E bin get time wen invitation for party wey Sean “Diddy” Combs dey host na one of di hottest ticket for di entertainment industry.
Wit guest lists wey include Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton and Jennifer Lopez, na chance to rub shoulders wit some of di biggest celebrities. Jay-Z and Beyoncé even release new music for one of im events.
“Wen Diddy cut eye for you and say come di VIP section, you go know say dat night you go really jollof,” Rob Shuter, wey bin work as a publicist for di rapper for di peak of im fame, tell BBC News for exclusive interview.
Now, Oga Shuter former star client dey siddon for Brooklyn jail cell, one short drive from di Hamptons, wia im bin once host im wild celebrity party dem.
Oga Combs fall from grace dey sudden, wit ogbonge federal criminal case wey charge am for sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Also na more dan a dozen civil lawsuits na im pipo don file on top im head, wia dem accuse di music mogul of assaults, rape and sexual extortion. One lawyer say im dey represent more dan 100 alleged victims wey claim say dem bin dey sexually abused.
Di Harlem-born rapper don deny many times say e do wrong, whether na in relation to di criminal or civil allegations.
One of im tok-tok pesin deny di allegations against Diddy and tell BBC News for dis tori say, “Oga Combs still remain strong, healthy, and disciplined, im dey fully committed to im defence wit di full support of im family, legal team, and di truth”.
Im dey set to go on trial for May 2025.
Di party king wey dream of royalty
Oga Shuter, wey bin work for Diddy from 2002-04, say Oga Combs bin dey for an important moment for im career wen im bin start to work for di rapper.
Oga Combs form Bad Boy Records for 1993, na label wey bin represent some of di biggest names for hip hop – including artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher. For 1998, im bin create di Sean John clothing line wey later become a cultural phenomenon. From dia, im jump enta perfumes, alcohol and even set up a media company, wia im become di host of multiple reality shows wia im bin dey discover new talent and make pipo stars.
Oga Shuter say wen im bin first join di rapper world, Oga Combs bin want to transform im persona and elevate im career, e bin dey look to use im parties to keep himself for di centre of di entertainment industry.
“Im bin just dey figure dat one out, for am to fit get attention well-well, na to become di party king of New York.”
Oga Shuter say Oga Combs bin like power well-well, im add say Oga Combs bin get strong desire to remain famous, im explain say di star like am wen dem dey take im photo and im bin want to show off im lifestyle. Na Oga Shuter job to help keep “Diddy” at di top. To be part of im crew, im say e dey like to dey part of a circus – di rapper na di “ringmaster”.
Im say im never witness any sexual misconduct. “I don see imbalance of power,” im tok. “Wetin I no see na wetin wey dem dey allege now, wey just dey horrific.”
“Di reason im be superstar na becos all im dey think about na Diddy. From di minute wey im wake up until di minute im go bed,” Oga Shuter tell BBC News. “Diddy hobby na Diddy.”
Im also claim say Oga Combs bin also get a strong interest wit di British royal family. Oga Shuter say im remember wen dem bin ask am more than 10 times to call Prince Harry and Prince William wit invites to di party dem, wit offer to cover dia travel, lodging and even pay for dia security.
For im lavish New York apartment, di rapper bin keep framed pictures of di princes, Oga Shuter tok, as im explain: “Im bin think of himself as a king so e make perfect sense for am to like get two princes for im entourage.”
Both Harry and William no ever accept invite from Oga Combs, im add put.
But to say “no” to di music mogul na something wey many oda pipo bin do.
“Diddy always get guns around am,” Oga Shuter tok, im describe di metal detectors for im apartment to resemble di ones wey dey for airport. “e bin dey strange.”
Oga Shuter describe how guns dey all ova di rapper home. For im private living quarters, security guards get guns wey dey strapped to dia ankles. Oga Combs circle close and im bin dey serious about both im security and im image.
“You no fit get to be Diddy… unless di pipo around you dey buttoned up. Nobody around am dey careless.”
White parties bin get dark side, lawsuits allege
For Los Angeles area, di rapper bin dey live for wetin now dey known as Beverly Hills most expensive street.
Di high fences allow celebrities to hide from peeping eyes. Hugh Hefner Playboy mansion no too far from im place.
Di big gates of Oga Combs estate get flaming torches wey dey burn day and night.
Neighbours tell BBC say most times, dem dey call police sake of im party dem.
One freedom of information request by di BBC reveal say authorities bin dispatch officers to party dem for P Diddy mansion 14 times ova seven years.
For street wia discretion and privacy dey very important, no-one wish make dem name dem, but neighbours describe privately to BBC wetin dem see, dem say dem bin dey fed up and disturbed by wetin dem see.
“For six or seven years na just parties, parties, parties,” one neighbour tok, and add say she see females at all hours “ wey come out dey siddon for street, dem no know wia dem dey”.
She say dem appear “lost” and “dia underwear bin dey show”.
Oga Combs mansion for Beverly Hills na one of several venues im bin use to host im annual “White Party”, one flagship event wey im bin hold from 1998 to 2009.
Im bin start di parties for New York exclusive Hamptons area wit a strict all-white dress code, wey bin bring togeda East Hampton old-money elite and di rising stars of hip hop.
Oga Combs once describe di parties as a way to break down racial and generational barriers.
But di hottest party of di year na a “cover” wey dey allow “dark” conduct, one recent lawsuit allege.
For one lawsuit wey one man file dis week,– wey be16 years old at dat time – im describe di thrill of getting to attend Oga Combs first “White Party” for 1998. Walking into di Hamptons mansion, im bin see celebrities and entertainment executives left and right. For di lawsuit, im say im believe say di party for fit open doors to a music career.
Im tok say im dey go bathroom wen im bin run into di rapper. Dem start to tok and den move to anoda, more private area. Dat na wen Oga Combs say di teen get di right “look” and im fit turn anybody into a star, di lawsuit state.
Den tins turn upside down. Oga Combs suddenly order di den-teenage boy to drop im pants so dat Oga Combs fit examine and touch am, di lawsuit allege.
According to di lawsuit, Oga Combs say na “a rite of passage” and “di route to becoming a star”. E also claim say na way for am to prove himself, im ask di teen: “You no wan break into di business?”
At least two oda lawsuits centre on di party dem.
Former adult film star Adria English claim say she bin dey “groomed into sex trafficking ova time” afta she work for multiple White Party events, wia she allege say di alcohol dem bin lace am wit drugs. Another lawsuit, wey one man file anonymously dis week, make allegations about a 2006 White Party. For di lawsuit, e say im bin dey work as security for di event, wia allegedly drinks bin dey laced wit drugs, and add say Oga Combs bin rape am.
In total, na more dan a dozen civil lawsuits na im pipo don file wia dem accuse di music mogul of assaults, rape and sexual extortion. For dis lawsuits, both men and women say dem bin pressure or force dem into sex, either by Oga Combs or those for im entourage. Odas say dem agree becos dem bin dey intimidated by Oga Combs and di power im get for di entertainment industry. Some describe how dia careers bin get K-leg or miss opportunities wen dem no give in to Oga Combs whims.
Oga Combs legal team dismiss di lawsuits as “clear attempts to get publicity”. In response to dis story, One tok-tok pesin for di rapper tell BBC News say allegations of wrongdoing for im notorious parties dey unfounded.
“Sean Combs’ white parties and oda events bin dey iconic, na true coming together of hip-hop, Hollywood, and Black excellence,” di statement read.
“E dey disappointing to see di media and social commentators twist dis cultural moments into something wey e no be. Shaming celebrities wey bin attend, taking video clips and photos out of context, and trying to link dis events to false allegations dey simply untrue.”
Singer Cassie, wey bin date di rapper off-and-on for nearly ten years starting from 2007, bin accuse di mogul for lawsuit of controlling every aspect of her life, forcing her to take excessive amounts of drugs, having sex wit oda men, beating her for years and threatening her – and those for her circle – wen she bin try to leave di relationship.
For lawsuit – wey start di flood of accusations against di rapper – di singer say while she bin dey date Oga Combs, she realise say im get a “very loyal network” wey go do anything im ask.
“She recognize say she bin dey powerless, and add say reporting Oga Combs to di authorities no go change Oga Combs status or influence but go give Oga Combs anoda excuse to hurt her,” di lawsuit state.
Cassie, wey her full name na Casandra Ventura, say e bin get one point afta she bin attempt to leave Oga Combs, im record label threaten her say “dem no go release her single if she no answer Oga Combs phone calls”, di lawsuit tok.
Lawyers for Oga Combs again don deny di allegations, dem say for statement to BBC earlier dis week say, im “no ever sexually assault anybody – adult or minor, man or woman”.
‘Courage dey contagious’
While various lawsuits bin give detail of alleged sexual assaults for Oga Combs party dem wey hold for im properties, di so-called “Freak-off” party dem for hotel rooms appear to be di focus for federal authorities. Di Department of Justice charge am wit racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution for a 14-page indictment last month.
Prosecutors bin accuse Oga Combs of recording sex acts during “Freak Offs”, wey federal authorities describe as days-long sex parties involving multiple sex workers.
Di indictment allege say Oga Combs and im associates bin book hotel rooms and stock dem up wit narcotics like ketamine, lubricant, extra linens and lighting so dem fit record di orgies.
During di “Freak Offs,” Oga Combs allegedly “hit, kick, throw objects at victims”, wey lead to injuries wey sometimes fit take weeks to heal, di court documents state.
According to di indictment, di participants bin allegedly dey forced wit drugs and threats to remain “obedient and compliant”. After everything, those involved go take IV fluids to recover, prosecutors allege.
Madam Ventura lawsuit, wey she file for November 2023 – almost a year bifor im indictment for New York – include graphic details of dis alleged “Freak-Off” parties. Di lawsuit say Oga Combs go host dis events weekly for hotels for New York and Los Angeles, flying in sex workers, supplying drugs wey include ecstasy, cocaine and ketamine and forcing di singer to perform sex acts.
During one raid on Oga Combs Los Angeles and Miami mansions, law enforcement officers bin seize AR-15-style guns, large-capacity magazines, thousands of bottles of lube and baby oil.
Oga Combs arrest and di fallout surrounding im career don spark hope among activists and survivors of sexual violence say im case fit drive meaningful change within the music industry.
Gloria Allred, one prominent women rights lawyer wey don defend a number of women throughout di #MeToo movement, believe say di world finally dey see “reckoning” for di music industry.
She bin represent Thalia Graves, wey bin allege say di rapper bin drug and violently rape her for 2001. She say Oga Combs bin threaten her, she add say she bin no speak out, becos she fear say im go “ruin her life”, Allred tok.
But Madam Allred bin tell BBC she feel say di fallout from Diddy arrest dey far from ova.
“Courage dey contagious,” she tok.
And prosecutors and lawyers for di growing list of Oga Combs accusers drop hint say more dey come.
“Combs no do dis all on im own,” Damian Williams, US Attorney for di Southern District of New York, tok. “Im use im business and employees of dat business and oda close associates to get im way.”
Di investigation into di case still dey open, authorities say.
As Oga Combs bin comot im most recent court appearance for one prison jumpsuit, im tell im family “I love you” and repeatedly put im hands for im heart, making a prayer sign.
As di hearing end, a group of fans gada by di courtroom doors hoping to catch sight of am and show support for di rapper.
For im former assistant, the media storm wey now dey surround di rapper no dey without a hint of irony.
“Im bin wan make himself di most famous pesin for di world, and ironically, now na wetin e be,” Oga Shuter tok.
Christal Hayes contribute to reporting to dis story.
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