha Please” and celebrity basketball tournament “The Crew League.”
According to a Billboard magazine story at Revolt’s launch, Combs poured “tens of millions” into the new business.
Combs stepped down as chairman of Revolt last November.
Revolt chief executive officer Detavio Samuels and Deon Graham, chief brand officer, are staying put for now, TMZ said.
Samuels, who took over Revolt in 2021 after a stint at TV One, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview last year that Revolt has worked hard to reach the Gen Z and young Millennial generations by becoming a multi-platform operation anchored in the digital world.
“There were a lot of doubters and naysayers” when Revolt started, Samuels said. “I’m incredibly proud of what was built, what I inherited. We are now a profitable business anchored in hip-hop. Hip-hop is cross-cultural. Hip-hop is cross-generational. We sit in that pocket.”
Monique Chenault, Atlanta-based president of Revolt Studios, in 2023 told the AJC that Revolt moved to Atlanta for one simple reason: “We see Atlanta as a hub for Black culture, a mecca for Blacks. We wanted to expand our footprint here and connect with that audience.” The generous state film and TV tax credits helped, too, she noted.
Credit: Olivia Bowdoin
Credit: Olivia Bowdoin
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