 "Following his arrest, MAGA supporters have revived an old tweet from Harris that mentions Diddy, casting her association with him into the spotlight. Reuters")
Vice President Kamala Harris is in the limelight due to her alleged ties to rapper and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has recently been arrested on serious charges including kidnapping, sex trafficking, and racketeering.
Following his arrest, MAGA supporters have revived an old tweet from Harris that mentions Diddy, casting her association with him into the spotlight.
So, who exactly is Sean “Diddy” Combs, what are the accusations against him, and what is his connection to Kamala Harris? Let’s delve into these questions.
Who is Sean “Diddy” Comb?
Born in 1969 and raised in Harlem, New York, Sean “Diddy” Combs is a towering figure in American hip-hop. He first gained fame in the early 1990s as the founder of Bad Boy Records, a label that catapulted artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Usher, and Mary J. Blige to stardom.
He briefly attended Howard University as a business major but left after a year to pursue his passion for music.
His big break came as a 22-year-old radio intern, co-hosting a celebrity basketball game with rapper Heavy D. This connection led to collaborations with Heavy D, Mary J. Blige, and eventually, The Notorious B.I.G.
Diddy’s debut single, “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” soared to Number 1 for six weeks following B.I.G’s death. His debut album, No Way Out, also topped the Billboard 200 and earned Grammy awards for ‘Best Rap Album’ and ‘Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group’.
Over the years, Diddy has used stage names like Puff Daddy, P Diddy, and Diddy, working with stars such as Nelly, Jennifer Lopez, Drake, Lil Kim, Pharrell, and The Weeknd.
Beyond music, Diddy made significant strides in fashion with his Sean John clothing line, winning the CFDA Award for Menswear Designer of the Year. He has also expanded into film, television production, and successful ventures like Ciroc vodka.
Despite his impressive career, Diddy’s name is now associated with serious legal troubles.
What are the allegations against Diddy?
Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing severe allegations that have surfaced over the years.
On November 16, 2023, singer and former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura sued Combs, alleging years of abuse. In her civil lawsuit, Ventura claimed that Combs used his position of power to “set the groundwork” for a “manipulative and coercive romantic and sexual relationship."
She described instances of physical violence sexual assault and rape, alleging that Combs “regularly beat and kicked Ventura, leaving black eyes, bruises, and blood,” reports BBC.
Following Ventura’s lawsuit, many women, including producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones and Model and actress Crystal McKinney, came forward alleging Combs of raping, drugging, and coercing them into sexual activities through violence and threats.
In March 2024, federal investigators from Homeland Security raided Combs’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami in connection with an ongoing investigation into sex trafficking.
A 14-page unsealed indictment accused Combs of luring female victims and male sex workers into drugged-up, often days-long sexual performances dubbed “Freak Offs,” The New York Post reported.
The indictment revealed that officials discovered 1,000 bottles of lubricant and baby oil, as well as three AR-15s, during the raids. The bottles were allegedly used for the “Freak Offs,” during which Combs allegedly “hit, kicked, threw objects at, and dragged victims, at times, by their hair.”
Combs also allegedly “threatened victims’ careers and livelihoods” if they refused to participate in the “Freak Offs.”
The rapper was arrested and he has denied all the charges, entering a not-guilty plea on September 17.
Is Combs ‘friends’ with Kamala Harris?
Following Sean “Diddy” Combs’ arrest, a 2020 tweet from Kamala Harris thanking the rapper for hosting a fundraiser during her first presidential campaign has resurfaced.
Harris expressed her gratitude after Diddy hosted a town hall on racial inequality for her campaign, tweeting, “Thank you, @Diddy, for hosting this town hall last night. There’s a lot at stake for our communities right now and it’s critical we bring to the forefront how coronavirus is perpetuating racial inequality and health disparities.”
MAGA supporters quickly seized upon the resurfaced tweet. One claimed, “Kamala and Diddy were best friends,” while highlighting Diddy’s support during her 2020 campaign.
Another user asked, “Is ANYONE surprised that Diddy was pushing Kamala Harris’s campaign in 2020?” Meanwhile, others joked about the tweet, with one writing, “Unburdened by past support of @Diddy,” and another quipping, “Did you bring the baby oil?”
Social media also circulated a photo that falsely claimed to show Harris grinning and linking arms with Diddy. The caption suggested, “P Diddy has been arrested for sex trafficking! Who thinks he should expose everyone in Hollywood?”
However, the image was doctored. The original shows Harris with TV host Montel Williams, whom she briefly dated in the early 2000s. They were photographed at a California event in 2001 to raise funds for multiple sclerosis research.
Williams responded to the edited image, saying, “Here they go again with ‘all black people look alike…’”
With input from agencies