Saturday must have been a tough day for Sean “Diddy” Combs. Not only did Eminem name-check the disgraced hip-hop mogul three times on his latest album, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace),” but on July 12, the “Bad Boy for Life” made headlines again for allegedly threatening the former Vibe magazine editor-in-chief in a brutal way.
Danielle Smith penned a personal essay for The New York Times on Saturday, claiming that the producer, who is already embroiled in a number of controversial legal battles, once allegedly threatened to see her “dead in the trunk of a car.”
According to Smith’s recollections, he and the Bad Boy Records founder became embroiled in a disagreement over the cover of the December 1997/January 1998 double-issue.
Smith’s NYT story, “I knew Diddy for years. What I remember now haunts me,” primarily looks at her own life as a woman in the music industry and drags Diddy “and others” for promoting “inevitable sexism.”
Presumably, Smith mustered the courage to put his story into words when he saw that multiple other parties were attempting to hold him accountable for his alleged abhorrent misconduct, which potentially included solicitation, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and more.
The veteran magazine editor also shared a personal piece on social media. She wrote on Instagram, “It took me nearly 30 years to write this essay for @nytmag — I’m sad. And I’m angry. And grateful for the support of the talented and generous @emilwilbekin @ava_chin @jessewashington19 as well as my patient and talented editor @nielaorr 🙏🏽 thank you @macdowell1907 🙏🏽 thank you @elliottwilson.”
Read this also | Kanye West accused of allegedly sending ‘inappropriate’ messages to 22-year-old model Mikaela Lafuente
However, unlike the allegations of sexual promiscuity that were central to Diddy’s downfall, Smith’s exchange with Diddy in July 1997 was something that happened on a professional stage. Smith described the incident as “insidious”, something that “broke” her mind, noting how it reflected “the dynamic and the domineering way things used to be in our heyday.”
What happened between the veteran journalist and Diddy, recalled by Daniel Smith
According to the timeline provided by Smith, the incident occurred shortly after the murders of hip-hop icons Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., when the American journalist was appointed editor-in-chief of music magazine Vibe.
Combs was the cover star of the magazine’s double issue at the time. The photoshoot was inspired by the poster for the 1978 Warren Beauty film “Heaven Can Wait,” which featured Diddy in white angel wings. However, much like the disturbing revelations that were to follow, the split cover was to feature contrasting motifs — “one with heavenly allusions and the other with hellish allusions.”
Once the shoot was successfully finished, Diddy requested access to the cover before it went to press. “It was never our policy to show covers before publication,” Smith commented. As a result, he was not allowed to see the cover, but soon, he learned that the rapper was coming back to his office, leaving him no choice but to show him his final choice for the cover – presumably ” [them] If they don’t like what they see, they’ll choose something else.”
Read this also | What’s next for Alex Baldwin after involuntary manslaughter case dismissal?
Shortly after, Combs called the reporter’s office. “That’s when Combs told me, as I have told him hundreds of times over the years, that he would see me ‘dead in the trunk of a car.'”
Smith told him to “take back that threat.” However, he reportedly responded, “Take back what?” followed by a “disgusting laugh” and “[Expletive] You.”
According to Smith, he further intimidated her, saying, “I know where you are right now. Right over there on Lexington.” Eventually, she threatened legal action, but her words had no effect on the rapper. Within two hours of contacting his lawyer, Combs faxed her an apology.
Shortly after those dangerous encounters with Diddy, Smith went to her office one day and found that some of her servers had been stolen from the office. It turned out that the magazine issue featuring Diddy was also saved on one of these servers, raising suspicions that Diddy’s agency might be responsible for what happened.
Eventually, Vibe’s art director stepped in and secured the issue on a disc.
Smith’s report came to light a week after model Adria English filed a lawsuit against Diddy on July 3, saying that after being employed by the producer in 2004, she was “forced into sex trafficking over time.”
