Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s day in court is finally on the horizon, with the rap mogul set to face trial on charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering.
It will begin on May 5, following a failed attempt to delay legal proceedings that was rejected by US District Judge Arun Subramanian last week. Subramanian claimed Diddy, 55, submitted his delay request too close to his court date, so the trial will continue as planned. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
The trial will begin with jury selection, which aims to find unbiased members of the public to hear Combs’ case — a tricky task, considering how widely publicised the P Diddy scandal has been.
Diddy has very few public supporters at this point, save for his family members and one famous face: Kanye West. West came out in support of Diddy in February, five months on from Diddy’s New York arrest in September 2024.
West’s initial support of Diddy came in the form of a “Free Puff”-themed clothing range. He took to X to defend Combs, saying: “ALL THESE CELEBRITY N****S AND B*****S IS P**** YOU WATCH OUR BROTHER ROT AND NEVER SAY S***.”
A week later, Kanye went to bat for Diddy again, this time referencing security camera footage of Diddy physically abusing his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. The video shows Diddy as he chases Ventura through a hotel corridor, throws her to the ground and kicks her.
Posting a still from the footage, the 47-year-old rapper and father of four wrote on X: “When I [sic] man truly loves a woman he may express it in rage I empathize with both sides.” In another post underneath the same photo, he added: “You have to truly be in love to get to the point of risking everything.”
Diddy settled a civil lawsuit with Ventura outside of court, one day after she accused him of rape and sex trafficking.
Ye then took a more general aim at domestic abuse victims, writing: “Hey question if someone were to beat up their girlfriend in public, would that be considered domestic violence, or is that outdoor violence, or is it just public indecency? ....Im just asking for a friend.” [sic]
Since this rant, West has publicly supported Diddy on numerous other occasions. Last month, he released a track that appeared to feature a recording of Diddy speaking from jail. The track also featured raps from Diddy’s son, King Combs, and West’s 11-year-old daughter, North.
In the recording of Diddy, West speaks to him on the phone, saying: “I love you so much, it’s like you raised me... even when I didn’t know you.” Diddy responds, saying “I feel the love man,” before the track moves into a hip hop beat.
Kim Kardashian, North West’s mother, allegedly attempted to block the song’s release by utilising the trademark on her children’s names.
In a text interaction between West and Kardashian, shared to Instagram by West, he tells the mother of his children: “I'm never speaking with you again,” while sharing a snippet of what appears to be a legal document that includes the phrase “participation in this project,” presumably in reference to the Diddy song.
Kardashian responds: “I asked u at the time if I can trademark her name. You said yes. When she's 18 it goes to her.
“So stop. I sent paper work over so she wouldn't be in the Diddy song. To protect her. One person has to trademark! We agreed when they were born I would get all of our kids names and trademarks. So no would else would take them.”
Kanye responds: “Amend it or I'm going to war and neither of us will recover from the public fallout. You're going to have to kill me.”
Shortly after this fallout, it emerged that Kanye West was going to spend time with Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are also accused of sex trafficking crimes in Romania (they deny the charges), while daughter North West was also present. Kim Kardashian allegedly had North West removed to Kanye’s custody before the Tate brothers arrived.
Kanye has always had a tumultuous relationship with Diddy, with ups and downs even over the past three years. In an October 2022 appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, he called Diddy a “f***ing fed” (meaning police informant), less than four months after he lavished praise on him during his BET Awards speech.
“Back then, there was so many rules to hip-hop, and he broke all of them, and broke down all the doors, and understood contracts in a way a lot of us still don’t,” Kanye said of Diddy in the June 2022 speech. “Understood money in a way a lot of us still don’t. I go to him for advice to this day. He inspired so many of my choices.”
He then made Diddy a promise. “Any of us in this room if Puff ever need us, we need to jump and be there,” he said. “This man has been through [and] survived a lot of stuff and broke down a lot of doors so we can be standing ... he broke down so many doors of classism, taste, swag. Puff, if I never told you I love you, you’re my brother.”
Now, it appears Kanye is staying true to that promise.
