On Friday 17 May 2024, CNN published exclusive hotel surveillance footage that showed rapper Sean Combs, aka P Diddy, physically assaulting his then girlfriend singer Cassie Ventura, in 2016. It was an incredibly harrowing sight to see. Shortly after the video went viral online, Combs apologised for the assault, calling his behaviour “inexcusable”—an admission of remorse that conveniently has only been shared after cold hard evidence forced him to do so.
Combs has been in the headlines repeatedly over the past few months for multiple alleged abuse and sexual assault crimes. In March, Homeland Security raided the 54-year-old’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation.
In respect of the accusations from Cassie, the singer alleged in a federal lawsuit in November 2023 that Combs raped and physically abused her, including punching, beating, kicking and stomping her throughout their relationship. The lawsuit was settled the day after it was filed, as reported by NBC News.
Following the release of the hotel video, Cassie’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor made this statement: “The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behaviour of Mr Combs. Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”
Cassie’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor emailed this statement about the new video of Diddy.
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) May 17, 2024
“The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs. Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward… https://t.co/h1AWFipOMR pic.twitter.com/uMCFiVAdtE
So, with the rapper’s extensive history of physical violence now on display for the world to see, it’s no surprise that netizens have begun revisiting his long-term relationship with ex-partner Kim Porter.
Kim Porter was an American model and singer who died in 2018 at the young age of 47. The autopsy revealed that her death was caused by lobar pneumonia. Porter had been in an on-and-off relationship with Combs from 1994 to 2007. The pair also had three children together.
While Porter’s passing was confirmed as death from natural causes, the singer’s alleged ‘close friend’ Koola Boof has recently come out with allegations that Combs was directly linked to Porter’s death and that she’s always held him “silently responsible.”
This DIDDY thing is not a surprise, but it makes me remember the horrible way he treated my friend...
— WRITER KOLA BOOF (@KolaBoof3) May 17, 2024
KIM PORTER
...and how I've always silently held him responsible for her young death. #RIP KIM pic.twitter.com/vtGyL60F80
Moreover, in an extensive thread of X, formerly Twitter, Boof alleged that Porter was potentially murdered and that Combs had abused the mother of three for years before her death.
— WRITER KOLA BOOF (@KolaBoof3) May 18, 2024
Boof also insinuates that Cassie was well-aware of the abuse Porter faced: “Ya’ll would not even begin to believe the way he treated Kim Porter—and (ironically) Cassie back then allowed herself to be used to disrespect Kim in her own home. Cassie let herself be flaunted in Kim’s face—laughed at Diddy beating Kim. Was awful.”
The writer also goes on to allege that on one occasion Combs attempted to force Porter to lick Cassie’s tampon. A lot of netizens have criticised Boof for placing blame on Cassie or implying that she was complicit in the alleged abuse against Porter.
In respect of the video showing Combs aggressively beating Cassie, the rapper will not face prosecution. Why? As explained by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office: “If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately, we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted.”