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The sex trafficking trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs heard further testimony from Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who took the stand on Wednesday (May 14) and unveiled some chilling details. Ventura said that Diddy became violent and threatened to harm her and her ex-boyfriend Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi after discovering the pair had entered into a relationship.
Variety reports that Ventura, now married to Alex Fine and expecting their third child, took to the stand and shared how Combs’ violent actions towards her were sparked in the midst of one of the so-called “freak-off” parties. According to Ventura, Combs went through her phone during the party in 2011 and found out she was in contact with Kid Cudi. Ventura added that while Combs gestured towards her with the sharp end of a wine opener, she was able to escape the hotel and met with Mescudi that evening.
Ventura then shared that she went to Combs’ home so they could talk about what he discovered, but said the mogul was “irate” and said that he would hurt her and Mescudi. She adds that Combs allegedly kicked her in the back, causing her to fall to the ground. She added that Combs threatened to leak freak-off footage.
As shared in her initial lawsuit that was later settled, Ventura made mention of the fight with Combs and the threats towards Mescudi, including a portion of the filing that detailed Combs’ intentions to blow up Mescudi’s vehicle, which eventually was a target of a bombing. Mescudi has since confirmed that the incident took place.
Further testimony is expected this week as the trial rolls on after starting in earnest on Monday.
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The Diddy federal trial is underway and as expected some of revelations have been jaw dropping. Cassie took the stand and claims she was forced to participate in a four-day freak off and more.
As reported by Variety, Cassie served as a witness on Tuesday, May 13. When questioned about her 11-year relationship with Diddy she got emotional as she further detailed the abuse she suffered. Cassie alleges that after the two started dating the mogul quickly introduced to her to what he called “Freak Offs.” According to her Diddy invited male escorts to perform sex acts with Cassie while Diddy watched. While she admitted she enjoyed the “voyeurism” aspect of it, she felt “nervous” and “confused” and “wanted to make him happy.”
Cassie claims that eventually Diddy had tasked her with organizing the “Freak Offs” including sourcing the male escorts. She also said the sessions would go on for days with the longest one lasting four days. The “Me & U” singer alleges Diddy provided her ecstasy, marijuana, ketamine and mushrooms to perform. “The ‘Freak Offs’ became a job, where there was no space to do anything else but to recover and feel normal again,” she added. As time progressed Cassie started to see “a different side” of Diddy which came with physical abuse. She says the mogul would “knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down.”
Diddy is facing federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. If found guilty he could serve natural life in prison.
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Source: Getty Images / Boosie Badazz / Cassie
You can’t count on Boosie Badazz to deliver a hit record nowadays, but you can damn sure bet on him delivering some heada** opinions on matters.
Nobody asked Boosie Badazz what he thought about Diddy’s situation, but that isn’t stopping the “Wipe Me Down” rapper from sharing his thoughts.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the Louisiana rapper dropped easily one of the dumbest takes about Cassie and Diddy ahead of the mogul’s former girlfriend taking the stand in his high-profile case.
“IF ANYTHING, THIS SHOULD BE A DOMESTIC ABUSE CASE NOT A SEX TRAFFICKING CASE,” Boosie said on the social media platform. “SHE ENJOYED THE WILD SEX PARTIES N THE EXTRAVAGANT GIFTS ON THE BACKEND. ALL OF THESE YEARS OF SEX PARTIES N YOU MEAN TO TELL ME SHE DIDNT ENJOY IT .IM CONVINCED SHE ENJOYED IT . IM PRETTY SURE SHE CAME DURING THOSE FREAK OFFS.”
He stupidly added, “IT WAS A LIFESTYLE! THIS WAS CONSENSUAL SHE WAS HIS GIRLFRIEND. TRYING TO GIVE SOMEONE LIFE N PRISON FOR THIS IS BULLSH*T!”
This isn’t the first time rapper put on his cape for the allegedly egregiously horny and now disgraced Bad Boy general.
“I feel DIDDY N JAIL FOR BASICALLY DOING WHAT EVERY OTHER FAMOUS ENTERTAINER HAS DONE ‘FLEW B****ES OUT FOR 3 SOMES,” the Louisiana rapper typed. “HE JUST FREAKIER WE ACTUALLY GO CALL WOMEN PROSTITUTES WHO FLY N WILLINGLY TO BE WITH THEY PARTNERS FOR SEX?,” Boosie said following Diddy’s arrest last September.
Social Media Reminds Boose Badazz That He Is A Trash Individual
As expected, social media quickly dragged Boosie, reminding him of his questionable behavior regarding his minor son and nephew.
“He’s the same one who hired women to perform sex acts on his minor sons. I am not surprised he’s defending this,” one person wrote in response to Boosie’s thoughts on Diddy.
Another person wrote, “Every defense is a confession.”
Where’s the lie?
We wished Boosie would just shut the hell up. Nothing good ever comes out of his mouth.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. Mmmmhmmmm
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During one of the most high-profile court cases, music star Diddy’s ex, Cassie, told a wild story about something that happened when they were together.
Ventura said that one time, while they were having a private party at his house in Los Angeles, Diddy suddenly stopped everything because he found out Suge Knight was nearby. Cassie said Diddy heard Suge was at Mel’s Diner, so he made everyone leave the house and head straight there. She said she was really scared and started crying, begging him not to do anything crazy. “It felt like I didn’t even matter in that moment,” she said while giving her testimony.
Suge Knight used to run Death Row Records, and he and Diddy have had beef going way back to the 90s when tensions between East and West Coast rap were at their highest. Cassie didn’t say whether Diddy actually talked to Suge when they got to the diner or if anything happened after that.
Right now, Diddy is on trial for serious charges, and Cassie is a key witness. His lawyers are expected to ask her more questions soon, especially about this story, to see if it really happened the way she says it did.
The whole thing sounds like a scene out of a movie, but it’s now part of a much bigger and more serious case. Fans and the media are watching closely to see what comes out next.
More news to come as the court cases develop.
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The sex trafficking trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs is underway after opening statements were heard as the prosecution unveiled their star witness, Cassie Ventura, who took the stand. Among the harrowing details shared by Cassie Ventura, she added that her fear of Diddy’s anger is why she went along with the so-called “freak-off” parties.
We do wish to caution readers before proceeding, as some of the details within will be disturbing to some.
TMZ reports that prosecutors opened up their case on Tuesday (May 13) to discuss the allegations of sexual abuse, violence, coercion, and assault that occurred under Diddy’s watch and direction. Before Ventura took the stand, the prosecution shared that Combs forced his ex-girlfriend to have sex with male escorts, with one allegedly urinating in her mouth under Combs’ orders.
Ventura, who was accompanied by her husband Alex Fine to court, spoke about the 2016 beating at the hands of Combs, sharing that it happened shortly after a freak-off party. When asked why she participated willingly, Ventura shared that she was “confused, nervous. I wanted to make him happy.”
Prosecutors questioned if Ventura agreed to attend the initial freak-off party, and she did so without knowing it would be the start of more.
“Then there were more. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, at least not that frequently,” Ventura told the prosecutors. She added that the fear of retaliation and the threat that Diddy would release the video footage of the freak-off activities kept her from saying anything.
Ventura also told prosecutors that she provided evidence of the freak-off parties, sharing that she provided several laptops that allegedly contained said footage. Amid all of this, Ventura and Fine are expecting their third child.
On X, reactions to the opening statements are in, and we’ve got some listed below.
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On Monday morning, Diddy walked into court to start his big trial.
A courtroom sketch showed him making a heart shape with his hands toward his mom and kids, his two daughters, and sons Justin and Christian, who were sitting in the courtroom for the first day of opening statements and witness testimonies. In the sketch, Diddy looked like he was trying to keep his cool and stay positive, even though things are really tough for him right now.
Puff also looked a lot older, with a full head of gray hair, way different from how people are used to seeing him.
Diddy is facing serious charges, including things like sex trafficking and running a criminal group. The case started after several people, including singer Cassie, said he abused them. Cassie claims he forced her into terrible situations, filmed it without her okay, and used it to control her. Others have also shared similar stories. If he’s found guilty, he could end up in prison for many years, maybe even for life.
For someone who used to be one of the biggest names in music and fashion, this trial has completely changed Diddy’s life. The courtroom moment where he showed love to his family was a rare glimpse of him trying to stay strong while everything around him is falling apart. It’s a huge shift from his superstar days to now being in court, fighting for his freedom.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ high-profile trial will hear opening statements this week, and prosecutors have already suffered a setback. As previously reported, a key witness known as Victim-3 was expected to testify against Diddy but has yet to be found by the prosecution.
Deadline exclusively reports that the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York has been unable to locate Victim-3 after Jane Doe initially stated they would testify in court. Jane Doe was scheduled to state before the court how Combs allegedly used his power and influence to sexually exploit her.
The outlet adds in its reporting that the inability of the prosecution to locate the witness gives Combs’ team fuel to halt the progression of the case in the short term. The defense team might attempt to lay groundwork for a delay in the start of the trial or even a mistrial, although the latter seems far away from the realm of possibility.
According to unnamed sources that spoke with Deadline, it is assumed that Victim-3 has ceased all communication out of a fear for her safety. The witness’s name was shielded from public view and would remain so.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs and his defense team were granted a delay in the jury selection process on Friday (May 9), pushing it to this coming Monday. Opening statements are reported to be heard after the jury is selected, and it was also revealed that a key witness has decided they will not testify against Diddy.
The Daily Mail reports that Judge Arun Subramanian granted the defense’s request based on their feeling that jurors would get “cold feet” between Friday and Monday (May 12), which is when opening statements were originally supposed to be heard. The prosecution attempted to push back, but the judge said that if the jury is fully selected on Monday, it would ensure that the process would not need to be restarted.
Other developments in the trial involve Jane Doe, also known as Victim Number 3, who was thought to be a key witness. It appears that Victim Number 3 never worked with prosecutors, and according to a TMZ report, she did not want to testify. The outlet added in another report that Victim Number 5 might testify, and the judge ruled that they will need to reveal their identity to the court.
The defense also claimed that Diddy and his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, were both physically violent with one another. Ventura came forth with explosive claims about Combs, which led to an investigation and his eventual arrest. She is not involved with the sex trafficking trial directly, but it is said to be a character witness.
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50 Cent has taken a fresh shot at Diddy, breaking his recent silence with a new round of online mockery aimed at his longtime foe.
As Diddy’s legal proceedings move forward, with jury selection for his trial kicking off this week, 50 Cent returned to Instagram with a post that quickly grabbed attention. The rapper shared an AI-generated image that featured himself as every single member of the jury, a humorous but pointed jab at the Bad Boy mogul.
The image was accompanied by the caption, “Sean Diddy Combs jury selection for trial is finally complete,” while 50 added his own twist, writing, “I’m not sure if this is fair but don’t worry, be happy!” The post blends sarcasm and spectacle, staying true to 50’s trademark style of using humor to taunt his rivals.
Tensions between the two artists have been simmering for years, but 50 has turned up the heat since late 2023, when serious allegations involving sexual misconduct and sex trafficking were brought against Diddy. While the music industry watches the case unfold, 50 Cent is using his platform to stay in the conversation, with his usual mix of satire and shade
This latest stunt, powered by AI and packed with attitude, is another reminder of how 50 Cent continues to blend digital creativity with real-life controversy, keeping his feud alive while entertaining his fans in the process.
Now let’s go down memory lane of all the times 50 Cent has trolled Diddy.
As the sex trafficking trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs kicks off with jury selection in New York this week, radio DJs have all but dropped the Bad Boy Records founder’s catalog from their airwaves, Luminate data reviewed by Billboard shows.
Songs by Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and Diddy accrued just 1,671 airplay spins year to date, an 86% decline from the same time frame last year when the artists’ catalog racked up 11,870 airplay spins, according to Luminate. For a comparison, Diddy collaborator and Bad Boy artist Notorious B.I.G.’s catalog accrued 63,390 spins since the start of the year, Luminate data shows.
The decline in commercial radio play doesn’t just reflect a public turn away from the artist who is accused of running a large-scale criminal operation for his own “sexual gratification.” It also means the artist’s catalog could generate less than the $3 million in revenue that Billboard estimates it generated annually from master recording and publishing revenue from streams, sales and radio airplay between 2021 and 2023.
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Representatives for Diddy did not respond to requests for comment.
Revenue from music streaming subscriptions is still the most significant source of income for music companies, artists and other owners’ music rights. However, commercial radio play remains a significant source of income for the publishing side, sources said.
“For a mature catalogue, such as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs … that portion of income impacted by a sharp decline in radio airplay is limited to 6 percent to 9 percent of total publishing royalties,” says Barry Massarsky, a partner at Citrin Cooperman and head of the firm’s music and entertainment valuation practice. Massarsky cautioned that only the catalog’s publishing revenue can be analyzed because there is no entitled performance right for sound recordings played on U.S. commercial radio.
In the United States, the performance rights organizations ASCAP and BMI pay a base rate of roughly 50 cents to publishing companies per radio spin. As radio airplay can influence stream counts, there is a residual paid out on the master recording royalties that brings the total payment per airplay stream to roughly $1. Popular songs can earn additional bonus money.
While the Diddy catalog’s airplay spins did not put him within reach of any bonus money — bonuses are typically paid out for songs that top 135,000 spins in a quarter — Billboard estimates his catalog’s publishing revenue was $10,200 less for the first 16 weeks this year compared to last year. If Diddy’s songs continue to generate the same average per-week-radio airplay spins they did at the start of the year — an average of 117 per week — it would mean a year over year decline of $34,300 compared to last year.
As of June 2024, Diddy owned his master recording catalog and publishing, which Billboard estimated earned about $2.4 million in master recording revenue and $600,000 in publishing revenue annually for the years from 2021 to 2023. Diddy’s share was $2.625 million in each of those years, Billboard estimated. Those estimates do not include credits and royalties for music assets beyond his own artist catalog.
It is unclear to what extent the accusations and lawsuits against Diddy may have contributed to the decline in airplay because airplay spins for his catalog rose for roughly the first four months of both 2023 and 2024, when several allegations that would later lead to lawsuits were already public.
Last year, Diddy’s catalog had the best start of the year in terms of airplay spins that it has had for any similar 16-week period since 2020, when the catalog accrued about 7,700 airplay spins. The second best 16-week period for Diddy’s catalog in terms of airplay spins was the start of 2023, when the catalog racked up nearly 11,000 spins.
Despite the decline in airplay, Diddy’s catalog remains popular on streaming platforms, though streaming activity during this period was almost half of what it was last year and was the lowest for this period than during any of the past five years.
In the first 16 weeks of this year through April 24, Diddy’s catalog accumulated roughly 29 million U.S. on-demand streams compared to nearly 52.7 million U.S. on-demand streams for the same period in 2024. The only other start-of-the-year stretch over the last five years when Diddy’s catalog had such a low stream count was in 2020, when it racked up 29.7 million on-demand streams from Jan. 1, 2020, to April 23, 2020.