Sean Combs arrives on the Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Business Icons on the Beverly Hilton Lodge on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Mark Von Holden/Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP
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Mark Von Holden/Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP
Sean Combs arrives on the Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Business Icons on the Beverly Hilton Lodge on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Mark Von Holden/Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP
When Sean “Diddy” Combs sang about being a nasty boy in his 2001 hit, the lyrics have been a mission assertion and a boast. However immediately, the lyrics may sound extra like a warning, as dozens of allegations of sexual abuse, intercourse trafficking, racketeering and rape are piling up towards the music mogul.
Combs, lengthy one of the highly effective forces in fashionable music, has now turn out to be related to names like Harvey Weinstein and Invoice Cosby, profitable males accused of utilizing their energy to abuse others. Thaila Graves, one in every of Combs’s accusers, spoke about that abuse this week.
“It goes past simply bodily hurt attributable to and in the course of the assault,” she mentioned. “It is a ache that reaches into your very core of who you might be, and leaving emotional scars that will by no means totally heal.”
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The costs.
Immediately, Combs sits in a jail cell going through federal costs of intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. He has pleaded not responsible.
And this previous Wednesday, he was accused of rape in one other lawsuit. NPR’s Sidney Madden has been following the case.
Madden says there are actually greater than 10 civil fits filed towards Combs alleging violence and sexual abuse.
“And when he was arrested final week on the federal costs, the massive linchpin within the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace case was that Combs had been working his document label all these years as a intercourse trafficking felony enterprise,” Madden mentioned.
“They usually asserted how workers would collude, conceal and generally take part in sexual abuse with Combs.”
Impacts on the business.
Combs is the most important identify within the music business thus far to doubtlessly face authorized repercussions for alleged abuse.
To dig deeper into what Combs’s fall from grace may imply for the business, Take into account This host Ailsa Chang spoke with Naima Cochran, a music journalist and former music label government.
So, how does she really feel in regards to the allegations towards Combs?
“It is surprising that we’re on this second. However I imagine the allegations. It’s surprising to see such a drastic fall from grace, even given understanding his character sort, even with rumors, even understanding that there was an escalation of conduct over time,” Cochran mentioned.
“It is nonetheless simply very surprising to see any individual who was so pivotal to the tradition and who did a lot for tradition, for leisure, for music, blemish their legacy like this and simply be able to such completely reprehensible conduct.”
Past Sean Combs, the music business did not appear to be a part of the #MeToo motion that touched Hollywood politics and the media starting in late 2017. Cochran says there are a number of components that play into that.
“One factor is that a number of the whistleblowers in Hollywood have been very credible, individuals like excessive stage actors and actresses who’ve talked about their experiences, versus others after which perhaps executives and employees adopted,” she mentioned.
“It might doubtlessly be just like Cassie, who was an artist and a celeb, versus Drew Dixon, who levied allegations towards Russell Simmons and who was an government. I believe the voice issues, and when somebody with a reputation and a platform and a following is the individual to name one thing out, then individuals pay nearer consideration.”
This episode was produced by Marc Rivers with audio engineering by Neil Tevault. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our government producer is Sami Yenigun.