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As Sean “Diddy” Combs sits in a Brooklyn jail facility awaiting trial for charges of sex trafficking, abuse, and travel to engage in prostitution, many are revisiting past interviews and conversations with the disgraced producer and rapper. Though some clips dates back decades before Diddy, 56, was charged, many are finding that evidence of his supposed crimes may have always been hiding in plain sight — notably with R&B singer, Usher.
When Usher, 45, was just 13 years old, Diddy became his legal guardian, as he produced the singer’s self-titled 1994 debut album. Usher has often noted that during his time under Diddy’s wing, he was exposed to a lot at a young age.
In 2004, during the era of Usher’s Confessions album, Usher said in a Rolling Stone interview that Diddy introduced him to “a totally different set of s**t — sex, specifically.” Usher noted that “Sex is so hot in the industry, man,” and remembered that in Diddy’s home “There was always girls around. You’d open a door and see somebody doing it, or several people in a room having an orgy. You never knew what was going to happen.”
Singer Usher and rapper/producer Sean “P. Diddy” Combs pose backstage during the VH1 Big in 04 at the Shrine Auditorium on December 1, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. When Usher was 13 years old, Diddy became his legal guardian and produced his 1994 self-titled debut album.
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The events Usher described sound similar to Diddy’s alleged “freak offs” which are at the center of the many lawsuits against the music producer.
During his 35th birthday celebration in 2013, Usher spoke about his time with Diddy, who, according to Daily Mailwas in attendance at the celebration. In a speech, Usher described the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper’s parties, saying, “I was introduced to everything by Puff Daddy when I was only 15 – parties, women, sex and drugs. I’ve had a taste of it but I’d never let it take me over.” Usher continued, saying that he “wouldn’t pass on any of the advice” Diddy gave him.
Back in 2016, during an interview on Howard SternUsher once again recalled some of Diddy’s parties, which were often nicknamed “Puffy Flavor Camp.” He noted that “There were very curious things taking place” at these parties, and when asked if he’d ever send his kids to “Puffy Flavor Camp,” Usher responded “Hell no.”
Usher hasn’t said much else about his time with Diddy in recent memory, nor has he publicly addressed the several charges and lawsuits against him.
However, in September 2024, fans noticed Usher had scrubbed his X (formerly Twitter) profile of every single post. This raised some eyebrows, but Usher later claimed he was hacked.
At the time of writing, a trial date for Diddy has not been set.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to https://www.rainn.org/
