Who was going to tell the, until a few months ago, almighty Sean “Diddy” Combs? Who would have predicted that the strong man of the music industry, the host of those shady parties, both the white ones and the explosive “freak off” ones, would celebrate his fifty-fifth birthday alone, and in prison? On November 4th, there wasn’t a single celebrity waiting to enter Puff Daddy’s new home, the Brooklyn Metropolitan Correctional Center; nor were luxurious gifts piled up, nor was music playing with the decibels at full throttle. Abandoned by many of those who previously claimed to be his friends, the musician received a video call made by his six children and, as the only gift, he was allowed to enjoy a meal different from the one they serve him daily. That was it.
© Getty ImagesIt is surprising that, ofs thousands of problems your customer facesSean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers point out food as one of the things the artist misses most about his previous life. The prison authorities approved that he receive a different menu than usual for his anniversary. Breakfast included a plate of fruit, cereal and even a piece of cake. The meal consisted of a plate of pasta, meatballs and salad. And for dinner, they gave him a plate of rice and chicken. Goodbye to the lobster, the caviar and the bubbles of that champagne that flowed like water on other birthdays; as, for example, during the massive party he organized for his fiftieth birthday, at his Beverly Hills mansion. On that occasion, well into the early hours of the morning, Puff Daddy offered his guests a second dinner, served by the popular McDonalds. Now, in prison, there is even a shadow of those humble hamburgers. Not to mention the presence, as on that occasion, of the cream of the entertainment world, led by figures such as the Kardashian sisters, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams or The Weeknd.
© Getty ImagesThe music industry is still waiting for his trial to begin next May after being indicted on charges of conspiracy to organize criminal activities, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, transportation for the purposes of prostitution and sexual assault, and rape. Judge Andrew Carter has already denied bail to the musician once. His lawyers appealed, but that benefit was again denied, considering that his freedom would pose a danger to society and that there could be a risk of flight. Not even the fifty million dollars that Sean “Diddy” Combs would give as bail have been enough to convince the judicial authorities and provisionally remove him from a prison called, by the most veteran inmates, “hell on Earth.”
A unique video call
When his name has lost all magic, Sean “Diddy” Combs only has the support of his fans; that is, his family. At the head is his mother, Janice Combs, who has confessed to feeling “devastated” by her son’s situation and demands his right to give the version of the events with which he is accused: “It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not by the truth, but by a narrative created from lies.”
On day four, the musician and producer’s children organized a video call, which they shared on their social networks. They are: Quincy Taylor, thirty-three years old, the oldest (although he is not Sean’s biological son, but rather his “ex”, Kim Porter, Combs adopted him and has always treated him like another son); Justin Dior, thirty years old; Christian “King,” twenty-six; Chance Combs, eighteen years old (Chance could not be on the video call and communicated with his parent from another phone); twins Jessie and D’Lila, seventeen; and the youngest, Love. The elders had met weeks before to sign a statement of support for their father. “Many have judged us – it read – both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories and false narratives that have entered an absurd spiral on social networks (…) We will remain united, supporting you every step of the way (…) We will cling to the truth, knowing that it will prevail, and nothing will break the strength of our family.”
© Getty ImagesNow, all of them have shown that what they wrote and shared were not just words, but that, despite the weight of the complaints that have fallen on their father, they all continue to defend him firmly and tirelessly. In the video, they were seen around a table on which a large birthday cake rested. They sang Happy Birthday to him with great feeling. The disgraced music producer thanked them for their strong union when everything around him was shaking: “I’m proud of you. I can’t wait to see you all. I have the best family in the world! (…) And I just want to tell you that I am proud of you (…) Be strong. Thank you for your strength. I can’t wait to see you in a couple of days (…) Thank you for being by my side.”
Since September 16, when he was arrested in a Manhattan hotel, the life of the musician and his children has changed from top to bottom.
prison hell
Combs’ family, and no wonder, is very concerned about the conditions of the prison where the rapper awaits his trial. The Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, known as MDC, is dangerous, violent and chaotic. Founded in 1990, it houses nearly 1,200 inmates, and US District Judge Gary J Brown has confirmed that “accusations of inadequate supervision, rampant assaults, and lack of sufficient medical care are supported by a growing number of inmates.” of evidence, with certain cases, are irrefutable.
Due to these very adverse circumstances, as reported by the BBC, some high-profile prisoners receive special protection and, apparently, Sean “Diddy” Combs has taken advantage of this modality and shares a cell with Sam Bankman-Fried, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur and convicted last March for fraud crimes.
© Getty ImagesIt is worth remembering that some of the most famous prisoners of the last decade have been interned within its four suffocating walls, such as fellow rapper R. Kelly or Ghislaine Maxwell, the partner of the fearsome Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide on August 10, 2019 in a cell in another penitentiary similar to MDC Brooklyn, the Metropolitan Correctional Facility in Manhattan.
The most delicate thing for Sean “Diddy” Combs is that the number of lawsuits grows while he remains in prison. In fact, one of the reasons given by the authorities for not granting him bail, in addition to those previously stated, was because, once out, he could, according to the lawyers who work with the alleged victims, manipulate witnesses and buy to some plaintiffs.
© Getty ImagesFormer acquaintances who were very close to Combs, and who once boasted of their level of intimacy, now clearly mark the distances. For example, Elon Musk. One day before the United States elections, he exploded against JLo for having disparaged Donald Trump and did so with the following argument: “JLo was like his ex-girlfriend and now it’s like she’s warning people against Trump. How many people did he warn about Diddy? Oh, none. Okay. Maybe we shouldn’t trust her.”
The world of entertainment has been on fire since the lawyer for the one hundred and twenty victims, Tony Buzbee, explained that Puff Daddy is not the only one involved in the crimes he is accused of, and that “we will expose the facilitators who allowed this to happen to closed doors.” For his part, Bryan Freedman, a well-known litigator specializing in the world of entertainment, declared that Buzbee’s words have shocked Hollywood and surrounding areas: “the big names in music are not sleeping peacefully.”
© Getty ImagesLawyer Bryan Freedman, known for defending big music stars, expressed the impact these revelations are having on the industry. “The big names in music are not sleeping peacefully,” he said. Concern is growing among those who once worked closely with Combs, with one close source stating: “I’m sure they are terrified, God knows what they witnessed.”