During Wednesday’s episode of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, rapper Kid Cudi opened up about why he supported Cassie Ventura in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-profile sex trafficking trial, though stating that he “hated every minute” of testifying.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Combs, 55, and Cassie, 38, started dating in 2007 and had an on-and-off relationship for over 10 years. The American music mogul signed the singer to his label in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37.
Cudi, 41, and Cassie also dated in 2011, albeit briefly. Cudi, born Scott Mescudi, told Cooper that though he initially refused to testify at the trial on two separate occasions, he ultimately had to show up in court because he was subpoenaed, NBC News reported.
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The Pursuit of Happiness rapper took the stand to share details about Combs and Cassie’s abusive relationship. “I was just there because I had to be,” Cudi revealed. “I hated every minute of it.”
Despite that, Cudi said he showed up in court because he wanted to support Cassie, saying that it ultimately gave him peace when he took the stand.
“I’ve always just wanted to see her thrive and do well and be happy because I know she was living a nightmare,” the 41-year-old Grammy-winner said. “And I was just there to support her. That’s what kind of gave me peace with it when I sat down in that chair.”
Cudi told the court that when Combs got to know about his romance with Cassie, the Bad Boy Records founder forced his way into his Hollywood Hills residence. Cudi began dating Cassie when she and Combs briefly separated.
The Day ‘n’ Nite rapper said that after he and Cassie ended their relationship, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at his car in 2012, setting it on fire as a result. Cassie also testified that she and Cudi received threats from Combs, who also expressed his intention to set Cudi’s car ablaze.
Cudi said he got to know that Combs was subjecting Cassie to abuse because she told him Combs physically assaulted her on a number of occasions. He also said that he and Cassie broke up because “the drama was too out of hand,” NBC News reported.
Cudi on Cooper’s podcast described the period of his relationship with Cassie as “crazy.” “I had a hard time understanding if it was reality. I was like, am I in a movie? … It was just chaotic and intense,” he told Cooper.
“And, you know, I wasn’t like, I was already out of my mind dealing with my own personal s— so I was really just like, f— it. I was just willing to walk into the fire.”
Combs was arrested by federal agents in September 2024 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The jury on July 2 convicted Combs of two counts of Mann Act violations for transporting male escorts and former girlfriends Cassie and “Jane” for sex. He was also facing life in prison if convicted of the more grievous sex trafficking and racketeering charges, but he was ultimately acquitted by the jury.
The embattled music executive remains in custody as he awaits his sentencing on October 3.
