Kanye West is showing his support for Sean “Diddy” Combs by attending his ongoing trial in New York City.
On Friday, June 13, the “Gold Digger” rapper, 48, made a surprise appearance at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse to hear testimony in his friend’s case. (The music mogul, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied all of the allegations against him.)
Cameras captured West stepping out of a black car before he began shaking hands with a couple of individuals.
While going through security, West was seen wearing an all-white outfit as he hoped to hear testimony from day 23 of Diddy’s trial.
Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared before a judge as jury selection for his sex trafficking trial began in New York City on May 5. In courtroom sketches obtained by Us Weekly, Diddy’s hair and beard appear to have gone fully gray, as hair dye is not allowed in the detention center where he’s being held. The rapper, […]
Diddy’s trial began in New York City on May 5 following his September 2024 arrest on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has vehemently denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Judge Arun Subramanian is overseeing the trial, which is expected to last through early July.
West has been outspoken about his support for Diddy in the past several months. In March, the Grammy winner released a song with the disgraced mogul titled “Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine.”
One month earlier, West tweeted “FREE PUFF” and launched a new collaboration between his Yeezy fashion brand and Diddy’s Sean John clothing line.
West also made headlines for a reported phone call he had with Diddy while he was behind bars.
In an alleged phone call shared by The Shade Room on March 17, West told Diddy, “You gonna definitely beat this s***.”
“This s*** is f***ing sad as a motherf***er,” Diddy allegedly told West of his incarceration before thanking his friend for reaching out to his children. “I just wanna thank you so much for just taking care of my kids, man. ‘Cause ain’t nobody reach out to them, ain’t nobody call. That meant so much that you reached out to them and took them under your wing while I’m in [jail], and I appreciate you.”
In response, West allegedly told Diddy that he looks up to him as a father. “I love you so much, man,” he said. “It’s like you raised me even when I didn’t know you, you know what I’m saying?”
Before the trial officially began in May, potential jurors were asked about their familiarity with celebrities, including West. It’s unclear whether he will be brought up during any witness testimony.
UPDATE — 12/18/24, 5:29 p.m. ET: After a reporter claimed that Diddy looked “thinner” at his latest court appearance, an insider told Us Weekly that he’s doing well. Diddy is “fit, healthy and fully focused on his defense,” the source confirms to Us. “He has been very active, remains in good spirits, and, as always, […]
Since Diddy’s trial began on May 5, the rapper has heard testimony from many people in his life including, his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, Kid Cudi and Danity Kane’s Dawn Richard.
Diddy, however, has maintained his innocence and denied all allegations against him.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement at the time of his client’s arrest. “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.