CNN
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When Sean “Diddy” Combs was offered with a lifetime achievement recognition on the BET Awards in 2022, his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, was among the many individuals he thanked.
“I’mma preserve it 100 with y’all, I used to be in a darkish place for a couple of years,” Combs said on the time. “And in addition Cassie for holding me down at nighttime occasions. Love.”
The second has been revisited by a unique lens since Ventura first got here ahead in November with allegations of rape and abuse towards Combs in a since-settled lawsuit and CNN’s publication on Friday of video exhibiting Combs bodily assaulting her in 2016.
Combs and Ventura dated on and off from 2007 to 2018. In her grievance that was settled with in a day of its submitting, Ventura alleged Combs raped her in 2018 and subjected her to years of repeated bodily and different abuses over the course of their relationship.
“A choice to settle a lawsuit, particularly in 2023, is under no circumstances an admission of wrongdoing,” Ben Brafman, an lawyer for Combs, informed CNN in an announcement in November. “Mr. Combs‘ resolution to settle the lawsuit doesn’t in any means undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He’s joyful they acquired to a mutual settlement and desires Ms. Ventura one of the best.”
Nonetheless, Combs apologized Sunday for his actions within the video.
Ventura’s allegations had not but surfaced publicly in 2022, when Combs accepted the BET Award meant to mark his a long time of success within the music business.
That night time he got here out on stage with a lot exuberance and to a standing ovation. His then-girlfriend, rapper Yung Miami, held up a pink signal whereas within the viewers which learn “Go Papi” and he had the household assist of his mom, Janice Combs, and two of his sons, Christian Combs and Justin Combs, who have been additionally current.
Diddy responded to the nice and cozy welcome on stage by yelling, “What up although?!”
He started by thanking God.
“Something I do is thru God,” Combs stated. “Something I do is thru love. That’s what I evolve to be. And that’s what I’m doing proper now.”
Combs legally changed his middle name to “Love” in 2020.
Throughout his speech, he additionally thanked his mom, his former mentor, the late Andre Harrell, and the late rapper, the Infamous B.I.G.
But it surely was his “shout out” to Ventura – coming about 17 months earlier than she filed her lawsuit – that has sparked new dialog and feedback on social media now describing his reference to her that night time as “diabolical” and “narcissistic.”
Combs released a video apology on Sunday wherein he known as his conduct towards Ventura within the 2016 surveillance footage “inexcusable.”
“It’s so troublesome to mirror on the darkest occasions in your life, however typically you bought to do this,” Combs stated in his video assertion posted to Instagram. “I used to be f**ked up — I hit all-time low — however I make no excuses. My conduct on that video is inexcusable.”
He continued: “I take full duty for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted. I used to be disgusted then after I did it. I’m disgusted now.”
This time, Combs didn’t point out Ventura by identify.
Meredith Firetog, an lawyer for Ventura, stated in an announcement that the apology was “extra about himself than the many individuals he has harm.”