Following in the footsteps of Sean “Diddy” Combs' Several big Hollywood stars have spoken out following Combs' arrest in New York City on Tuesday, with experts saying others, including former and current friends of Combs, are staying silent out of “fear.”
The music mogul was charged with racketeering conspiracy, coercion sex trafficking, fraud or extortion and transportation for prostitution and faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
While the high-profile case has prompted responses from many artists, including 50 Cent, Aubrey O'Day, Kesha and Mary J. Blige, other artists who have been linked to Combs in the past, including Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell, Ashton Kutcher and Jay-Z, none of whom are involved in the criminal case, have remained notably silent.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs was indicted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges in New York on Tuesday. (Shayan Asgarnia)
“Celebrities are staying quiet because they're terrified that their brand will lose fans as a result of being associated with Diddy, or even worse, that there may be dire consequences if they defy Diddy,” Eric Schiffer, CEO of Reputation Management Consultants, told Fox News Digital.
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Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, said there are “a lot of reasons” why people who know Combs aren't speaking out.
“Other than 50 Cent, the vast majority of the music and entertainment industry has remained conspicuously silent or in hushed tones regarding the rumors surrounding P. Diddy and now the federal indictment,” Eldridge said.
“Given the seriousness of the charges, the detailed allegations laid out in the indictment, and the long-standing rumors surrounding Combs, there are many reasons why a public figure might choose to remain silent for the time being, including the following:
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“First, the charges are pretty brutal. They range from sex trafficking to alleged drug use,” he added. “The scope and scale of the evidence collected in the federal investigation includes cell phones, computers and more than 50 individuals who are currently allegedly cooperating as witnesses.”
“Third, the depth and influence of the co-conspirators — people who may have been put at risk by attending Didi's illicit sex parties — is staggering.”
Here are the stars who have and haven't spoken out about Combs' indictment.
Stars who haven't spoken out
Jennifer Lopez
Lopez and Combs dated from 1999 to 2001. (Lopez is not involved in Combs' criminal case.) (Getty Images)
Age of the Comb Jennifer Lopez He was in a relationship with Kim Porter from 1999 to 2001, but the couple broke up amid allegations of infidelity.
In 2003, Lopez spoke to Vibe magazine about the breakup, saying, “It was the first time I'd ever been in a relationship with someone who was unfaithful. When I was dating Puff, [Combs] I cried, I screamed, I nearly lost my mind, my life was in complete chaos.
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“I never caught up with him, but I just knew. He said he was going to a club for a few hours and never came back that night.”
Combs attended the afterparty for Lopez's Las Vegas show. (Getty Images)
The two reunited at an after-party for her Las Vegas show in 2018.
A representative for Lopez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Ashton Kutcher
Combs and Kutcher met while they were both hosts on the MTV show. (Kutcher is not involved in Combs' criminal case.) (Getty Images)
Kutcher and Combs have been friends for many years, having first met while hosting various television shows for MTV.
The “That '70s Show” actor bonded with Combs over their shared love of pranks, and during a 2019 appearance on “Hot Ones,” Kutcher said he had so many memories he couldn't pick one “party memory” of Diddy.
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“Wow, there's a lot of stuff I can't talk about. I can't talk about this,” Kutcher said. “I'm actually cycling through them. … Our relationship is really weird because we're starting all over again. '“He was like, 'Dude, you can't punk me,' and I was like, 'I don't know what to say, we're all on the table,'” he said.
Diddy apparently responded by saying, “Not me. I'm off the table.”
“And that's how our conversation began,” Kutcher said.
Earlier this year, a source told the Daily Mail that Kutcher would not be involved in the investigation surrounding Combs.
“Ashton and Mila [Kunis] “Ashton has no intention of publicly supporting Diddy at this time,” the source said. “Despite Ashton and Diddy's long-standing relationship, he has distanced himself from them. [ex-girlfriend] With Kathy's lawsuit and the new lawsuits coming, it's even bigger.”
A representative for Kutcher did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Jay Z
Combs and Jay-Z rose to fame around the same time through various hip-hop projects. (Jay-Z is not involved in Combs' criminal case.) (Getty Images)
Jay-Z and Combs rose to fame with their respective hip-hop careers in the early '90s.
The two have supported each other over the years and have been seen together at various parties. In 1997, the two collaborated on a song that was included on Combs' debut album, “No Way Out.”
During a 2015 appearance on “Sway in the Morning,” Combs spoke with Jay-Z about his future plans to go into business.
“Me and Jay talked about it and we said we want to pick the best one,” he told Vibe magazine. “It's going to be exciting all the way to the end.”
“I think that's the only way we're going to have true economic power — if we do more of it together. That's the next level of hip-hop.”
A representative for Jay-Z did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Naomi Campbell
Campbell celebrated Combs' 54th birthday in 2023. (Campbell is not involved in Combs' criminal case.) (Getty Images)
Combs' longtime friend Naomi Campbell threw a lavish 54th birthday party for the rapper in 2023.
However, shortly after the Cassie lawsuit later that year, in which Cassie accused Combs of abuse and sex trafficking, Campbell appeared to remove all posts relating to herself and Combs from her social media.
A representative for Campbell did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Stars who spoke out
Aubrey O'Day
Aubrey O'Day, a former member of Combs' girl group Danity Kane, has spoken out about her thoughts on the music mogul's recent arrest. (Getty Images)
O'Day, a former member of Combs' all-girl band Danity Kane, has been open about her feelings toward Combs for years.
“The purpose of justice is to give closure and allow space to create a new chapter,” she wrote. X (formerly Twitter) After his arrest, he said: “Women will never understand this. I feel validated. Today is a victory not only for me, but for women all over the world. Finally, things are changing.”
50 Cent
Rapper 50 Cent has been attacking Combs for years. (Getty Images)
Shortly after Combs' arrest, 50 Cent appeared to respond in a social media post.
“I'm good friends with @thedrewbarrymoreshow but I don't have 1000 bottles of lube in my house,” he captioned a photo of himself alongside Drew Barrymore, with the rapper seemingly referencing the “over 1000 bottles of baby oil and lube” that were discovered during a search of Combs' home in March.
Shine
Former rapper Shyne says Combs “destroyed” his life after the 1999 nightclub shooting. (Getty Images)
Shine, a former Bad Boy rapper and current Belizean politician, spoke about his history with the fallen music mogul.
“When I was 18, I defended him because all I wanted to do was make my mother and Belize proud, have my talent recognized and conquer the world. Then he changed his tune and called witnesses to testify against me. He basically sent me to prison,” Shine said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“I've forgiven. I've moved on. But let's not act like we were in Miami for Thanksgiving or Christmas.”
Shine, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives, was a rising star in hip-hop when he signed with Bad Boy Records in 1998. A year later, Shine, along with Diddy and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer LopezA shootout broke out at the now-closed Times Square club New York, leaving three people injured.
Shine and Combs performed together at a concert in London in 2023. (Getty Images)
Combs was acquitted at trial, but Shine was found guilty of five of the eight charges and sentenced to ten years in prison. After his release, Shine was deported to Belize.
“Let's not lose sight of the cold hard facts,” Shine argued. “This is not someone I spent holidays with, or someone with whom I enjoyed a wonderful, brotherly bond.”
“This is an individual who destroyed my life and I have forgiven him and moved on. He was in a position at the time to give scholarships and perhaps invest and he did so in the interest of Belize. I do not deny that he tried to bring investment to Belize and he tried to contribute to education in Belize.”
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“Do I take any joy in what he's going through? Not at all. I'm not like other people. I don't need someone to fail for me to succeed.”
Kesha
Kesha recently announced plans to change the lyrics of her song “Tik Tok” that reference Combs. (Getty Images)
in TikTok video shared by the singer On Wednesday, Kesha appeared to officially change the lyrics of her hit song “Tik Tok.”
The original song, released in 2009, includes the lyrics, “When I wake up in the morning I feel like P. Diddy.”.” IIn a video on social media, Kesha shared a new version of the song, adding an additional lyric: “F— like P. Diddy.”
In August, the 37-year-old singer announced plans to legally change the lyrics.
Mary J. Blige
Blige and Combs have supported each other for years, but after federal investigators raided Combs' home in March, the Grammy Award winner posted a cryptic message on Instagram about cutting ties “if necessary.” (Getty Images)
After federal investigators raided Combs' home in March, the Grammy winner posted a cryptic message on Instagram: “Unfortunately, when many of you met me, I was a boundary-less, crowd-pleasing person. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I will burn bridges if necessary.”
Blige and Combs' connection goes back decades: Her first two studio albums, “What's the 411?” and “My Life,” were both produced by the rapper in the 1990s.
Combs appeared in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty. Not only was his $50 million bail offer rejected, but he was sent straight to jail after the hearing.
He was placed on periodic suicide watch while awaiting trial at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, sources told Fox News Digital on Friday.
The source added, “This is standard practice for public figures admitted to federal facilities and is not indicative of his mental state.”
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Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright and Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this post.
