Elgin Nelson
The fallout that followed Cassie’s bombshell allegations against Sean Combs, aka Diddy, concluded with a settlement, but the social media ridicule surrounding the case shows no signs of slowing down and some believe a #MeToo reckoning in hip hop may be on the horizon.
“This Diddy news can be a watershed moment because the #MeToo movement hasn’t hit the Hip-Hop industry the way it’s hit others. People have been able to maneuver freely. This might be what opens the doors. A lot of phone calls are probably being made right now,” posted one hip hop enthusiast.
Janet Jackson and Naomi Campbell, attendees at his London birthday party and the launch event for his new album on Nov. 9, have deleted posts related to the celebration from their Instagram accounts.
The first indication of prominent celebrities publicly disavowing their association with the music mogul may cause a domino effect with others coming forward to reveal Diddy’s past behavior, potentially leading to additional embarrassment or legal consequences.
Former artists signed under Bad Boy Records, Aubrey O’Day and Dawn Richard, took widely different approaches to the news. The latter tweeted, “Praying for Cassie and her family, for peace and healing. You are beautiful and brave.”
Aubrey O’Day, however, posted on her Instagram Story, “Been trynna tell y’all for years. One day y’all are gonna put some respect on my name when I tell you things.”
The ex-Danity Kane singer also issued an official statement to Rolling Stone, expressing her solidarity with Cassie and a desire for the lawsuit to continue making an impact.
“I am in full support of Cassie. It isn’t easy to take on one of the most powerful people in this industry and be honest about your experience with them. I know what her heart is feeling right now because I have done so as well. May her voice bring all the others to the table so we can start having more transparent conversations about what is actually happening behind the scenes. There is a lot more to all of our stories!”