Jury Selection to Start on Monday for Sean Combs' Sex Trafficking Trial
During a court appearance Thursday, Sean Combs confirmed that he did not accept a plea deal from federal prosecutors in his sex trafficking case.
Jury selection is scheduled to get underway on Monday. Combs was arrested in September and is facing charges of conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The Sean John founder, entrepreneur and Grammy winner has pled not guilty to the criminal charges.
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Combs could potentially face a life sentence if convicted. During Thursday's hearing, the 55-year-old wore prison attire. Per an order signed by Justice Arun Subramanian, who is overseeing the case, Combs, a 2004 CFDA award winner and member, will be allowed to have five shirts, five sweaters, five pairs of pants and two pairs of shoes without laces to wear during the trial.
His legal team reportedly indicated Thursday that they will increase from a six-person team to eight attorneys by the start of the trial.
Combs, who is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, is also facing more than dozens of lawsuits. He has denied any wrongdoing. Some of his accusers have alleged that Combs used his businesses to threaten and abuse women to fulfill his sexual desires.
A spokesperson for Combs declined comment Friday. Media requests to his legal team were not immediately acknowledged. Tess Neudeck, marketing director at Wigdor Law, which is representing one of Combs' accusers, Cassie Ventura, declined to comment Friday. 'We are not currently participating in interviews,' she said.
Jurors have reportedly been advised to arrive at the courthouse early on Monday. Jury selection is expected to take a few days to give the legal teams time for pre-trial preparation. Opening statements are expected to start on May 12.
Combs' case has attracted worldwide media attention beyond standard news coverage. Several media outlets have delved into the allegations with podcasts, docuseries and news specials. Earlier this year, Peacock introduced 'Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy,' and Legacy Editions debuted the hour-long 'Diddy: Monster's Fall.' The Daily Mail, BBC Sounds, TMZ, and ABC News have also developed different kinds of content about the case and the trial.
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Hypebeast
25 minutes ago
- Hypebeast
Kaytranada: Waves of Rhythm
This article originally appeared in Hypebeast Magazine Issue 35: The Wavelength Issue. Whether we inspect the behavioral mechanisms that propel the cosmological motions of the universe or the spiritual shifts within us, the wave is nature's most fundamental rhythm. One either learns the power of its force—or drowns beneath it. For the two-time Grammy-winning artist KAYTRANADA, success—as producer, DJ, and now singer—has been predicated on a profound understanding and manipulation of how the waves flow. This mastery has been both self-evident and continuously evolving throughout his career, as reflected through his production's maturation. Sonic alchemy appears on the track 'Feel a Way,' from 2024's TIMELESS , where his adroit ears transmute the quotidian into gold. It is a seemingly effortless feat in chopping samples to fit his swinging grooves. Here, he takes an innocuous sound, a drag-of-a-joint, from an obscure Jack Margolis record and transforms it into a slinking percussive loop. This is the kind of aural latticing that might be lost on casual listeners, but in perceiving its sonic nature, one realizes how each part of the whole is important—where, in this instance, the sample texturally accentuates the song's salient and hazy ambiance. Throughout KAYTRANADA's process, sounds are expertly flipped, stretched, and run through an effect bus, ultimately becoming his LPs or loosies. Those recordings are then tightly curated onto unassuming flash drives. Tracks are spun on CDJs from a sleek, lectern-like station; his DJ sets become gatherings where the 32-year-old, Port-au-Prince-born artist can commune with the energy his music stirs in the crowd. His sets unfold as an emotionally-pendulous journey. Bodies in the crowd ripple in waves and screams as his careful choreography guides every listener's pulse to his whim. That is craft at work. If it truly takes ten years to become a renowned household name, KAYTRANADA's fifteen-plus have turned him into a cultural fixture. Even a cursory search reveals how trusted he is in the industry, evidenced by an extensive list of credits: from Kali Uchis and PinkPantheress to Mach-Hommy, Aminé, and many other titans. But you don't even need to look; just listen. Whether you're a diehard fan or not, his influence on modern music is ubiquitous. That's not to say he has single-handedly created 'the sound.' He's undeniably a product of his upbringing on the internet, shaped by torchbearers like J Dilla and Madlib. But rest assured, if you hear a bouncy, staccato bass line accented by bright, jazzy synth chords, KAYTRANADA is likely the foundational driver behind those 'type beats.' Yet, even as he appears culturally buoyant, seemingly steady while the industry is engrossed with what's en vogue, his emotional buoyancy is another story. KAYTRANADA, or the public-facing persona many know, is informed by Louis Kevin Celestin, the person. And artistry is nothing without introspection. In conversation, KAYTRANADA describes TIMELESS as one of his most expressive and unencumbered projects to date, explaining that achieving solidity as an artist required an evaluation of his ongoing relationship with existentialism. And through this reflection, KAYTRANADA learned to embrace what we can't control—that we must surrender to the flow of uncertainty. HYPEBEAST: First off, congrats on the three latest Grammy nods. You've been nominated eight times now. How do you mentally process that? What's changed since your first nominations? KAYTRANADA: I feel good. I'm not putting all my attention on it, though, because it'll be disappointing if I lose. I'm nominated alongside some heavy hitters, and it's a toss-up. But they're all amazing peers. Whoever wins, it'll make sense. So yeah, I'm not trying to put my heart into it. Whatever happens, I'm not going to overreact. The core of that sounds like radical acceptance, which reminds me of a Creole proverb I learned: 'Dlo pa janbe trou.' To me, it feels like it's about resilience and understanding that we can't control all hardships, but we can control how we move through them. TIMELESS has that feeling. Yeah, I saw that when I was making this album—especially across the years since Bubba . The pandemic and moving to LA coincided with so many changes. Big life changes. I had to accept that when it comes to making music, it doesn't have to be so important that I feel a need to prove myself or stand out against other albums. I was overthinking a lot while making TIMELESS , wondering, 'How can I top my last one?' It got ridiculous. Eventually, I realized I really don't care. I'm just going to express how I felt in those times. That time of evolution and acceptance—giving up control and letting things be—translates into the album. I'm in an acceptance mood, taking things for how they are. That's connected to a quote from you about how it was hard to be yourself in your salad days while still innovating. What parts of your earlier self did you hold onto, and what did you let go of to embrace this evolution? Like I said, I had a lot of controlling thoughts—overthinking and comparing myself to my peers. That kind of thinking kills creativity: How can I be better than everybody else? That felt ridiculous, but you see how a generation was influenced by people like Kanye saying he and his music are better than everyone else. It led people to believe they needed to think the same. I realized that was a manipulation tactic: Why do I need to be better? Therapy showed me a lot: self-discovery, self-love. I always loved myself, but I never knew it was so important to care for yourself in that explicit way. That wasn't taught to me. After winning a Grammy in 2021, I went through things I didn't comprehend until therapy. I just had to go through a lot of old traumas. I get it, especially in a Black family. The idea is to be great first, then worry about trauma later—or not at all. Perfectionism creeps in. Eventually, we realize we can't keep measuring ourselves against everyone else. We need our own standard, our own lane. Yeah. Growing up Haitian, my mom was always like, 'You can do better than that. I was top of the class, so you can be too.' But I had trouble in school—bad grades, shy, found it boring. No matter how hard I tried, getting an A was tough. My mom would say, 'Why can't you get an A-plus? Why come back with a C-minus or B-plus?' It was always, You can do better. That bled into my music. I had to break myself from those chains. I feel that. My mom used to say, 'This is an A household.' I think sometimes our close collaborators can become a chosen family. That can bring 'family-like' clashes. TIMELESS has a lot of collaborators—a broad spectrum of voices. Despite that, it's cohesive. How did you maintain harmony while navigating creative disagreements? That definitely happened. Early on, I struggled to give feedback to artists. I wasn't great at saying, 'Hey, try this.' Sometimes I didn't trust my ideas, or I wasn't sure I had the idea. So I'd let them do their thing while I made the music. It still felt collaborative, but I got a bit more comfortable speaking up by the end of creating the album. I'm shy, and sometimes I feel my ideas aren't the best. Maybe I'm still healing from past trauma where collaborators told me my ideas sucked. That shattered me and made me not want to speak up. But sometimes their ideas are better—so it's about merging ideas. I never want it 100% me or them. I'd rather have a 50/50 approach to show it's truly collaborative. From a listener's perspective, it's hard to imagine you struggling with that, especially with the album's cohesive flow. And it also marks the return of your brother Lou Phelps as a featured artist. Family can be comforting but also tricky. How did that relationship influence you two musically this time around? It's been a journey. There were moments when we disagreed. As The Celestics, our second project was Supreme Laziness . Around that time, I was blowing up with my electronic stuff, but Lou was still trying to 'make it.' In a family, there can be entitlement. He assumed it would be easy— just drop an album, it'll go fine. But headlines made it seem like 'it was just KAYTRANADA and his brother.' That bothered him—and me. I wanted him to have his own shine. Early on, it was easy to give him my opinions, but he'd shut them down, wanting to prove himself. So I'd think, Never mind, do you. Even if I said, 'I'd change this idea,' he'd get defensive. That was something we had to go through. During the pandemic, he had an epiphany: 'Damn, man, all this time you were trying to help me be better.' Subconsciously, I agreed. He wasn't on my previous albums either, though he wanted to be, which was a scandal for my mom. She asked, 'Why not put your brother on?' But it didn't feel right until now. Lou was ready, and 'Call You Up' was just a demo of his that I grabbed for the album. This journey took understanding, communicating better, and maturity. We still collaborate. The Celestics haven't broken up. Lou's always been around. In both of your growth processes, you saw that family is family, and we just need to let them have space to be them. Exactly. Lots of patience and maturity. There's a vulnerability in that which extends to TIMELESS and its danceability. I told a homie some tracks feel like 'crying while dancing on the dance floor.' How'd you balance emotional weight while giving people something to move to? Life experiences, plus my favorite disco and boogie songs are often heartbreak anthems that are still upbeat. 'You broke my heart, but I'm going to be okay,' type songs. Think heavy instrumentation, bass, strings, drums — like seven or eight minutes, giving you a breakdown that feels so emotional. That's what inspired me. That was always my type of music. I've always loved danceable sad songs, with big chords and heavy drums but also a vulnerable message. Also, on TIMELESS , I explored more R&B, so some songs lean purely that way. That emotion also comes through on 'Stepped On,' where you follow in the footsteps of J Dilla and Madlib's Quasimoto by putting your voice on the track. What made you express yourself that way — where you're even more vulnerable than being behind the track? Pure self-expression. Nobody else has the melodies or ideas I have for my music, except maybe my brother. My beats are upbeat, but I don't always want house-style vocals. Sometimes I want it off-grid, like Raekwon or Q-Tip. In today's industry, people are often on the beat or even ahead of it, so I decided to do it myself. Also, as a Black gay man, I asked, What would I sing about? On 'Stepped On,' I wrote about a breakup and my personality as a yes-man—just feeling stepped on. The lyrics came easily. Being on tour with The Weeknd pushed me, too. I thought, I'm going to try to write a song for The Weeknd to challenge myself. During Bubba , I had demos singing with Thundercat playing bass; I wasn't confident, but everyone said, 'You sound good, Kevin.' I was like, really? Eventually, outside compliments—and compliments from somebody I was dating—pushed me to take it seriously. Now I have more demos stashed. 'Stepped On' was my test to see if people would like it, and it worked. In previous interviews, you've mentioned referencing punk, new wave, noise and genres known for being subversive and pushing sonic and cultural boundaries. How did they become tools for you to push your own or society's boundaries? In those genres, you don't need a perfect singer. It's purely self-expression, often dark, nighttime vibes. I found a link to some sub-genres of hip-hop—Dilla, Black Milk, Madlib—because they'd sample synthy new wave tracks, making them sound funky, electronic, but still hip-hop. When I started searching for those samples, I really listened and realized, They're just expressing themselves with synths and drum machines. They're not trying to stand out by doing something over-the-top or calling in extra producers. They're just being themselves. That was inspiring. I wanted that formula for my vocals: no rigid approach, just expression. Right, it's about letting go of those boundaries. In a way, you're paying homage to new wave/noise's ethos: Get on a track, say what you need to say, and move on. Exactly. TIMELESS is like a time capsule. Listening to those '80s and '90s artists, they'd just make an album—12 songs, here's how I feel. It could be their best album, their worst, or mid. Who cares? It's how they express themselves. I want my future albums to be that way, too. Not, 'Oh my God, gotta create the biggest album and do the biggest rollout.' No, just express yourself. Don't overthink it. Frankie Knuckles once quoted Robert Owens, saying, 'Give me roses while they're dead because I can't use them when I lay.' As an artist whose evolution has been visible, do you think you're getting the recognition you deserve, or is it too early to call? I'm still learning. I also feel not everyone hears what I'm doing—listeners can be lazy, skimming tracks too fast, creating quick judgments. So a part of me feels I have something to prove, but at the same time, I don't. Music is self-expression. I do it for myself and the people who are waiting for more—not for those who don't like it.
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs paid hotel security officer to hand over video, jury hears
By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sean "Diddy" Combs paid a hotel security officer to hand over surveillance footage that showed the hip-hop mogul violently attacking his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura in a hallway, the officer testified on Tuesday at Combs' sex trafficking trial. Eddy Garcia, who had worked at an Intercontinental hotel, told jurors that Combs contacted him shortly after the incident and asked for the footage. Combs said he would "take care" of Garcia if he gave him the video, Garcia said. "He was concerned that this video would get out and that it would ruin his career," said Garcia, who was granted immunity from prosecution to testify. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say Combs over two decades coerced women, including Ventura, to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers known as "Freak Offs." The trial is in its fourth week. Jurors had previously been shown a March 2016 surveillance video from the hallway of the Intercontinental hotel in Los Angeles where Combs, wearing only a towel, threw Ventura to the ground, kicked her and dragged her away. Ventura said the incident occurred after Combs had given her a black eye during a "Freak Off." Garcia said he relayed Combs' message about the video to his boss, who told him he would give Combs the video in exchange for $50,000. The next day, Garcia testified he saw his boss enter the room that hosted servers for the surveillance cameras. He said the boss gave him a USB drive, which he gave to Combs, who later returned with a brown bag and a money counter. Garcia said Combs ran cash from the bag through the counter, which displayed $100,000, returned the money to the bag, and handed the bag to him. Combs' lawyers have acknowledged he was at times abusive in domestic relationships, but argue that women who took part in "Freak Offs" did so consensually. Prosecutors say bribery is among the racketeering acts that Combs or his employees undertook in order to facilitate "Freak Offs" and prevent word of his abuse from getting out. Combs could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Prosecutors have said they may finish presenting their case next week, allowing the defense to put on its case.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
List of Celebrities Mentioned in Diddy Trial and What Was Said
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The high-profile trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs has referenced over a dozen of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, as testimony continues in the fourth week of proceedings. Why It Matters Combs is facing federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. What To Know While the names of many celebrities have been mentioned during Combs' trial, none are accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the criminal case. Sean "Diddy" Combs attends the Fragrance Foundation FiFi Awards on May 27, 2009. Sean "Diddy" Combs attends the Fragrance Foundation FiFi Awards on May 27, 2009. zz/Raoul Gatchalian/STAR MAX/IPx Kid Cudi Rapper Scott Mescudi, who goes by the stage name Kid Cudi, has been mentioned several times during the Combs trial. He also testified during the second week of proceedings. Mescudi started dating Cassie Ventura in 2011. Ventura dated Combs from 2007 to 2018. Mescudi said that he did not realize that Ventura and Combs were still together when they started dating. Mescudi alleged that Combs broke into his house in 2011 after he discovered Ventura's relationship with Mescudi. Mescudi also testified about a 2012 incident where his car caught fire in the driveway of his home. He said he asked to meet with Combs after the incident because he "knew he had something to do with it." The defense objected to the statement, and it was stricken from the record. Dawn Richard Dawn Richard, a former member of the girl group Danity Kane, also testified in Combs' trial. The group was formed on the reality show Making the Band. Combs was an executive producer of the show. Richard said she saw Combs attack Ventura as she was making eggs at Combs' home in Los Angeles. "He came downstairs screaming, belligerent," Richard said. She said Combs grabbed the skillet and tried to hit Ventura with it. Combs then grabbed Ventura's hair and dragged her upstairs, Richard testified. Michael B. Jordan The defense questioned celebrity stylist Deonte Branch about Ventura's relationships with other men while she was dating Combs, including actor Michael B. Jordan Nash said Ventura and Jordan were "dating, talking, getting to know each other." Prince Combs' former assistant, who used the pseudonym "Mia" during her testimony, stated that she attended a party at singer Prince's house with Ventura around 2011 or 2012. Mia said she convinced Ventura to go to the party even though Combs told them to stay home. She said they danced, hung out with friends, and Prince performed on a table. Mia saw Combs, who previously used the stage name "Puff," walking into the party. She and Ventura "booked it" outside the house. "Puff caught up to Cass and had her on the ground," Mia testified. Prince's security intervened. Rihanna Ventura's makeup artist, Mylah Morales, testified that she also worked for Rihanna for 13 years. During cross-examination, the defense showed Morales photos where she had done Ventura's makeup. This included a photo of Ventura, Rihanna and Ryan Lewis attending an awards show. Usher Richard said she saw Combs punch Ventura in the stomach at a restaurant in 2010 while other celebrities were present, including Usher. "She immediately bent over, [Combs] told her to leave," Richard said. "No one intervened." Ne-Yo Richard testified that singer Ne-Yo was also present when Combs punched Ventura at a restaurant in 2010. Nicki Minaj Ventura testified that she was given access to contacts in the music industry during her relationship with Combs. She said she recorded a song with Nicki Minaj. Lil Wayne Ventura said she also recorded a song with Lil Wayne while she was in a relationship with Combs. R. Kelly In a January 2019 message shown in court, Mia told Combs she had a nightmare where he rescued her after she was trapped in an elevator with singer and convicted sex offender R. Kelly. Chris Brown The defense questioned Ventura about an alleged encounter with singer Chris Brown during her testimony. "Do you remember the incident where he suspected you of dancing with Chris Brown?" defense attorney Anna Estevao asked Ventura. Ventura said she did not remember the incident, but she "was not dancing" with Brown. Mike Myers Prior to working for Combs, Mia worked as a personal assistant for comedian Mike Myers. Madonna Mia testified that she worked for Madonna for eight months after her employment with Combs ended. "I was hired to lead her film industry. It morphed into multiple roles," Mia said. Mick Jagger The defense questioned Mia about her time spent with various famous individuals during her employment with Combs. In messages to Combs shown in court, Mia described some of these encounters. One instance she recalled was spending a night in Paris with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. Jennifer Lopez In messages shown in court, Mia mentioned how Jennifer Lopez would not stay out with her and Combs. Morales also worked as a makeup artist for Lopez. Leonardo DiCaprio Mia said she once witnessed Combs playing poker with actor Leonardo DiCaprio. In a message, Mia wrote that Combs said the actor "does not know" anything about the game. Combs told her that he won $650,000, while DiCaprio won $10,000. Chadwick Boseman Mia messaged Combs in 2020 following the death of Chadwick Boseman. "Thinking of you with Chadwick Boseman," she wrote. Mia said Combs had been auditioning for the role of James Brown in the Get On Up biopic, which Boseman ultimately landed. Britney Spears Ventura said Britney Spears was among the celebrities in attendance at her 21st birthday party. She said the high-profile guests were there because of Combs. "That was all him. I didn't know them," Ventura said. 50 Cent Capricorn Clark, Combs' former assistant, testified about an instance where she accompanied Combs to do press at MTV. She said 50 Cent was there that day and Combs "had an issue with 50 Cent." Suge Knight Ventura testified that she told Combs not to do "anything stupid" when he went to confront Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. She said Damion "D-Roc" Butler informed Combs that Knight was at a local diner. Combs "quickly packed up and drove down there," Ventura said. Ventura said Combs and a bodyguard put on black clothing and armed themselves. When he got back, she said Combs would not tell her what happened or if he met Knight at the diner. What People Are Saying Cassie Ventura, during her testimony about Sean Combs' planned confrontation of Suge Knight: "I was crying. I was screaming 'Please don't do anything stupid.' I was just really nervous for them, what it meant, what they were going to do." Scott Mescudi, during his testimony about why he broke up with Cassie Ventura: "The drama was just getting out of hand." What Happens Next The trial, currently in its fourth week, is expected to last eight to 10 weeks. Combs is facing life in prison if convicted. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@
