You probably saw it at the top of the Amazon charts. A 59-page "memoir" called Kim’s Lost Words: A Journey for Justice, from the Other Side… It promised the world a glimpse into the private life of the late Kim Porter, the model and mother who spent over a decade by Sean "Diddy" Combs’ side.
But here’s the thing: it wasn't real.
The internet has a way of turning tragedy into a spectacle, and that’s exactly what happened here. Within days of its release in September 2024—just as Diddy was facing serious federal charges—this book became a bestseller. It was everywhere. People were dissecting every word, looking for clues about Kim’s life and her untimely death in 2018. Then, the people who actually knew her spoke up.
The Truth About the Kim Porter Lost Words Book
Honestly, if you read the book, the red flags were everywhere. It was riddled with typos and weird formatting. It felt... off. Kim Porter’s children—Quincy Brown, Christian Combs, and twins Jessie and D’Lila Combs—didn't hold back. They released a joint statement that basically blew the whole thing apart.
They were clear: "Claims that our mom wrote a book are simply untrue."
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Think about that for a second. Imagine losing your mother and then seeing someone profit off a fake diary they claim she left behind. It’s heavy. The kids pointed out that their mother never had a manuscript and that anyone claiming otherwise was just misrepresenting themselves. They even addressed the "foul play" rumors that the book tried to stir up, reminding everyone that Kim died of lobar pneumonia, a fact confirmed by her autopsy years ago.
Who was behind it?
The name on the cover was Jamal T. Millwood. If that sounds familiar to conspiracy theorists, it’s because it’s a name often linked to Tupac Shakur "hiding out" in Belize. But the real "author" was actually Todd Christopher Guzze, who goes by Chris Todd.
He’s an investigative producer who claimed he got the "manuscript" on a flash drive from sources close to Kim and Diddy. But when Rolling Stone and the Associated Press started asking hard questions, his story got shaky. He eventually admitted he wasn't even 100% sure the material was authentic. He told Rolling Stone, "If somebody put my feet to the fire and they said, 'Life or death, is that book real?' I have to say I don’t know. But it’s real enough to me."
"Real enough to me" isn't exactly the gold standard for a memoir, is it?
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Why Amazon Pulled the Plug
By early October 2024, Amazon had seen enough. After the family’s public outcry and legal pressure from Diddy’s camp—who called the book a "shameless attempt to profit from tragedy"—the listing vanished.
Usually, Amazon is pretty hands-off with self-published stuff, but this was a different beast. It wasn't just a bad book; it was being marketed as a factual account from a woman who wasn't alive to defend her name.
The Impact on Kim’s Legacy
The biggest tragedy here isn't the scam; it's how it overshadowed who Kim Porter actually was. She was a powerhouse. A mother who was the "backbone" of her family. When you see her friends like Kimora Lee Simmons or Eboni Elektra talk about her, they don't talk about secret diaries. They talk about her grace and her devotion to her kids.
The book tried to paint a picture of her life that was dark and sensationalized, likely to capitalize on the news cycle surrounding Diddy's legal battles. It worked for a week, but it left a mess for her family to clean up while they were already grieving.
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What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of people wanted to believe the book because it fit a narrative they already had in their heads. They wanted "the tea." But real life is more complicated than a 50-page PDF sold for $25.
- Misconception 1: Kim wrote this on a secret flash drive. (False: Her kids confirmed she never wrote a memoir.)
- Misconception 2: There was a "hidden message" in the pseudonym. (False: It was just a choice made by the publisher to grab attention.)
- Misconception 3: The book contains "evidence." (False: It was largely a compilation of existing rumors and speculative fiction.)
How to Spot a Fake Celebrity Memoir
With AI and self-publishing, we’re gonna see more of this. Here’s how you can tell if a "tell-all" is legit:
- Check the Publisher: Is it a major house or a random self-published name you’ve never heard of?
- Look for Family Approval: Usually, if a deceased celeb has a book coming out, their estate or kids will be promoting it. If they’re suing to stop it, stay away.
- Quality Control: Real memoirs go through months of editing. If it's full of typos and looks like a high school essay, it’s probably a cash grab.
Basically, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a fake memoir trying to take your money.
Next Steps for You
If you're looking for the real story of Kim Porter, skip the "Lost Words" and look at the tributes from those who actually loved her. You can find authentic interviews and retrospectives on her life through reputable outlets like Essence or People, which have covered her career and legacy with the respect she deserves. Protecting the legacy of public figures starts with us being skeptical of the "viral" things we see on our feeds.