Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Sept. 16 arrest on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking has reverberated throughout the entertainment world — especially the hip-hop community. As such, several in the music industry have offered their opinions on what it all means.
That includes Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash, who, during a recent interview with his network, America Nu, expressed his thoughts about Diddy’s downfall.
“Watching what’s going on with Puff, it doesn’t feel good,” he said. “I don’t want to see someone…die or be tortured. I’m not going to celebrate the pain of anybody, any human being, even if they deserve it.”
Dash then turned his attention to the rumors surrounding his former Roc-A-Fella partner, Jay-Z. To be clear, there’s no proof or hard evidence that the rapper turned mogul has any involvement in Diddy’s legal issues. However, that hasn’t stopped the internet from wildly speculating and dragging his name into the situation.
“The things that they’re saying…they’re terrible,” Dash said. “It’s hard for me to even think that any of those things can be true. I don’t want them to be true. They’re saying they’re going to pick him up next year. I don’t want to see that man go to jail. As much as he’s been to me unfair, or not unfair, the way he’d be f***ing with my money, I want to hope that that’s the worst that he’s been doing.”
As previously reported by The Root, the 14-page federal indictment includes shocking details about alleged “freak offs.” At these sex parties, Combs allegedly used force and threats to make victims participate in sexual acts with sex workers.
The Bad Boy founder’s high-profile status and famously star-studded parties has the internet asking questions about who may have been in attendance at these alleged “freak offs.” The rampant speculation about whether Diddy’s scandal will bring down other powerful figures has some of his former colleagues and rivals commenting on his legal issues.
With the internet speculation so loud, Dame wondered why his former friend isn’t speaking out about everything.
“I would never want to hear like, ‘Jay at the freak off party,’ that’s crazy,” he said. “The shit they saying, and I just be wondering why…he don’t say nothing about it.”
As an influential music exec, Dame knows that Diddy’s arrest and rumors about Jay are not good for the music or community. This scandal comes at a time when hip-hop is already reeling from the death of several young rappers. This is a very turbulent time for the culture.
“It would be such another big blow for hip-hop…perception-wise, Jay is also a pillar of hip-hop, and if anything bad happens to him, then it’s really going to look crazy for hip-hop,” he said.