Pop Culture

Tyson Beckford Says Diddy Knows Not to ‘Mess’ With Him After Shotgun Incident

"I could have saved the world a whole lot of trouble and took him out back then."

Tyson Beckford has shared some new details about his longstanding beef with Diddy — including the time he almost shot him.

The model was asked about his feud with the disgraced music mogul on The Breakfast Club, sharing a story about a pre-9/11 confrontation that was nearly fatal.

Beckford explained that one day, he was standing outside a tattoo shop in New York City and chatting with a friend when fashion stylist Groovey Lew — a close affiliate of Diddy and Bad Boy Records at the time — approached Beckford and asked him to take a photo with a woman whom Lew was with.

"I said, ‘Yo, my man, I’m having a conversation,'" Beckford recalled at around the 21:40 minute mark in the video above. "He started getting tough. I said, 'Lew, don’t talk to me like that.' Next thing you know, he swung on me."

Tyson claimed that at some point during their fight, an NYPD officer on a motorcycle stopped to see what the commotion was about, and even though there was evidence of an altercation — Beckford was bleeding — the cop left.

Still, Beckford claimed the situation continued to escalate when Lew left and returned with Diddy and a handful of others from the Bad Boy Records office. At that point, Beckford said he was outnumbered and his friend left him high and dry, so he went to his car and brandished his shotgun.

"I said, 'Look, I only got five [shells] in here,'" Beckford remembered. "Puff, you going to get it first… I’m going to shower the rest of y’all with it." While Beckford didn’t open fire, he said that the situation could have proved deadly.

"I could have saved the world a whole lot of trouble and took him out back then. But then where would I be?" Beckford asked, to everyone’s laughter.

When asked if he and Diddy have since squashed their beef, Beckford said, "I ain’t seen the man in years… but yeah, he know — don’t mess with me," he added.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Beckford discussed his issues with Wendy Williams when the crew asked about his playboy ways. Upon hearing that term, Beckford explained — at around the 2:45 minute mark — that there are only three labels in the fashion industry: you’re "gay," a "playboy," or you "like white women."

"I dated like three white women my whole life and then boom, I’m stuck with this title," Beckford said. "[Williams] started the rumor. I don’t know why she started that rumor on me, but you know what? Karma hit your ass. Good for you. No f’s given," he added, referencing Williams' dementia and aphasia diagnoses.

Beckford is currently starring in Bravo’s new dating series, Kings Court, where he and two other celebrities — NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer and WWE legend Thaddeus "Titus O’Neil" Bullard — search for love.

ComplexCon returns to Las Vegas on October 25–26, 2025, with over 300 brands and live performances by Young Thug, YEAT & Friends, Peso Pluma, Central Cee, Ken Carson, and more. Get your tickets now.

Related Stories

Tyson Beckford
pop-culture

Tyson Beckford Says Kanye West Tried to Get Tough With Him at Ralph Lauren's 50th Anniversary Party

In a recent interview, Tyson Beckford said Kanye West tried to get tough with him over Kim Kardashian. The incident took place at a 2018 Ralph Lauren party.

Brad Callas1802 days ago
Kanye West
music

Kanye West Demands a Reporter Leave Ralph Lauren Red Carpet for Tyson Beckford Question

Kanye West threated to leave Ralph Lauren's 50th anniversary fashion show if a reporter who asked him about Kim Kardashian and Tyson Beckford wasn't forced to leave.

Victoria L. Johnson2795 days ago
Sean "Diddy" Combs in a polka dot shirt at a TimesTalks event, standing in front of a branded backdrop.
music

How Much Time Will Diddy Get? An Investigation

We looked at the paperwork and asked some experts to see what the likeliest outcome will be.

Shawn Setaro216 days ago

Stay ahead on Exclusives

Download the Complex App