Kid Cudi has revealed the intense reluctance he felt about testifying against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs during the music mogul’s criminal trial, describing how he “hated every minute” of his court appearance but found solace in supporting Cassie Ventura.
The Grammy-winning rapper, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, disclosed on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast that prosecutors approached him twice to testify voluntarily, both times receiving a firm rejection. However, when a subpoena arrived, he had no choice but to appear in court.
“At first they asked, I said no. They asked again. I said no. Then I got subpoenaed. And I was like, ‘Fuck, shit, no,'” Mescudi recalled during his podcast appearance whilst promoting his new memoir.
The reluctant witness made a deliberate statement with his courtroom attire, rejecting formal dress in favour of jeans and a black leather jacket. He arrived at the federal courthouse in downtown Manhattan smoking a cigarette, having decided he wasn’t “dressing up for this shit.”
Despite his reservations, Mescudi managed to navigate his 22nd May testimony by focusing on his support for Ventura, whom he dated briefly in 2011 during a break in her tumultuous relationship with Combs. The R&B singer had endured four grueling days of testimony the previous week, detailing years of alleged abuse.
“I just was there to support her. That’s what kind of gave me peace with it when I sat down in that chair,” Mescudi explained. “Cassie is my friend, you know, and I love her, and I want to see her do well.”
The rapper’s testimony proved crucial for prosecutors, as he detailed the dramatic events of December 2011 when Combs discovered his relationship with Ventura. Mescudi testified that an irate Combs broke into his home whilst he was away, leading to a tense phone confrontation.
Love Music?
Get your daily dose of metal, rock, indie, pop, and everything else in between.
“Motherfucker, are you in my house?” Mescudi recalled demanding during that heated call.
Upon returning home, he discovered his Christmas presents had been unwrapped and his dog was locked in a bathroom, clearly traumatised. The situation escalated further in January 2012 when his Porsche was firebombed outside his Hollywood Hills residence.
When Mescudi arranged to meet Combs at the Soho House in Los Angeles, he found the music mogul “standing there, staring out the window with his hands behind his back, like a Marvel supervillain.” Combs denied any connection to the car bombing, though Ventura had testified that Combs told her he planned to bomb Mescudi’s vehicle.
Reflecting on the surreal nature of those events, Mescudi admitted the experience left him questioning reality. “In the moment, it was just crazy, like, I had a hard time understanding if it was reality. I was like, ‘Am I in a movie? What the fuck is going on?'”
The trial concluded with Combs being acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges, though he was convicted on two felony counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. During closing arguments, Combs’ defence team admitted their client subjected Ventura to brutal domestic violence but argued it didn’t constitute sex trafficking.
Speaking to CBS Mornings, Mescudi described the trial as “really hard” and noted the awkwardness of seeing Combs again after years apart. “We made eye contact a couple times. I know I did the right thing, so that’s all that matters.”
