Producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed a $30 million lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Monday (Feb. 26) against award-winning mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs for sexual assault.
The producer claims Combs made unwanted sexual advances and forced him to engage in sexual acts with sex workers. Lil Rod is credited with producing six songs on Diddy’s latest album, The Love Album: Off The Grid. Jones’s lawsuit marks Diddy’s fifth filed by a former employee alleging sexual assault.
As well as Diddy, Lil Rod names Diddy’s son, Justin Combs, Diddy’s Chief of Staff, Kristina Khorram, Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge, Ethiopia Habtemariam, and numerous record labels and Jane and John Dos as parties he claims did not “adequately monitor, warn or supervise” Combs’ actions. A RICO enterprise was referred to in Jones’ filing, alleging that all parties participated in a racketeering scheme.
In the lawsuit, Jones details allegations that occurred during the creation of The Love Album: Off The Grid, which was released in September 2023 on Diddy’s new Love Records in partnership with Motown Records. Jones was involved in the production of tracks such as “Deliver Me,” “Stay Awhile,” “Homecoming,” “Need Somebody,” “Reachin,” and “Stay, Pt.1.” Between Sept. 2022 and Nov. 2023, the producer claims he lived with Diddy, who allegedly acquired, used, and distributed illicit drugs, displayed illegal firearms, and laced alcoholic beverages he provided to minors and sex workers.
The lawsuit includes redacted names of recording artists who “[consorted] with underage girls and sex workers.”
The Love Album: Off The Grid includes guest appearances by The Dream, Herb Alpert, Nova Wav, Busta Rhymes, Dawn Richards, Kalenna, Nija, Jozzy, Jacquees, Fabolous, Swae Lee, Summer Walker, The Weeknd, 21 Savage, French Montana, Justin Bieber, Jazmin Sullivan, Kehlani, Ty Dolla $ign, Coco Jones, Ki-Ci (of Jodeci), Jeremih, Mary J. Blige, Teyana Taylor, Burna Boy, Babyface, John Legend, H.E.R., Bryson Tiller, PartyNextDoor, Timbaland, and Metro Boomin.
Lil Rod claims repeated sexual harassment from Diddy and associates at residences in New York, Los Angeles, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He claims to have hours of recorded footage of Diddy and staff engaging in illegal activities. He stated that Diddy forced him to work in the bathroom as the mogul showered.
Jones’s lawsuit later claimed allegations that Diddy drugged the producer, encouraged solicitation of sex workers, and grooming. The producer claimed to have been asked by Diddy to lie to the police in Los Angeles after an altercation between Diddy and his son Justin that resulted in a man being shot in the stomach. Jones claimed Diddy told him to tell police the man was shot in a drive-by shooting.
While the lawsuit redacts several names, Jones named other celebrities such as producer/songwriter/reality TV star Stevie J, actor Cuba Gooding Jr., and Diddy’s former girlfriend and recording artist Yung Miami. Jones says he was forced to watch Stevie J engage in sexual acts with another man, Gooding groped him, and Yung Miami’s cousin sexually assaulted him upon Diddy’s request.
Diddy’s attorney Shawn Holley, refutes the producer’s claims. She told Variety:
“Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 billion lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”
As he promises to clear his name, Diddy faces several legal battles after settling the lawsuit with former girlfriend Cassie Ventura last year for an undisclosed amount. After the settlement, Cassie and Diddy released respective statements regarding the lawsuit, in which he denied any wrongdoing. Diddy’s other lawsuits include the allegations of the gang rape of a 17-year-old in 2003.