Diddy accuser Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones is breaking his silence after suing the music exec for sexual assault, harassment and unpaid work back in February.
Lil Rod Speaks on His Diddy Lawsuit
On Tuesday (Aug. 27), Rolling Stone debuted an exclusive interview with producer Lil Rod, where he talked openly about his Diddy lawsuit for the first time. Here are the biggest takeaways from the revealing conversation.
“He’s a monster. He’ll do whatever is necessary to get exactly what he wants. He doesn’t take no for an answer. He [told me] himself, ‘I’ll smack my mama.’ Anybody who can say that even jokingly is a monster. He’s nothing to be played with. For a person whose brand is Love Records, and changed their name to Love and named their kid Love, he doesn’t show love. He’s just marketing.”
- On When the Alleged Abuse Started
“One of the first moments that was very uncomfortable was around Thanksgiving. Me and DeForrest were the only two flown to Miami. It’s Thanksgiving Day, and he has a table outside for the employees. He’s inside, and he waves me in. I’m a little nervous but excited to be brought into the family dinner. I felt privileged to be sitting there. He introduced me and asked me to bless the food. I’m trying to talk with the people sitting next to me, but I notice everyone is saying very little. I realized they’re probably all under NDAs. I don’t like to sit uncomfortable too long, so I went to the studio.
About 10 minutes later, Puff comes rolling in with Yung Miami and others following behind. Assistants were lighting candles, giving us cocktails. He went in his bathroom attached to the studio and summoned me and DeForrest. He asked me if I had a $100 bill. There were three white lines on the sink. He was asking me to do something I’ve never done before. It was awkward. He was trying to get me to do some drugs. I don’t want to judge anybody, but that’s at the top of my list of things I’m afraid to do.”
- On Getting Security After Allegedly Receiving Threats
“I got threats. I’ve never had so much hitting me at once. Diddy has a lot of people on his payroll in a lot of different positions. He’s very connected. It’s made me nervous traveling. Going to hotels, I ask if there’s any way to remove my name. [The last time] I landed in L.A., I knew he had connections there. I got off the plane worried. I masked my face and changed my outfits, trying to disguise myself. For sure I was uncomfortable, paranoid, afraid. But I told myself, you can’t keep living like this. I’ve got three therapists. [In his lawsuit, Jones alleges Combs threatened him with physical harm.] Everybody saw the video of Cassie. This is who I’m dealing with.”
- On How the Lawsuit Has Affected His Career
“It’s been very, very tough. Because of this lawsuit, most people don’t want to come near working with me for whatever reasons, whether they’ve been in partnership with Puff or they want to just sit back and see what happens. He’s a gatekeeper in the music industry. In this industry, to be successful, you have to have worked with someone like him or Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Kanye or 50 Cent. So many people I’ve worked with have had business deals with him. I reached out to try to get a deal for my album, and people don’t want to get involved.
The crazy part is, when you sign most artists, you have to get in the studio and pay producers. My album is finished. It’s mixed and mastered. I just need someone to come in and help with marketing and the release. I did the hard part. But people are too scared, whatever their reasons are, to touch this. I’ve been told the best way to do it is independent. But I have no engine. [Meanwhile,] I can’t just go back to working with artists as a musician because I have to take security around with me when I’m performing, and most musicians don’t get paid enough to take security.”
- On Why He Decided to Come Out Now
“For some reason, our culture worships [Combs] and his billionaire status. They don’t want to see him fall because they’re living vicariously through him. They have to understand Puffy is no god. He’s nothing more than a shrewd, crooked businessman. He’s stolen publishing for years. He’s nothing but a thief. He has no soul. He lives off other people’s gifts and talents. It’s not a human way to live. My name is all over the [Love Album] credits, so I had to have done some producing. It got a Grammy nomination. And I’m sitting here doing nothing, unable to work. This is not right.”
XXL has reached out to Diddy’s team for comment.
Read More: The Confirmed and Alleged Violent Moments of Diddy’s Past
Diddy Files Motion to Dismiss Lil Rod’s Lawsuit
The new Lil Rod interview comes on the heels of Diddy’s attorney filing a motion to dismiss Lil Rod’s lawsuit on the grounds that the suit lacks evidence and is just a ploy to lure the music exec into a settlement.
“Mr. Jones’s lawsuit is pure fiction,” Diddy’s lawyer Erica Wolff said in a statement shared with XXL. “There was no RICO conspiracy and Mr. Jones was not threatened, groomed, assaulted or trafficked. We look forward to proving — in a court of law — that all of Mr. Jones’s claims are made up and must be dismissed.”
Lil Rod’s lawsuit is just one of several that have been filed against Diddy since last November. Diddy settled the first lawsuit, which was filed by his former girlfriend Cassie. He has denied the allegations included in the others.
Read More: Producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Uses a 50 Cent Line to Demand Payment From Diddy in Sexual Assault Lawsuit
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