A dispute between R&B singer Al B. Sure! and publisher Simon & Schuster has stalled the release of his upcoming memoir, Do You Believe Me Now?, a book that promised to detail his complex ties to Sean “Diddy” Combs. Page Six revealed the news on Thursday (August 7).
Announced in May, the memoir was billed as an unflinching account of Sure!’s life, including his near-fatal coma in 2022, doubts about the 2018 death of his ex-wife Kim Porter, and a long, intertwined history with Combs. In interviews, the New Jack Swing star suggested Combs may have played a role in his medical crisis — an allegation Combs has never addressed.
The book has now disappeared from Simon & Schuster’s website. Amazon removed its audio edition entirely, while the print version shows an improbable release date of December 31, 2050.
Sure!’s attorney, Robert J. Hantman, said “creative differences” about how much attention the book should devote to Combs caused the delay. “Simon & Schuster wanted him to include more about P. Diddy,” Hantman told the press. “He didn’t want to go there.”
Al B. Sure Book
Sure! and Combs first met in 1990 at Uptown Records, when Sure! was a major artist and Combs was an intern. Sure! was married to Porter, who later had three children with Combs, including Quincy Brown, whom Combs adopted.
In recent years, Sure! has become a sharp critic of Combs, who is currently facing multiple legal challenges, including sexual assault allegations. The publisher’s original announcement promised a memoir that would explore “life-threatening lows and extraordinary highs” alongside personal revelations about Combs and Porter.
Hantman suggested that outside influence may have prompted the book’s removal. “If someone interfered because they feared the truth, we’ll investigate,” he said, adding that they may hire private investigator Bo Dietl. He also rejected claims that Sure! is mentally unstable, calling them defamatory.
In July, Combs was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. His sentencing is scheduled for October 3. Throughout the case, Quincy Brown has remained publicly supportive of Combs, appearing in court with him.
For now, Do You Believe Me Now? remains in limbo, its future uncertain as tensions between Sure! and the publisher continue.
