According to US media, further allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against US rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs (“Bad Boy for Life”, “I’ll Be Missing You”). Producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, who worked with Combs on his Grammy-nominated record “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” has filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York, NBC News reported. He accuses the 54-year-old of sexually harassing, drugging and threatening him over a period of over a year.
Jones lived and traveled with Combs between September 2022 and November 2023 to work on the album. During this time, Jones repeatedly witnessed the rapper, his employees and other people engaging in “seriously illegal activities,” NBC quoted from the lawsuit. These are also documented in video and audio files, some of which Combs himself recorded with Jones’ cell phone.
In detail, Jones accuses Combs, among other things, of repeatedly touching him in an unwanted manner and forcing him to engage in sexual acts with prostitutes. He is also said to have mixed drugs into drinks for him and other party guests at Combs’ home.
US rapper also denies previous allegations
The lawsuit also names Combs’ adult son, the rapper’s manager and executives of his music labels Universal Music and Motown Records as defendants – the latter accuses Jones of not having adequately supervised the rapper. While representatives of the others cited did not immediately comment, Combs’ attorney, Shawn Holley, dismissed the allegations as lies in a statement to NBC News – “a transparent attempt to grab headlines.”
Jones is seeking $30 million in court, according to NBC. According to the Huffington Post, Jones made it clear in a post on Instagram in the run-up to the Grammy Awards that he felt his collaboration on Combs’ latest album was not appropriately compensated or valued.
Combs, one of the hip-hop industry’s most successful figures who is also a record producer, actor and businessman, is facing multiple civil lawsuits alleging rape and abuse. Most recently, an unnamed woman filed a lawsuit in December 2023. She accused Combs and two other men of drugging and raping her in the rapper’s New York studio in 2003 when she was just 17 years old.
Previously, three women had filed civil lawsuits against Combs, including his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie, who accused the rapper of, among other things, sexual abuse, rape, intimidation and physical violence during their relationship. Combs agreed to a settlement with Cassie in mid-November.
At the MTV Video Music Awards last September, Combs was honored with the Global Icon Award for his pioneering and influential career.
