The controversy initially gained traction in November 2023, when singer Cassie Ventura, Diddy's former long-term partner, filed a lawsuit accusing him of physical abuse, coercion, and emotional manipulation. The lawsuit detailed alarming patterns of behaviour, including coerced intimate activities and psychological control. Though the lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, it opened the floodgates for additional claims against the music mogul.

In the aftermath of Cassie’s revelations, other individuals came forward with their allegations. Notably, Joey Dickerson Neal accused Diddy of assaulting her in 1991 after an incident involving intoxication. She further claimed that Diddy recorded the assault and shared the footage, adding to the gravity of the accusations against him.