Sean “Diddy” Combs is about to face a judge for his federal charges.
Over six months after the disgraced rapper was arrested in September for charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering, a jury has been selected and opening statements for the trial will officially commence May 12.
Throughout his time in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, the music mogul has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to his charges, which include one charge of racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking, and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
While in jail, the 55-year-old—who is dad to Quincy, 33, Justin, 30, Christian, 26, Chance, 18, twins D’Lila and Jessie, 17, and Love, 2, from four past relationships—has also been hit with 120-plus sexual assault allegations and lawsuits, all of which he has denied.
“He cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus,” Combs’ lawyer Erica Wolff said in a statement to E! News in October. “That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors.”
And before his arrest, Combs himself addressed the “sickening” allegations.
“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged,” he said in a since-deleted December 2023 social media statement. “I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
Meanwhile, many stars who’ve crossed paths with Combs over the years have spoken out periodically since the federal indictment detailing his crimes was released in September.
“I feel for his children,” LL Cool J—who had Combs as an executive producer on his 1997 album Phenomenon—said at the Black Music Coalition Gala back in September. “The rest I can’t speak on, that’s what we’ve got the court system for. But I feel for his kids.”
Keep reading for more stars who have spoken out about the allegations surrounding Combs…
Will Smith
Months after Combs’ arrest, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star stated publicly that no longer had any affiliation with the disgraced rapper.
“I just wanna say this very clearly,” he said during a December 2024 show, per TMZ. “I don’t have s–t to do with Puffy. So you all can stop all them memes.”
As he put it, “I ain’t been nowhere near no damn ‘freak off.’ Listen, I do enough of my own s–t, don’t be putting me in other people’s bulls–t.”
The crowd erupted upon his mentioning of Combs, and Smith emphasized, “I ain’t been nowhere near that man, ain’t did none of that stupid s–t.”
Wendy Williams
The former talk show host spoke out in October 2024, telling the Daily Mail it was “about time” for legal action against the disgraced rapper.
“What is really weird is that I have been told by so many people “Wendy you called it,'” she added to the outlet. “Including some people in my family who have said the same.”
Kesha
When it came to her 2010s banger “TiKToK” which opens with the line, “Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy,” Kesha thought it was time for a lyric change amid the allegations against the rapper in the months before his arrest.
At Coachella 2024, the “Woman” singer instead sang, “Wake up in the morning like F–k P. Diddy.”
And after the change went viral, she told TMZ the change was permanent. “So the fans should learn it,” she added. “For my upcoming shows.”
Eminem
The “Real Slim Shady” rapper also let his music do the heavy lifting when it came to his thoughts on the allegations. In his 2024 song “Fuel,” the Grammy winner slammed Combs for several allegations, including rape, which, on top of his federal charges, Combs has denied.
“I’m like a R-A-P-E-R,” Eminem sings on the track. “Got so many S-As, S-As / Wait, he didn’t just spell the word, “Rapper” and leave out a P, did he? (Yep).”
Jay-Z
After Jay-Z was named in a since-dropped rape lawsuit, the music mogul broke his silence when it came to his association with Combs.
“Mr. Carter has nothing to do with Mr. Combs’ case or Mr. Combs,” Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, said in a statement in December 2024. “They knew each other professionally for a number of years.”
The rapper (real name Shawn Carter) continuously denied the allegations—which accused him of raping a 13-year-old girl—until the lawsuit was dropped, calling them “false.”
Shortly after the case was dropped, Jay-Z said in a social media statement, “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims.”
LL Cool J
Known to collaborate with Combs in music, the NCIS: LA star (real name James Todd Smith) briefly addressed his arrest in September 2024.
“I feel for his children,” LL Cool J said at the Black Music Coalition Gala that month. “The rest I can’t speak on, that’s what we’ve got the court system for. But I feel for his kids.”
50 Cent
Shortly after Combs’ arrest, the rapper (real name Curtis James Jackson) shared a post on social media subtly calling out his allegations by sharing a photo with Drew Barrymore.
“Here I am keeping good company with @thedrewbarrymoreshow,” he wrote in a Sept. 2024 Instagram post. “I don’t have 1,000 bottles of lube at the house.” (In the indictment brought against Combs, federal investigators seized “more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant” in his home during a raid earlier that year.)
Whoopi Goldberg
The View hosts discussed Combs’ arrest shortly after it took place in September 2024, and Goldberg called the indictment “extensive and disturbing.”
Later, though, when it came to referencing the 1,000 bottles of baby oil found in Combs’ residence she lightly said to the audience, “It ain’t a crime, guys.”
