The fourth annual awards gala was hosted at the Beverly Hilton on Thursday (September 19), where the likes of Usher, LL Cool J and Gunna were honoured.
The event was held just two days after rap mogul Diddy was arrested in New York and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transporting for prostitution. It followed a string of sexual misconduct allegations filed against him over the past year.
He has since been denied bail, with the latest reports claiming that he had been placed on suicide watch as he awaits trial.
Speaking to Sky News on the red carpet, LL Cool J replied “no” when asked if he had any thoughts on the high-profile arrest or allegations, before adding: “I feel for his children, the rest I can’t speak on, that’s what we’ve got a court system for. But I feel for his kids.”
Diddy is father to seven children aged between 33 and one-years-old.
When Flavor Flav was asked about the arrest, he replied: “You know what, I’mma tell you, when anybody asks me my opinion on Diddy, you know what my opinion is? I have none. I ain’t got no answers for a Diddy question. None.”
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attends the ceremony honoring LL Cool J with a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Los Angeles, California, on January 21, 2016 (CREDIT: Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)
Diddy is charged with “a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals” that spanned “decades”.
According to the indictment, Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct” (per Variety).
It also alleges that he and his associates would coerce victims into participating in days-long “freak offs”, which were “elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded”.
Federal prosecutors also allege that Combs manipulated women through drugs, asserting control over their careers, wielding his financial power over them and subjecting them to violence and punishment – including allegations that he “hit, kicked, threw objects at, and dragged victims, sometimes by their hair”.
Diddy’s legal representative Marc Agnifilo has asserted that he is innocent, and said that he will “fight like hell” to free him on bail, TMZ has reported. NME have also reached out to Diddy’s representatives for comment.
The charges are the latest accusations to hit combs, after R&B singer and ex Cassie filed a lawsuit against him on allegations of physical and sexual abuse last year.
Diddy denied the claims before the pair settled the lawsuit “to mutual satisfaction” a day after it was filed. Footage of Combs’ attack on Cassie was later released to the public in May, and Diddy issued an apology for his actions at the time.
Two separate allegations were also made against Diddy – one woman claimed Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her, and the other alleged that Combs and singer-songwriter Aaron Hall took turns raping the plaintiff and her friend in 1990 or 1991.
Diddy went online to deny all allegations against him, but Hall hasn’t replied to the accusations.
Earlier this year, producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones sued Combs alleging he sexually assaulted him. Diddy replied, saying Jones’ claims were “pure fiction”.
On May 22, Diddy was then accused of drugging and assaulting Crystal McKinney, a former model. Diddy did not respond for comment.
A former porn actress also came forward on July 4 to accuse the rapper of sex trafficking. Diddy’s lawyer has denied the claims, maintaining that “Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone.”
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
The post LL Cool J and Flavor Flav address Diddy arrest at Black Music Action Coalition gala appeared first on NME.
http://dlvr.it/TDWd39