Willie Taylor Claims "Making The Band" Set Artists Up For "Failure" Amid Diddy Controversy

BY Erika Marie 14.5K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Astrid Stawiarz / Stringer / Getty Images
Willie Taylor
Diddy has been taking hits over his early 2000s singing competition series, and one of the show's singers has come forward.

This week, music fans have been revisiting controversial moments in pop culture history. Yesterday (February 28), social media users rehashed Charlamagne Tha God and Kanye West's classic 2013 interview, causing the radio host to become a trending topic as they criticized his remarks. Then, the public switched things up today and zeroed in on Diddy and his famed series, Making The Band.

From 2002 to 2005, Diddy's version of Making The Band took over MTV as the Bad Boy mogul searched for new talent to become hitmakers. The world watched as singers—both solo performers and those looking to be in a group—auditioned and went through rigorous training.


While many of Diddy and his team's methods were on par for industry expectations, some requests were so outlandish that it was clear they were crafted for reality television. Diddy faced an onslaught of ridicule online for his treatment of those aspiring singers, and later, Willie Taylor from Making The Band's Day 26, gave his thoughts on his time on the show.

"Making The Band was a experience for sure," he penned in a text image. "But the platform and contracts were all set up for the failure of hungry talents."

Stephen Lovekin / Staff / Getty Images

In the caption, he delivered a bit of advice to hopefuls. "Learning Experience, you gotta Understand that People will do to you whatever you allow them, so don’t let your passion drive you to the wrong destination #MTB4 Day26 / Danity Kane are talented groups but the situation in which we met was designed to fail."

Making The Band was slated to make its revival but the pandemic seems to have curbed those plans. Where the new show stands is unclear.



About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.