Diddy Accused Of Sexual Misconduct By Producer Lil Rod
Following the release of his album The Love Album: Off The Grid in September, Sean “Diddy” Combs has faced several sexual assault lawsuits, including one by his former partner Cassie and another that accused the Bad Boy Records founder and his associates of gang-raping a 17-year-old Jane Doe. A fifth lawsuit with further sexual misconduct accusations was filed today by producer Lil Rod, The New York Times reports.
Lil Rod, real name Rodney Jones Jr., worked with Combs on The Love Album: Off The Grid, producing nine of its tracks while residing with the hip-hop mogul. During this time, Jones alleges that Combs grabbed his genitals without consent and tried to “groom” him into having sex with another man, saying it was “a normal practice in the music industry.”
Jones claims that he was forced to drink shots of tequila laced with drugs at Combs’ listening party in July 2023; afterwards, he woke up “at 4 a.m. the following morning naked with a sex worker sleeping next to him.” Combs allegedly forced Jones to “solicit sex workers and perform sex acts to the pleasure of Mr. Combs.” Combs offered money, Jones says, while also threatening him with violence. The lawsuit states that Jones has “hundreds of hours of footage and audio records of Mr. Combs, his staff, and his guests engaging in serious illegal activity.”
In addition, Jones alleges he was not properly paid for his work on The Love Album. Earlier this month, he launched a GoFundMe entitled “Help Me Sue Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.” Its goal is $50,000; less than $1,500 has been raised.
Shawn Holley, a lawyer for Combs, says in a statement, “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 billion lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies.”
Cassie reached a settlement with Diddy in November, days after her lawsuit was filed. Last week a filing on Combs’ behalf sought to have Jane Doe’s gang rape lawsuit dismissed, claiming it is beyond the statute of limitations and that the defendants are victims of “cancel culture.”
Following Cassie’s lawsuit, Combs stepped down as chairman of Revolt, the TV network he co-founded in 2013. And last month he did not attend the Grammy Awards, where The Love Album: Off The Grid was nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album.
If you or someone you know is undergoing sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.