In a surprising turn of events, Sean “Diddy” Combs filmed his 2007 music video for the song “Last Night,” featuring Keyshia Cole, inside an abandoned Hollywood Hills mansion overrun by squatters and taggers. The now-defunct luxurious home served as a backdrop for various scenes, including the great room, spiral staircase, and the pool area. Interestingly, after learning about Combs’s production, the trespassers spray-painted “Diddy was here” on the roof.
The mansion at 7571 Mulholland Drive has had a colorful history of occupants. It was once home to Mary K. Blige and several high-level business folks, as stated by neighbor Jack. He expressed concern about the increasing number of squatters and taggers invading the property, calling for more security measures in the neighborhood.
Unfortunately, Combs found himself in legal trouble when he was arrested on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. As a result, he was held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where he was placed on suicide watch as a preventative measure.
The mansion has been owned by John Powers Middleton since 2012, who purchased it from the city of Los Angeles after receiving an abatement order two years later. Despite this, squatters and taggers have continued to occupy the property for over two years, causing safety hazards and disturbing the neighbors. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety declared the property a nuisance and issued an order forcing Middleton to build a fence and secure the property in October 2022.
However, Middleton failed to comply with the order, leading the city to erect a fence instead. A lien has been issued on the home, and Middleton has defaulted on property taxes for several years. Despite these efforts to deter squatters and taggers, they still managed to access the six-bedroom, 9,707-square-foot mansion, which has an estimated worth of $6.53 million. The windows have been shattered, and the exterior walls and roof are covered with graffiti. Private security has been placed at the home 24/7 in hopes of keeping the unwanted guests away.
