Nick Cannon Defends Diddy In Resurfaced Video; Cassie Serves As Witness In Sex Trafficking Investigation
Nick Cannon's past comments about Sean "Diddy" Combs and Cassie's allegations against him have resurfaced following the raids on the music mogul's homes last month.
In a clip shared on Instagram Tuesday from a recent episode of his podcast "Counsel Culture," Cannon was asked about his thoughts on Combs by guest Iyanla Vanzant.
"I find it difficult when I'm asked about people that I know," Cannon admitted in the episode filmed before the March 25 raids.
He recalled getting asked about Combs during an interview on the podcast "Way Up With Angela Yee" last year after Cassie filed a lawsuit against the rapper, accusing him of rape and abuse.
"I answered it as honestly as I knew how to answer it," Cannon told Vanzant before confessing that he struggled to take a position at the time because "they're not just public figures" to him.
Addressing his earlier responses on "Way Up With Angela Yee," Cannon explained on his own podcast, "I was like, this is someone who was hurt, who was victimized... But then, when this question goes a little bit further, 'So what about Puff?' It's like, I don't know how to feel about that."
Cannon went on to reveal that Combs "called, checked on me, stood by me, [and] stood up for me" after he was fired by ViacomCBS in 2020 over antisemitic remarks that he has since apologized for.
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Shortly after Cannon's axing, Combs offered him a job at his Revolt TV network.
In his podcast, Cannon explained that this support made him unsure how to publicly address the allegations against Combs.
"So, I have to almost do this dance about [it] when it comes up," the media personality said. "Because just as much as I know Diddy, I know Cassie."
Cannon told Vanzant that as a "friend" and "brother," he wants to "defend" a pal if they get in trouble, to which his guest replied, "But that's not your job."
"That's not my job," he responded. "So your advice to me is sometimes you just say, 'I reserve comment.'"
Meanwhile, Combs' ex Cassie is reportedly cooperating with the federal authorities investigating him.
The 37-year-old singer is among the witnesses authorities have spoken to in connection with the sex trafficking investigation involving the music mogul, unnamed insiders told TMZ.
According to the sources, other women have also spoken to authorities working on the case.
Cassi reportedly began cooperating with investigators weeks before federal agents raided Combs' Los Angeles and Miami homes on March 25.
Homeland Security Investigations agents executed search warrants out of the Southern District of New York during the raids at the properties.
In November 2023, Cassie came forward with allegations that she was raped and repeatedly physically abused by Combs during their nearly 10-year relationship.
In her lawsuit, the R&B singer also accused Combs of sex trafficking after allegedly forcing her to perform sexual services on him as well as male prostitutes while he filmed the acts.
Cassie alleged that Combs gave her drugs during these so-called "freak offs" and that she took them because they "allowed her to disassociate during these horrific encounters."
A lawyer for Combs vehemently denied the allegations at the time.
The hip-hop mogul and Cassie reached a settlement just one day after the lawsuit was filed.
However, four more lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual assault emerged in the next several weeks, with the latest one coming from producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones.
In addition to allegations of sexual assault and harassment, Jones -- who worked on Combs' most recent album -- accused the rapper of running a sex trafficking operation.
Combs has denied all allegations against him.
