Usher‘s comments about his experiences at Diddy‘s home in a resurfaced interview have gone viral.
Following the news of Diddy’s homes being raided in a sex trafficking investigation, an old interview has resurfaced due to the R&B singer’s claims about what he saw in Diddy’s home.
Diddy (real name Sean Combs) discovered and developed Usher through his success in the 90s and 00s. Usher was also sent to live with Combs for a year after he signed a record deal with LA Reid.
During his time there, he told Rolling Stone in 2004 that Combs introduced him to “a totally different set of shit — sex, specifically”. “Sex is so hot in the industry, man,” he continued, alleging that “there was always girls around. You’d open a door and see somebody doing it, or several people in a room having an orgy. You never knew what was going to happen.”
He expanded on his “pretty wild” experiences in another interview from 2016 on Howard Stern, where he claimed he saw “curious things”. “In the Nineties,” he said, “do you understand what that’s like?”
“I went there to see the lifestyle,” he continued. “And I saw it. But I don’t know if I could indulge and understand what I was even looking at. It was pretty wild. It was crazy. There were very curious things taking place and I didn’t necessarily understand it.”
When Stern asked Usher whether he would send his own child to live with Diddy, Usher replied: “Hell no”.
Usher’s representatives declined to comment to NME. NME have reached out to Diddy for comment as well.
The singer’s comments have gone viral due to the news of Diddy’s homes being raided. As per Consequence, Homeland Security gave a statement saying: “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami and our local law enforcement partners. We will provide further information as it becomes available.”
According to Fox 11, who claimed to be the first at the scene of the LA raid, several people were detained at Combs’ home in the city, but not Combs himself.
The investigation comes after several lawsuits involving Combs. He was recently sued in February this year by a male producer on his latest album ‘The Love Album: Off The Grid’. Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones claimed Combs forced him to have sex with prostitutes, drugged and threatened him for over a year.
Combs’ attorney responded to the lawsuit saying the “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,” they continued. “Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls,” the attorney, Shawn Holley, said in a statement. “We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”
In addition, Combs was accused of rape and physical abuse by his former partner and R&B singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura in November 2023. He initially denied Cassie’s allegations at the time, but settled the lawsuit the next day to “mutual satisfaction”, causing the suit to be dropped.
Since Cassie’s lawsuit, two other women have also come forward, one claiming that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her and the other alleging that Combs and singer-songwriter Aaron Hall took turns raping the plaintiff and her friend in 1990 or 1991. Combs is also said to have become violent towards the second accuser days later.
Combs denied both accusations in December, claiming: “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” Hall has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
That December, he was further accused of the “gang rape” of 17-year-old girl, which he also denies.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.