Sean 'Diddy' Combs Accused Of Sexual Assault By Male Producer
Change and challenge in the 21st-century.
Welcome back to another edition…
Newsflash writes fictional stories inspired by the headlines. ⚡
Today, we’re imagining a life spent in the vicinity of a showbusiness icon. It makes me reflect on the lives really involved in sexual assault allegations - who, and what, is really at stake?
As always, full ⚡ commentary and the sources I used for today’s edition are all available below the main story.
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Read the original article (Yasmin Rufo - BBC News):
Sean 'Diddy' Combs accused of sexual assault by male producer - BBC News
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Our music keeps you moving, what are you proving?
You know that I'm two levels above you, baby
Hug me, baby, I'ma make you love me, baby
Talkin' crazy ain't gon' get you nuthin' but choked.- Victory, P. Diddy.
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And how was I supposed to know what I was getting into? It’s harder than you think - coming where I come from. With the odds I had to overcome. I don’t have to tell you my backstory, but let me tell you this - my mama lives in a Penthouse on Park Slopes. She’s good now - just like my girl and my baby boy, and this summer, me and him, we’re taking the Chrysler and I’m dropping him off at college, and he’s gonna have six new pairs of sneakers to go with his pencil pad. Where I’m from - no matter, we good now. And when it’s like that, can’t nobody tell you it wa’n’t worth it.
But I never expected I’d be doing all this.
I started my life in hot summers - you know, when it gets real hot, throwing-water-under-your-arms kind of heat. We grew up with the fried cornbread and the oxtail stew, when whatever you were doing wasn’t anything until you got hold of an empty shopping-cart. Orange and grey days. Hot days. I used to wish for air conditioning.
I got it for the first time in the back of a police car - for nothing serious, I remind you - when I thought to myself: well, that’s what it feels like. I don’t really count that experience though, because the next time I caught it was behind the wheel of a Benz.
I believe I got the offer back in about ‘96. Back then, the worst it got was fallout from City Hall, but by that point, even that had faded. If anything, those early events made the team around him sharper. We were vitally concerned with what kind of information got out about Puff. That’s because we were loyal to him, and that was because of the life we were living.
The simple, hard truth is that we were living a life of elevation. Of success. Of access. Of excess, too. All of our people got in at the same time, and we lived a life that was separate. We knew what we were doing. Fact is, not too many black people been rich too long. And we were stupid rich. You can’t take for granted black faces on a screen, or black bodies in the penthouse suite. We were always there - the thirtieth floor, looking out. And we did it through supporting each other - P gave us the platform; we took care of the rest. We set standards and examples. Trends and we gave people hope. Can’t blame me - every day at the centre of business. Another day on Floor 31.
“Do you believe in this sh*t, money?”
“What you mean?” I asked him, leaning back with my drink - Cognac Magnum (in the diamond glass, too.)
“You believe, what they saying about me?”
Seven allegations of sexual assault, two accusations of rape, and the usual questions that came with it - questions that loyalty knew how to answer.
“Nah, man, it’s like Floyd said - mistakes happen, and end-of-the-day it’s the still the girl’s choice, what she wants to do with her body. We all see it.”
“Mm,” Puff said, and stared out over the view. He was wearing a white robe and smoking his cigar as the sun rose. Behind him, the highest lights of L.A. barely touched his feet. He hadn’t been to sleep, hadn’t touched a drink. I suppose we were close friends at the time, but in that moment, he could have been a god.
“Fuck outta here, from thirty-something years ago, damn… you know what we gotta do.”
”YesSuh,” I said. “We gotta choke 'em.”
Today, I woke up to another storm - they’ll be needing statements from the lawyers, which mean I’ve gotta call Holley. Last time I spoke with him - when it all hit the fan with Ventura, last time a call like this came through. This time, it’s a man. Rodney Jones - nah. He didn't get in it when we did - he could never really come to understand this lifestyle. I gotta find where he keeps his car - but jobs like that, I’m happy to leave to the youngins, now. Later this evening I got to take my son for his check-up. Not my fault.
I haven’t touched a shopping-cart in years. And I never expected I’d be doing all this.
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Personal Commentary & Sources
⚡ commentary
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Today’s edition made me think about the reputations and livelihoods of the people involved in cases of sexual assault. On the one hand, you have the possibility of justice for the accuser (most often delivered financially, which isn’t really a form of apology in the first place), and on the other, there are reputations and the power of celebrity to be reckoned with.
It’s becoming an increasingly blurred line in the twenty-first century. We now have seventy years, at least, of genetic exposure to “celebrity culture”, which really just means we’ve evolved to become slightly better at developing role models. Change is happening quickly. A young man or woman today has, comparatively, an infinite number of social scripts and opportunities to choose from. It’s been hard work, establishing this openness, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the people that we now collectively idolise; the examples they set for millions of others. They have entered, and helped, in the lives of so many. But as time goes on, we have to ask: what do we want our relationship with these people to be?
This particular story made me think of the blunt and sometimes ridiculous excuses for drug-induced sexual harassment and trafficking. We live in a world where an acceptable comment on allegations of repeated physical abuse and rape of a single woman is: “well, mistakes happen.”
It’s true, and has been for a while.
At the same time, the story gave me a moment reflect on the people and businesses affected by the tarnishing of reputations.
It was also interesting in this edition to use a variety of sources - several from news publications in the UK, and a couple slightly closer to the black American experience. The Root is a free newsletter on black culture that publishes “Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude.” Black Enterprise is a collective that consults for business management, and holds conferences for diversity in business. None of that matters - but it does get you thinking about the multiple changes we are going through, all at once, and how different histories are now crossing paths.
In this story, the two changes most heavily involved are the changes of sex, and the changes of race. Women, finally, can barely just talk about that man on the metro who followed them home, but what about when the man is also an icon? What do we do if we like the abuser? Where do we stand, between our idols and justice?
These changes - interlocked, and happening simultaneously as they are - will always mean we have to reconsider our position. Should we be forgiving, and understand the complexities of new-age fame and influence? Or should we deliver personal justice so that people can heal?
Big questions, very happily not answered, once again.
See you in tomorrow’s edition.
T
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Sources of news today 🗞 :
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BBC News (Yasmin Rufo) | Sean 'Diddy' Combs accused of sexual assault by male producer
The Guardian | Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of sexual assault by male music producer
Evening Standard (Maddy Mussen) | Six of the most disturbing claims brought against P Diddy
The Root (Noah A. McGee) |Diddy Responds to ‘Gang Rape' Allegations of 17-Year-Old Girl
Black Enterprise | Mayweather Stays Neutral On Diddy's Allegations
disclaimer:
The views expressed in this publication do not reflect the views of the author. The stories themselves are based on imagined events. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is fictitious and should not be taken as representative.
Next time I'm too hot I'll throw some water in my armpits! #lifehack
In all walks of life when you give people power a percentage of those in power shall abuse that power in all sorts of ways, bullying and sexual crime etc!------UK armed forces spells it out and it shall be covered up and it shall happen round the world!----------TRUTH WILL PREVAIL!
Say 25 years or there about I visited a niece in Fife. Whilst at her house a few of her friends arrived so there was a wee gathering and chat going on. A lady whom I did not know said to me and all could hear. When you were young you were friendly with !&"^% !&£*. I replied not friends as such but were at times in same company. Lady went on and said he abused my mother!? Well that cleared the air and made people look in all directions.
She went on to say that the man involved had been in the BLACK WATCH and whilst in GERMANY met and married her mother. The lady had children so they came with the package. Years went on and just by chance a young fella from the same area in Fife, joined the army, met the daughter and they got married and after leaving the army the fella and family came back to Fife. When the person said this allegation she added that the army knew about it as did the SCOTTISH POLICE! A 'pedo' like group was mention that was allegedly in the BLACK WATCH and went by title of RED CIRCLE!? About 4 years ago the lady told me that the NORTHERN IRELAND police were allegedly investigating the alleged abuse but COVID had brought the investigation to a halt!?
Last week I was in Fife and bumped into lady and she said allegedly the NORTHERN IRELAND police were still investigating but they do not seem to make much progress and no communication if any!?
Now it is common knowledge about the KINCORA abuse etc and it's links to ROYAL MOUNTBATTEN and it would be no shock if BRITISH ARMY had left grubby finger prints there so one can see why little is being done about this case that I have written about. Just might ruffle feathers in all sorts of other corners etc?
But people must have faith if not in POLICE/ESTABLISHMENT etc but one day the TRUTH SHALL PREVAIL!
---------------------'It was a hunting ground': women and sexual assault in ...
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com › society › dec › it-was-a-h...
24 Dec 2023 — 'It was a hunting ground': women and sexual assault in the UK armed forces ... One is that murder, manslaughter, domestic and child abuse and ...