by Venus Sanders
Music producer Rodney Jones Jr., known as Lil Rod, has filed a lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, alleging sexual assault, grooming, and improper payment for his work on The Love Album: Off the Grid, among other claims. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan earlier today, as reported by The New York Times.
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Jones collaborated with Diddy on nine songs for The Love Album: Off the Grid in 2022 and 2023. According to the 73-page lawsuit, Jones lived with Diddy for extended periods while working on the album.
He accuses Diddy of sexual misconduct, including grabbing his genitals without consent, coercing him into hiring prostitutes and engaging in sexual acts with them, and attempting to groom him for sexual activity with another man. Diddy allegedly claimed that such behavior was common in the music industry and used promises of awards, fame, and access to record executives to control Jones.
The lawsuit further alleges that Jones was drugged at a listening party at Diddy's California home in July 2023. After consuming tequila shots laced with drugs, Jones blacked out and woke up the next morning naked with a sex worker beside him.
In addition to Diddy, Jones has named Universal Music Group and several of its executives as defendants in the lawsuit. He claims that he was not adequately compensated for his work on The Love Album and is seeking restitution. Diddy's attorney, Shawn Holley, has denied the allegations, describing Jones as a liar seeking an undeserved payout. Holley asserts that the claims are fabricated and supported by overwhelming evidence.
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Initially seeking $30 billion in compensation, Jones has since corrected the amount to $30 million. This lawsuit marks the fifth time Diddy has faced allegations of sexual misconduct in recent months. One lawsuit filed by a woman known as Jane Doe alleges that Diddy and others sex trafficked and raped her when she was a 17-year-old high school student in 2003. Diddy has vehemently denied these claims, calling them sickening and false.
Jane Doe is represented by the same law firm that supported Cassie Ventura's sexual assault lawsuit against Diddy, which has since been settled. Following Cassie's case, two other women filed lawsuits alleging sexual assault by Diddy. Diddy's spokesperson has dismissed these claims as fabricated and baseless.
In response to the allegations, Diddy temporarily stepped down as chairman of Revolt, the media company he co-founded in 2013, in November.
The lawsuit filed by Jones adds to the mounting legal challenges Diddy faces regarding allegations of sexual misconduct. As the case unfolds, it underscores the importance of addressing and holding individuals accountable for such behavior within the music industry.