Sean “Diddy” Combs’ history of violence reportedly stems as far back as his college days when sources claim he beat his then-girlfriend with what appeared to be a belt in front of other students.
An eyewitness told Rolling Stone in a bombshell report published Wednesday that the “Bad Boy for Life” rapper was allegedly “super angry” and “screaming at the top of his lungs” during the incident at Howard University in the late 1980s.
“[He] whupped her butt — like really whupped her butt,” the source, who chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of what occurred, further claimed.
The onlooker alleged that Combs had used the apparent belt to strike his girlfriend “all over the place,” which made the young woman down in tears.
“She was trying to defend herself a little bit. She was crying,” the source claimed. “And we were telling him, ‘Get off of her.’ We were screaming for her.”
A separate source, who was also a student at the time, recalled a “belligerent” Combs shouting outside of Howard’s Harriet Tubman Quadrangle and hearing other women alert people in a panic about what was allegedly taking place.
“Puff is out here acting crazy. He’s beating her,” the eyewitness claimed fellow students were saying.
The unidentified former girlfriend declined Rolling Stone’s request for comment.
has reached out to Combs’ lawyer and a spokesperson for Howard University but did not immediately hear back in time for publication.
Per Rolling Stone’s six-month investigation, Combs had begun to earn a reputation for having a short fuse on campus prior to the big blowout with his then-girlfriend.
People had reportedly witnessed the “I Need a Girl” rapper seemingly try to intimidate the young woman by allegedly showing up to her English class to try and get her to ditch.
“She would tense up [when Combs appeared],” a student, who sat next to the woman, recalled to the magazine. “He just had a weird control thing. I felt like she was fearful.”
A separate former student recalled feeling the “Act Bad” rapper’s wrath when she objected to him cutting her in the cafeteria line and he allegedly “flew off the handle.”
A female classmate also claimed Combs once made her feel uncomfortable when he “caressed” her back without her consent.
The music mogul’s lawyer told Rolling Stone in part, “Mr. Combs cannot comment on settled litigation, will not comment on pending litigation and cannot address every allegation picked up by the press from any source, no matter how unreliable.”
Combs started attending Howard in the fall of 1987 but left after his sophomore year to pursue a career in entertainment.
He returned to the prestigious school in May 2014 to deliver a commencement speech and was given an honorary degree.
A series of recently filed lawsuits have shone a light on the alleged abuse Combs hid from the public for decades.
His ex Cassie Ventura filed her complaint in November 2023, alleging rape, physical abuse and other disturbing claims like forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes during their nearly 10-year relationship.
The lawsuit was quickly settled within a day, but then an explosive surveillance video obtained by CNN earlier this month showed Combs hitting, dragging and kicking Ventura in a hotel in 2016.
The Bad Boy Records executive — after months of claiming his accusers were liars looking for a quick payday — admitted he was “f–ked up” during the hotel incident with Ventura.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” he said in a video on Instagram earlier this month.”I was f—ked up. I mean, I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses.”
Combs, 54, added at the time, “My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted.”
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Ventura, 37, for her part, thanked all of her supporters and said, “Domestic violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become.”
She concluded, “It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in. I offer my hand to those that are still living in fear. … No one should carry this weight alone.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
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