John Legend said he was “horrified” by the many pending sexual assault lawsuits against his former collaborator Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The singer, 45, responded to the seemingly endless abuse allegations against the embattled rapper, 54, and the potential Grand Jury indictment he could face, calling them all “shameful.”
He also spoke about his reaction to the resurfaced and heartbreaking video of him beating his ex-girlfriend Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura, 37, in hotel surveillance footage from 2016 and condemned Combs.
In an interview with cnn On Thursday, the All of Me hitmaker said his “default stance is to believe women” and stood by his belief that abuse should be “brought to light” when it happens.
“I was horrified by the descriptions I read before the video evidence came out,” he said. “And absolutely, it’s something that needs to be brought to light when it happens.”
John Legend said he was ‘horrified’ by the many pending sexual assault lawsuits against his former collaborator Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
The singer, 45, responded to the seemingly endless abuse allegations against the embattled rapper, 54, and the potential Grand Jury indictment he could face, calling them all “shameful”; seen in May 2022
The hotel hallway attack was first referenced in a November 2023 lawsuit Ventura filed against Combs, whom she previously dated on and off from 2007 to 2018.
“It’s a real shame,” Legend said. “I really just want accountability and hopefully some healing for all of his victims.”
“My default position is to believe women when they make these accusations and make sure we do everything we can to support them (making them),” she added.
The 12-time Grammy winner also said he hopes “that they are heard and that any kind of accountability and reparations can be made to make these women whole again.”
He also added that he only wants “the best” for Ventura and “for all the other victims who have alleged that (Combs) abused them.”
Legend and Babyface last collaborated with Combs on his 2023 track, Kim Porter, which was dedicated to the rapper’s late girlfriend and appeared on The Love Album: Off the Grid.
Combs welcomed three of his seven children with the model before she died of lobar pneumonia at age 47 in 2018.
He has not publicly addressed any of the recent lawsuits, but on May 19 he posted an apology video, which Ventura’s lawyer criticized as “pathetic, desperate and disingenuous” since he had previously denied the allegations and suggested that his accusers were just looking for a ‘payday.’
In an interview with CNN on Thursday, the All of Me hitmaker said his “default stance is to believe women” and stood by his belief that abuse should be “brought to light” when it occurs.
He also spoke about his reaction to the resurfaced and heartbreaking video of him beating his ex-girlfriend Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura, 37, in hotel surveillance footage from 2016 and condemned Combs; seen in January 2018
Combs has not publicly addressed any of the recent lawsuits, but on May 19 he posted an apology video, which Ventura’s attorney criticized as “pathetic, desperate and disingenuous” since he previously denied the allegations and suggested his accusers only They were looking for a ‘payday’
After the video of the assault was released, the Me & U singer also broke her silence and urged people to “open their hearts to believe the victims the first time.”
Last year, the music mogul was named in eight civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault, including the now-settled Ventura case.
Ventura settled the lawsuit with Combs just one day after filing it late last year, but the remaining cases are still pending.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Combs will also face criminal charges as a grand jury was selected to hear evidence against him in a federal investigation.
The US Department of Justice is preparing to file a criminal charge against him, as his accusers have been told they could be brought to testify in New York City.