Sean “Diddy” Combs’ turned 55 on Monday (Nov. 4), and his children sent a special message for their father, to which he replied with the first words we’ve heard from him since his Sept. 16 arrest.
In a video uploaded to Instagram, Diddy’s seven children sit around a birthday cake while their dad listens on the phone, with his youngest child, Love, 1, taking center spotlight by singing “Happy Birthday.”
Quincy, 33; Justin, 30; Christian, 26; and twins D’Lila and Jessie, 17, sat with Love while Chance, 18, joined on speakerphone, as The New York Post reported. After Love finishes her rendition of “Happy Birthday,” Diddy is heard over the phone thanking his children.
“I can’t wait to see y’all, and I just want to say I’m proud of y’all — especially the girls,” Diddy is heard saying on speakerphone. He goes on to thank his children for “being strong.” He continued, “Thank y’all for being strong and being by my side.”
“I got the best family in the world,” he added. “It’s my birthday, I’m happy. Thank y’all for giving me this call. Thank you very much. I love y’all.” Watch the video below.
Diddy’s children have remained united in the wake of their father’s arrest and various charges. In a statement released last month, the children wrote that they stand “united” in support of their father. “Many have judged both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity on social media,” the statement reads.
As The Root previously reported, Diddy is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York after he was arrested by federal authorities two months ago. The disgraced rapper is facing three charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.