LOS ANGELES — In the last two weeks, the music industry has roiled with high-profile claims of sexual abuse within its top ranks. Most prominently, R&B singer Casandra Ventura, aka Cassie, filed, and then quickly settled, an explosive suit against her former boyfriend and record-company boss Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging years of assault and rape.
Others came forward in suits alleging sexual assault and misconduct by former Recording Academy top executive Neil Portnow, former Arista and Epic Records chief L.A. Reid and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler.
kAm%96D6 2==682E:@?D 92G6 42FD65 2 7:C6DE@C> 😕 >FD:4 4:C4=6D[ 3FE E96J 5:5 ?@E DFCAC:D6 p=6I2 }:<@=2D[ E96 7@F?56C @7 E96 24E:G:DE ?6EH@C< 2?5 A@AF=2C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]J@FEF36]4@>^o62EAC652E@CDQm*@F%F36 492??6=k^2m t2E !C652E@CD]k^Am
kAmx? a_a`[ }:<@=2D[ b`[ 7:=65 DF:E 😕 {@D p?86=6D r@F?EJ $FA6C:@C r@FCE 2==68:?8 E92E 96C 6I\9FD32?5[ #9J6 D:?86C |:4926= |:=@D9[ 925 23FD65 96C] W|:=@D9 56?:65 E96 2==682E:@?D 2?5 4@F?E6CDF65] %96 4@FCE E9C6H @FE 9:D DF:E 😕 u63CF2CJ] }:<@=2D H:E95C6H 96C DF:E[ 3FE D2:5 D96VD 4@?D:56C:?8 C67:=:?8X]k^Am
kAm$:?46 7@F?5:?8 t2E !C652E@CD 😕 a_aa[ E96 7@C>6C 49:=5 DE2C[ 36DE <?@H? 7@C 4@\DE2CC:?8 2=@?8D:56 y2>:6 {J?? $A62CD 😕 E96 }:4<6=@56@? D6C:6D Q+@6J `_`[Q 92D 364@>6 2 AC@>:?6?E 24E:G:DE[ @FE:?8 2==6865 23FD6CD 😕 E96 6?E6CE2:?>6?E :?5FDECJ 2?5 AC@E6DE:?8 @FED:56 }:4<6=@56@?[ (2C?6C |FD:4[ $@?J |FD:4 2?5 #65 {:89E |2?286>6?E @77:46D 😕 {]p]k^Am
kAmx? yF=J[ D96 2=D@ 4=2:>65 E92E 24E@C y@?29 w:== 925 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]52:=J>2:=]4@]F<^EGD9@H3:K^2CE:4=6\`abcdffd^p=6I2\}:<@=2D\5@F3=6D\4=2:>D\y@?29\w:==\7@C465\8C@DD\<:DD\F?56C286\;FDE\E@?8F6\C:89E\>@FE9]9E>=QmEC:65 E@ <:DD 96Ck^2m 282:?DE 96C H:== H96? D96 H2D 2 E66?286C 2?5 96 H2D 😕 9:D a_D] Ww:==VD 2EE@C?6J 42==65 E96 4=2:> Q2 4@>A=6E6 723C:42E:@?]QXk^Am
kAm%96 {]p] %:>6D DA@<6 H:E9 }:<@=2D 23@FE E96 C646?E H2G6 @7 =2HDF:ED[ H92E :E E2<6D E@ 4@>6 7@CH2C5 2?5 9@H E@ <66A >@>6?EF> FA J62CD 27E6C R|6%@@]k^Am
kAm”i %96C6 92G6 366? 7@FC 9:89\AC@7:=6 DF:ED 4=2:>:?8 23FD6 😕 E96 >FD:4 :?5FDECJ 😕 E96 =2DE EH@ H66<D[ 2== @7 H9:49 42>6 F?56C }6H *@C<VD p5F=E $FCG:G@CD p4E] w@H 92G6 J@F 76=E D66:?8 E9:D 4@>6 E@ =:89Enk^Am
kAmpi %96 D25 A2CE 23@FE E9:D 😀 xV> ?@E D9@4<65] %96 >FD:4 :?5FDECJ 92D 366? 4@G6C:?8 FA D6IF2= 2DD2F=E 7@C 564256D] %96J 96=A AC@E64E E96D6 AC652E@CD D@ E92E E96J 42? 4@?E:?F6 E@ >2<6 >@?6J @77 @7 E96>]k^Am
kAm”i r2DD:6VD DF:E 282:?DE s:55J 2==6865 J62CD @7 G6CJ 5:DEFC3:?8 24E:@?D] (92E 5@ J@F E9:?< D96 H6?E E9C@F89 😕 564:5:?8 E@ 7:=6 E9:D DF:E 282:?DE D@>6@?6 D@ A@H6C7F=nk^Am
kAmpi %96 724E E92E D96 H2D 6G6? 23=6 E@ 5@ E9:D 😀 2 >:C24=6[ 6DA64:2==J 8@:?8 FA 282:?DE D@>6@?6 2D A@H6C7F= 2D s:55J] %96C6 2C6 D@ >2?J 42C5D DE24<65 282:?DE 96C] %96C6VD D@ >F49 !%$s E92E J@F 92G6 E@ >@G6 E9C@F89 E@ 6G6? 86E E@ E96 A@:?E @7 DE2?5:?8 FA 7@C J@FCD6=7 2?5 D66<:?8 ;FDE:46] (6VG6 =62C?65 😕 E96 DFCG:G@C 4@>>F?:EJ E92E >@DE @7 E96 E:>6[ H6 5@?VE C62==J 86E ;FDE:46] (96? J@F 4@>6 7@CH2C5[ J@F 92G6 E@ 36 AC6A2C65 7@C 9@H E96 @E96C D:56[ H:E9 E96:C A@H6C7F= =2HJ6CD[ 2C6 8@:?8 D>62C J@F[ 2?5 D@ :E E2<6D 2 =@E E@ 86E E96C6[ >6?E2==J 2?5 A9JD:42==J] x 42?VE 36=:6G6 D96 6?565 FA 5@:?8 :E]k^Am
kAm”i (92E 5@ J@F E9:?< E96 72==@FE H:== 36 7@C 9:D 42C66C 27E6C E9:Dnk^Am
kAmpi (92E xV> >@C6 H@CC:65 23@FE 😀 H92E 92AA6?D E@ 2== @7 E96 @E96C AC652E@CD 27E6C E9:D] xV> 2=H2JD H@CC:65 23@FE E96 7@4FD @? E96 @?6 AC652E@C 2?5 ?@E @? E96 :?DE:EFE:@?]k^Am
kAmx 2> 9@A:?8 E92E 96 5@6D?VE 86E E96 D2>6 EJA6D @7 @AA@CEF?:E:6D] %9:D 😀 23@FE ?@E 7:?2?4:2==J C6H2C5:?8 D@>6@?6 H9@ 23FD6D @E96CD] s:5 96 =62C? 2 =6DD@?[ @C 5:5 96 ;FDE C62=:K6 E92E 9:D >@?6J 42? >2<6 6G6CJE9:?8 8@ 2H2Jn pD =@?8 2D AC652E@CD 766= E92E E96:C 32?< 244@F?ED 2C6 D64FC6[ 2?5 E92E E96JVC6 23=6 E@ D:=6?46 DFCG:G@CD[ x 5@?VE <?@H :7 E96:C 3692G:@C 😀 8@:?8 E@ 492?86]k^Am
kAm”i p =@E @7 E96D6 EJA6D @7 D6EE=6>6?ED 4@>6 H:E9 ?@?5:D4=@DFC6 28C66>6?ED] w@H 5@6D E92E 27764E E96 AC@46DD @7 7:?5:?8 ;FDE:46nk^Am
kAmpi x 5@?VE 36=:6G6 😕 }spD H96? :E 4@>6D E@ 4C:>6D] x E9:?< E96J D9@F=5 36 :==682=] qFE >@DE DFCG:G@CD[ H6 5@?VE C62==J H2?E E@ =6E E96 H@C=5 <?@H H6 H6C6 C2A65] xEVD ?@E 9@H H6 H2?E E@ 36 C6>6>36C65] q642FD6 EC2F>2 😀 D@ :?E:>2E6 2?5 D92>67F=[ D64C64J 😀 G6CJ :>A@CE2?E 😕 E96 7:CDE DE286 @7 962=:?8] $@ :7 2? 23FD6C 42E496D 2 DFCG:G@C 😕 E96 7:CDE A92D6 @7 E96:C 962=:?8 ;@FC?6J[ E96JVC6 8@:?8 E@ 36 23=6 E@ 5@>:?2E6 E96 @FE4@>6[ 2?5 E96 DFCG:G@C 42? D2J[ Q(6==[ 2E =62DE x 42>6 7@CH2C5[ 6G6? :7 :EVD AC:G2E6=J]Q $@>6@?6VD 8@:?8 E@ 92?5 @G6C 52>286D[ 2?5 J@F 766= =:<6 J@FVC6 86EE:?8 D@>6 ;FDE:46] qFE @?46 J@F 86E @FE @7 E96 :D@=2E:@?[ E96 D64@?5 A92D6 :D[ Qw6 42? 5@ E9:D 282:? E@ D@>6@?6 6=D6[ 2?5 x 42?VE D2J 2?JE9:?8]Qk^Am
kAm”i %96D6 DF:ED 42>6 3642FD6 E96 p5F=E $FCG:G@CD p4E @A6?65 FA 2 @?6\J62C H:?5@H E@ 7:=6 4:G:= DF:ED 4=2:>:?8 D6IF2= 23FD6 36J@?5 E96 DE2EFE6 @7 =:>:E2E:@?D] (9J H2D E92E ?646DD2CJ 7@C 2== E9:D E@ 4@>6 E@ =:89Enk^Am
kAmpi !6@A=6 8@ 😕 E96 4:G:=\DF:E 5:C64E:@? 3642FD6 ?@E 6G6CJ DFCG:G@C 766=D =:<6 E96J 42? 8@ E9C@F89 E96 4C:>:?2= DJDE6>[ @C E96J 92G6 ?@ @E96C @AE:@?] p?5 6G6? E96? J@F @?=J 92G6 2 E:?J H:?5@H E@ DF6] (9@ 😀 8@:?8 E@ 86E @FE @7 E96 8C:A @7 E96 AC652E@C 2?5 962= 😕 ;FDE 2 76H J62CDnk^Am
kAmx 5:5?VE 6G6? C62==J <?@H 23@FE A@H6C 5J?2>:4D F?E:= E96 R|6%@@ >@G6>6?E] xE E@@< 2 =@?8 E:>6 E@ 6G6? 36 23=6 E@ 56D4C:36 244FC2E6=J H92E 92AA6?65 E@ >6] (6 FD65 E@ D2J[ Q%9:D 8FJ 😀 2? 2—9@=6]Q %92E H2D E96 =2?8F286 2C@F?5 AC652E@CD[ 2?5 E92E 96=A65 E96> 86E 2H2J H:E9 :E 3642FD6 ?@ @?6 H2D D2J:?8[ Q*@FVC6 4@>>:EE:?8 4C:>6D]Q }@H E92EVD 492?8:?8[ 2?5 E92EVD H@?56C7F=]k^Am
kAm”i $@>6 2CE:DED 2?5 6I64FE:G6D 244FD65 @7 E9:D 3692G:@C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^6?E6CE2:?>6?E\2CED^>FD:4^DE@CJ^a_ab\_d\_h^>2C:=J?\>2?D@?\6G2?\C2496=\H@@5\=2HDF:E\5672>2E:@?Qm=:<6 |2C:=J? |2?D@?k^2m[ 92G6 EFC?65 E@ 7:=:?8 5672>2E:@? DF:ED 282:?DE E96:C 244FD6CD] (92E 3FC56? 5@6D E92E AFE @? D@>6@?6 4@>:?8 7@CH2C5nk^Am
kAmpi {6EVD D2J x DF65 >J 23FD6C] p?5 E96? 96 D2JD[ Qw6C6VD 2? }sp] {6EVD D6EE=6]Q %92E FD65 E@ 36 E96 H2J @7 8@:?8 23@FE E9:?8D] }@H[ :7 J@F DF6 D@>63@5J[ 2?5 E96 @E96C D:56 42??@E 86E J@F E@ D:8? E96 }sp[ E96 @?=J H2J E@ 5:D4C65:E E96 DFCG:G@C 😀 E@ 7:=6 2 5672>2E:@? DF:E] %92EVD H92E J@F D66 E:>6 2?5 E:>6 282:?[ 2?5 E92EVD @?6 C62D@? H9J DFCG:G@CD 2C6 27C2:5 @7 4@>:?8 7@CH2C5]k^Am
kAm”i *@FVG6 @C82?:K65 AC@E6DED 😕 7C@?E @7 2 ?F>36C @7 AC@>:?6?E >FD:4 2?5 6?E6CE2:?>6?E 4@>A2?:6D] w2G6 J@F 72465 AFD9324< H:E9:? E96 :?5FDECJ 7@C J@FC H@C<nk^Am
kAmpi %9@D6 :?DE:EFE:@?D 5@?VE C62==J <?@H 9@H E@ 562= H:E9 >6] xEVD ?@E 4@>>@? 7@C 2 DFCG:G@C E@ 92G6 2 A=2E7@C>] p =@E @7 E96 E:>6[ E96JVC6 23=6 E@ 4CFD9 E92E A6CD@?VD 42C66C 4@>A=6E6=J] (:E9 >6[ :EVD DEC2?86 3FE 3642FD6 @7 ?@DE2=8:2[ x DE:== 92G6 E9:D :?7=F6?46] x7 E96J H2?E E@ D:=6?46 >6[ :EVD E96 H9@=6 D@\42==65 $EC6:D2?5 t7764E[ H96C6 E96:C FDF2= C6=6?E=6DD E24E:4D E@ D:=6?46 2 DFCG:G@C ;FDE >2<6D :E >@C6 AF3=:4]k^Am
kAm”i p =@E @7 E96D6 4=2:>D 2C6 3@F?5 FA H:E9:? 3:8 4@CA@C2E:@?D 2?5 :?DE:EFE:@?D[ =:<6 >2;@C =236=D 2?5 E96 #64@C5:?8 p4256>J] w@H 2C6 E96J 72==:?8 D9@CE 😕 9@=5:?8 A6@A=6 244@F?E23=6 2?5 @H?:?8 FA E@ E96:C C@=6D 😕 E9:D 5J?2>:4nk^Am
kAmpi x 92G6?VE D66? E96D6 :?DE:EFE:@?D 36:?8 96=5 244@F?E23=6 7@C E96:C 4@G6C\FAD] x7 E96J H6C6?VE 4@G6C:?8 FA 7@C E96D6 :?5:G:5F2=D[ E96C6 H@F=5 92G6 366? 2 =@E =6DD G:4E:>D] %2<6 #] z6==J[ 7@C 6I2>A=6] $@?J <?6H 96 925 2== @7 E96D6 2==682E:@?D[ 2?5 E96J 5:5?VE 5C@A 9:> F?E:= a_`h] x >62?[ E92EVD ;FDE C:5:4F=@FD] %96J H6C6 AFEE:?8 9:> @? E@FC] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7C66A]4@>^DE@CJ^?6HD^a_`g^_a^a_^AC@E6DE\C\<6==J\56EC@:E\D9@H^bc_dgf__a^Qm~?6 4:EJ AC@E6DE65k^2m[ D2J:?8i Q(6 5@ ?@E H2?E {:G6 }2E:@? 3C:?8:?8 #] z6==J E@ @FC E@H? 3642FD6 H6 5@?VE 766= H6VC6 D276 :7 #] z6==J 😀 😕 @FC E@H?[Q 2?5 {:G6 }2E:@?VD C6DA@?D6 E@ E96 AC@E6DED 2?5 E96 A6E:E:@?D H2D QE96 D9@H >FDE 8@ @?]Q (92E 2 9@CC:7:4 C6DA@?D6 E@ D@>63@5J H9@ 6?565 FA 36:?8 4@?G:4E65 @7 49:=5 D6IF2= 23FD6]k^Am
kAm”i %92E >FDE 36 6DA64:2==J 5:77:4F=E 7@C D@>6@?6 =:<6 7@C>6C pU2>Aj# 6I64FE:G6 sC6H s:I@?[ H9@ 2==6865 23FD6 7C@> >F=E:A=6 A@H6C7F= C64@C5 6I64D[ :?4=F5:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^6?E6CE2:?>6?E\2CED^>FD:4^DE@CJ^a_ab\“\_g^=\2\C6:5\D6IF2=\2DD2F=E\=2HDF:E\5C6H\5:I@?Qm#6:5k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^6?E6CE2:?>6?E\2CED^>@G:6D^DE@CJ^a_a_\_`\b`^5C6H\5:I@?\E:?2\A6CCJ\@AC29\CFDD6==\D:>>@?DQm#FDD6== $:>>@?Dk^2m]k^Am
kAmpi p?@E96C DE:8>2 😀 😕 92G:?8 366? 23FD65 >F=E:A=6 E:>6D 😕 E96 :?5FDECJ] p?5 2 =@E @7 E96 E:>6[ H@>6? 92G6 E@ 49@@D6 H9:49 23FD6C E96J ECJ E@ D66< ;FDE:46 282:?DE[ 3642FD6 E96J @3G:@FD=J 42?VE D66< ;FDE:46 H:E9 E96> 2==] x7 E96J 8@ AF3=:4 23@FE >@C6 E92? @?6[ E96 A2EC:2C49J C62==J A2:?ED :E E92E J@FVC6 E96 AC@3=6>] (92EVD 4@@= 23@FE sC6H s:I@? 😀 E92E D96 H2D <:?5 @7 =:<6[ Vu— E92E]V %92EVD 2 C62==J :?DA:C:?8 >@>6?E 7@C D@>6@?6 =:<6 >6 3642FD6 x H2D 23FD65 4@F?E=6DD E:>6D 😕 E96 :?5FDECJ] %@ D66 D@>6@?6 36 762C=6DD 2?5 36 =:<6[ Q%9:D 92AA6?65 E@ >6 >@C6 E92? @?46[ 2?5 :EVD 2?@E96C A@H6C7F= >2? xV> 8@??2 8@ FA 282:?DE[Q E92EVD C62==J :?DA:C:?8]k^Am
kAm(92E sC6HVD C62==J =2J:?8 @FE 7@C 6G6CJ@?6 E@ D66 😀 E92E :7 J@F D2J ?@ E@ D@>6@?6[ J@F 42? =@D6 J@FC ;@3] *@F 5@?VE H@C<] (96? J@FVC6 2 H9:DE=63=@H6C[ E96 H9@=6 ?6EH@C< @7 AC652E@CD H:== >2<6 DFC6 J@F 5@?VE 86E 9:C65 3642FD6 E96J H2?E E@ <66A 86EE:?8 2H2J H:E9 H92E E96JVG6 366? 5@:?8]k^Am
kAm”i w@H 😀 E96 AC@46DD @7 4@>:?8 7@CH2C5 5:776C6?E 7@C D@>6@?6 H96? E96:C 4=2:>D DE6> 7C@> 6G6?ED E92E E@@< A=246 564256D 62C=:6C[ =:<6 😕 E96 $E6G6? %J=6C DF:Enk^Am
kAmpi x 8@E E@ >66E 2 DFCG:G@C @7 $E6G6? %J=6C , k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^6?E6CE2:?>6?E\2CED^DE@CJ^a_ab\_c\_d^DE6G6?\EJ=6C\56?:6D\D6IF2=\2DD2F=E\2==682E:@?D\5:D>:DD2=\E66?\8:C=QmyF=:2 |:D=6Jk^2m .] q24< E96?[ E96D6 >6? H6C6 C6H2C565 7@C 36:?8 QC636=DQ 😕 6G6CJ H9:49 H2J] qFE ,2==6865=J. C2A:?8 2 >:?@C[ E92EVD 366? :==682= 7@C 2 =@?8 E:>6] xE H2D D@ :==682= E92E %J=6C 925 E@ 364@>6 2 =682= 8F2C5:2? E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ 92G6 E96 23:=:EJ E@ 4@?EC@= 96C]k^Am
kAmx E9:?< D96 7:?2==J 564:565 E@ 4@>6 7@CH2C5 23@FE :E 3642FD6 @7 9:D 3@@<] w6VD ;FDE 3C288:?8 23@FE :E[ =:<6[ Q~9[ J629[ x 925 2 49:=5 3C:56]Q u@C 6G6CJ DFCG:G@C[ :EVD 23@FE Qw@H 5@ x E2<6 >J A@H6C 324<nQk^Am
kAm”i x? E96 J62CD D:?46 E96 7:CDE 3:8 H2G6 @7 R|6%@@ 2==682E:@?D[ 😀 :E 5:77:4F=E E@ <66A 2EE6?E:@? @? E9:D 24E:G:D> 2?5 86E A6@A=6 E@ EFC? FA 2E AC@E6DEDnk^Am
kAmpi %92EVD 9@?6DE=J E96 92C56DE A2CE[ 6DA64:2==J 😕 {@D p?86=6D[ 86EE:?8 A6@A=6 E@ A9JD:42==J D9@H FA] p =@E @7 DFCG:G@CD 5@?VE H2?E E@ 36 <?@H?[ @C E96JVG6 D:8?65 }spD D@ E96JVC6 27C2:5 E@ D9@H FA] (6 ?665 2==:6D] (6 ?665 A6@A=6 E92E F?56CDE2?5 9@H 5:C6 E9:D :DDF6 C62==J :D[ 2?5 9@H 92C>7F= 2?5 AC@>:?6?E :E 😀 😕 E96 6?E6CE2:?>6?E :?5FDECJ]k^Am
kAmx <66A 5@:?8 E9:D 3642FD6 x 92G6 2 52F89E6C[ 2?5 >J 52F89E6C 42? 36 AC6J @?6 52J E@ 2 AC652E@C] }@ >2EE6C 9@H x C2:D6 96C[ E96C6 😀 2 492?46 E92E D96 42? 36 AC6J65 FA@?] %92EVD H92E <66AD >6 5@:?8 E9:D]k^Am
kAm©a_ab {@D p?86=6D %:>6D] ‘:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2E:>6D]4@>^Qm=2E:>6D]4@>k^2m] s:DEC:3FE65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EC:3F?64@?E6?E286?4J]4@>Qm%C:3F?6 r@?E6?E p86?4J[ {{r]k^2mk^Am
