Casandra "Cassie" Ventura

Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura had already made a name for herself through her 15-year career with hit songs such as “Me & U” and “Long Way 2 Go.” But her name made international headlines last November when she utilized New York’s Adult Survivors Act to file a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, Sean “Diddy” Combs. Six months later, she made headlines once again when CNN released video of Diddy beating on her in a hotel hallway, removing all doubt anyone had left regarding her claims against Diddy. It was arguably Cassie’s courage in coming forward with her lawsuit that set in motion Diddy’s ongoing legal issues; she could have unwittingly served as the catalyst for a long-awaited #MeToo-style reckoning in the hip-hop community.