Music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones is talking out in opposition to his former employer Sean “Diddy” Combs because the disgraced media mogul is searching for to dismiss Jones’ $30 million lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment and of drugging and threatening Jones.
“He’s a monster,” Jones instructed Rolling Stone in an interview printed Tuesday. “He’ll do whatever is necessary to get exactly what he wants. He doesn’t take no for an answer. He [told me] himself, ‘I’ll smack my mama.’ Anybody who can say that even jokingly is a monster.”
“He’s nothing to be played with,” the producer continued.
Whereas rumors and allegations of crimes and abuses by Combs have been round for years, they discovered renewed traction after surveillance video of Combs assaulting his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura was obtained by CNN in Could. Ventura had accused the rapper of rape and bodily assault in a November lawsuit, which was settled inside a day.
Combs apologized for his actions in opposition to Ventura in a controversial Instagram clip after the video got here out. Nonetheless, he denied the claims Jones made in his February lawsuit on the time, and stated Monday in a movement to dismiss the lawsuit that Jones is merely attempting “to extract a settlement.”
A number of different girls have come ahead with allegations of sexual assault and abuse in opposition to Combs.
Jones claimed in his go well with that Combs repeatedly “groped” him, compelled him to take part in intercourse acts with intercourse staff, and secretly drugged him whereas engaged on Combs’ “Love Album” from 2022 to 2023. He additionally accused Combs of partaking in intercourse trafficking and masking up a taking pictures.
Jones instructed Rolling Stone that the lawsuit has put his profession in a “very, very tough” place as these related to Combs or these hesitant to incur his wrath “don’t want to come near working with me.” Whereas he’s completed a brand new album, he stated, “people are too scared” to assist promote it.
Jones stated he can’t even go on tour, as he believes he’d want safety to guard himself from Combs’ goons “and most musicians don’t get paid enough to take security.”
In his private life, Jones has been equally constrained, he stated, as he’s obtained numerous “threats.”
“He’s very connected,” Jones instructed the outlet. “It’s made me nervous traveling. Going to hotels, I ask if there’s any way to remove my name. [The last time] I landed in L.A., I knew he had connections there. I got off the plane worried. I masked my face and changed my outfits.”
“I’ve got three therapists,” he added. “Everybody saw the video of Cassie. This is who I’m dealing with.”
Shareif Ziyadat by way of Getty Pictures
In an announcement alongside Combs’ movement to dismiss the go well with Monday, the rapper’s legal professional Erica Wolff referred to as the suite “pure fiction — a shameless attempt to create media hype and extract a quick settlement.”
“There was no RICO conspiracy and Mr. Jones was not threatened, groomed, assaulted, or trafficked,” Wolff stated.
Jones will not be solely transferring ahead along with his lawsuit regardless of the strain, however amended his 73-page submitting shortly after the preliminary submitting to incorporate 25 extra pages — by which he claims Combs promised him $20,000 and 4 royalty factors per music for each “Love” observe he labored on, Rolling Stone stories.
Jones stated he hasn’t been compensated for his work and is now formally “broke.”
“Mr. Jones was hired as a session musician and sound engineer for ‘The Love Album’ and was fully compensated for his contribution,” a spokesperson for Combs instructed Rolling Stone in an announcement that denied the existence of the verbal settlement Jones says exists.
The besieged producer famous that he frequently carried out in arenas final yr, however on account of his nervousness about Combs, has “only done a total of three gigs” in 2024. Jones stated he’s “had a couple mental breakdowns” and has been dwelling in literal hiding from Combs.
“For safety reasons, I’m not saying,” he instructed Rolling Stone when requested the place he’s primarily based now. “There have been too many people trying to figure out where I’m at. I moved locations, moved states. Everything is private. My mom doesn’t even know where I live. It’s been like that pretty much all year.”
Need assistance? Go to RAINN’s Nationwide Sexual Assault On-line Hotline or the Nationwide Sexual Violence Useful resource Middle’s web site.
