Kid Cudi, the rapper, testified on Thursday in the sex trafficking trial of Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs, revealing allegations of property destruction, intimidation, and physical abuse against his colleague.
The trial, now in its second week, has heard testimony from 16 witnesses, including Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend.
Cudi’s account detailed a pattern of aggressive behaviour by Combs, including a 2011 break-in at his home and the arson of his Porsche.
The rapper, who avoided eye contact with Combs in court, testified that he briefly dated Ventura in 2011 after meeting her in 2008. He said at the time, he believed she was no longer in a relationship with Combs. He claimed Ventura confided in him that Combs had physically assaulted her.
The 41-year-old, born Scott Mescudi, testified that the situation escalated in December 2011 when Ventura called him in a panic around 6 am, warning that Combs had discovered their relationship.
Cudi said they were scared Combs would retaliate, so they fled to a nearby hotel. He recounted that Ventura told him Combs had allegedly attacked her with a wine bottle opener before she escaped.
He said upon returning to his home, he called Combs, who denied being inside but ominously stated, I just want to talk to you. I’m over here waiting for you.
Mescudi said he found his security cameras tampered with, gifts opened, and his dog locked in the bathroom. The rapper said he filed a police report, but no arrests were made.
He said he spent Christmas with Ventura’s family in Connecticut, but the couple split by New Year’s Eve.
The rapper disclosed that weeks later, in January 2012, his dog sitter alerted him that his Porsche had been set ablaze outside his home.
Photos shown to the jury revealed the car’s roof had been cut open, with what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail used to ignite it.
Mescudi said he then set up a meeting with Combs at the Soho House in Los Angeles.
When he arrived at the meeting, Sean Combs was standing there, staring out the window with his hands behind his back, like a Marvel supervillain, he added.
The witness said when confronted about the car, Combs replied, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Mescudi said in 2015, the two met again at Soho House, where Combs allegedly said, Man, I just want to apologise for everything and all that bullsh*t.
The rapper testified that he found peace with the situation afterward, calling the apology unexpected.
Under cross-examination, Mescudi confirmed that DNA was collected from his burnt car, but no results were provided, and no arrests followed. Defense attorney Brian Steel suggested Ventura had played Mescudi, to which he agreed.
Mescudi admitted their breakup was driven by safety concerns, stating, I knew Sean Combs was violent.
Photo credit: APNews
