As the famous rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, known as “P. Diddy,” enters the courtroom to face serious federal charges, the American entertainment world is buzzing.
Here are the major stars who were not afraid to voice their opinions on the scandal.
Six months after his high-profile arrest in September on serious allegations including human trafficking for sexual purposes and organized extortion, a jury was finally selected and the trial was set to begin on May 12.
The 55-year-old rapper, held in custody, continues to strongly deny all accusations against him.
Will Smith quickly distances himself
Will Smith, star of “The Fresh Prince,” made it clear he does not want to be associated with Diddy: “I just want to say this clearly,” he said during a December 2024 performance, “I have no connection to Pappy. So stop with all these memes.”
The audience erupted in applause as he emphasized, “I was nowhere near this man, I did none of those stupid things.”
Kesha changes the lyrics
Singer Kesha decided to change the opening line of her 2010 hit “TiKToK,” originally: “Woke up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy.” At Coachella 2024, she sang instead: “Woke up in the morning like f*** P. Diddy.”
After the change went viral, she confirmed to TMZ that the change is permanent: “So fans should learn this before my upcoming shows.”
Eminem attacks in music
Rapper Eminem used his music to express his opinion in the 2024 song “Fuel,” where he attacks Combs over the allegations against him, including rape, which Combs denied.
Jay-Z distances himself
After Jay-Z himself was mentioned in a later rape lawsuit, his representative addressed his connection to Combs: “Mr. Carter has no connection to Mr. Combs’ case,” said his lawyer in a statement.
“They knew each other professionally for several years.”
50 Cent: a sharp jab
Shortly after Combs’ arrest, rapper 50 Cent (real name Curtis James Jackson) shared a social media post mocking Diddy: “Here I am in good company,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I do not have 1,000 bottles of lubricant at home,” referring to the federal raid on Combs’ home where over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricants were seized.
While behind bars, Combs faces more than 120 lawsuits and sexual assault allegations, all denied through his attorneys.
Meanwhile, the trial is expected to last several months, and Combs, father of seven, faces a long prison sentence if convicted.
The world awaits to see whether the “bad boy of music” empire will finally fall or if he will clear his name.