Brian Buckmeyer

Some fans didn't think Cassie met those high standards for Bad Boy. I found an online petition to get Cassie kicked off the label that referenced both this BET performance and another one on MTV. The petition got over 3,000 signatures, so not tons considering she had hundreds of thousands of followers on MySpace, but still, it was pretty vicious.

Some fans didn't think Cassie met those high standards for Bad Boy. I found an online petition to get Cassie kicked off the label that referenced both this BET performance and another one on MTV. The petition got over 3,000 signatures, so not tons considering she had hundreds of thousands of followers on MySpace, but still, it was pretty vicious.

The petition was titled, We Prefer Lassie Over Cassie, and whoever started it complained of Cassie's penguin-moaning vocals. But after the BET performance, Diddy seemed to stand by Cassie. He told MTV, It just made me appreciate that she got nervous, and it was kind of cute to me, to be honest. He said he told her, It's like riding a bike. You're gonna fall down. You gotta keep on getting on it.

The petition was titled, We Prefer Lassie Over Cassie, and whoever started it complained of Cassie's penguin-moaning vocals. But after the BET performance, Diddy seemed to stand by Cassie. He told MTV, It just made me appreciate that she got nervous, and it was kind of cute to me, to be honest. He said he told her, It's like riding a bike. You're gonna fall down. You gotta keep on getting on it.

At the time, that might have seemed like a label exec defending his artist, standing by her. Maybe even a bit of fatherly advice. But those comments to MTV, where he described Cassie as cute, actually showed up in Cassie's 2023 lawsuit against Combs.

At the time, that might have seemed like a label exec defending his artist, standing by her. Maybe even a bit of fatherly advice. But those comments to MTV, where he described Cassie as cute, actually showed up in Cassie's 2023 lawsuit against Combs.

The suit said that by pointing out how young and naive Cassie was, Combs was actually laying the groundwork for his, quote, manipulative and course of romantic relationship with a woman nearly two decades his junior. A lot of what we've learned about Cassie's experience of her relationship with Sean Combs comes from this lawsuit, allegations that he, again, vehemently denies.

The suit said that by pointing out how young and naive Cassie was, Combs was actually laying the groundwork for his, quote, manipulative and course of romantic relationship with a woman nearly two decades his junior. A lot of what we've learned about Cassie's experience of her relationship with Sean Combs comes from this lawsuit, allegations that he, again, vehemently denies.

But because the lawsuit was settled quickly and the details of the settlement were sealed, all we have is her 35-page complaint to share her side of the story, her account of how their relationship started, what the alleged abuse was like for her, and how she says it impacted her life and her career. Cassie hasn't spoken about the alleged abuse since the settlement.

But because the lawsuit was settled quickly and the details of the settlement were sealed, all we have is her 35-page complaint to share her side of the story, her account of how their relationship started, what the alleged abuse was like for her, and how she says it impacted her life and her career. Cassie hasn't spoken about the alleged abuse since the settlement.

It's common in settlements like this for the two sides to agree not to say bad things about each other. So all we've heard from Cassie is an Instagram post where she thanked fans for their support, but didn't mention Diddy by name.

It's common in settlements like this for the two sides to agree not to say bad things about each other. So all we've heard from Cassie is an Instagram post where she thanked fans for their support, but didn't mention Diddy by name.

So what happens if we take the accounts of hidden abuse Cassie alleges in her lawsuit and compare them with the parts of her life that were visible to the public these last 20 years? what picture emerges? That's coming up after the break.

So what happens if we take the accounts of hidden abuse Cassie alleges in her lawsuit and compare them with the parts of her life that were visible to the public these last 20 years? what picture emerges? That's coming up after the break.

In September of 2007, Cassie threw a party to celebrate her 21st birthday. The party was at a hotel in Las Vegas. In photos, you can see her wearing shimmery pants and a white tank top. She's smiling, holding a glass of bubbly. According to Cassie's lawsuit, Combs showed up to the party uninvited. He brought some of his celebrity friends along too, including Britney Spears.

In September of 2007, Cassie threw a party to celebrate her 21st birthday. The party was at a hotel in Las Vegas. In photos, you can see her wearing shimmery pants and a white tank top. She's smiling, holding a glass of bubbly. According to Cassie's lawsuit, Combs showed up to the party uninvited. He brought some of his celebrity friends along too, including Britney Spears.

Combs and his longtime girlfriend, Kim Porter, had reportedly broken up. They were together on and off for about 13 years and raised four children together. In her lawsuit, Cassie alleged that Combs forcibly kissed her in a bathroom that night of her birthday party and that she did not consent to his unwanted contact.

Combs and his longtime girlfriend, Kim Porter, had reportedly broken up. They were together on and off for about 13 years and raised four children together. In her lawsuit, Cassie alleged that Combs forcibly kissed her in a bathroom that night of her birthday party and that she did not consent to his unwanted contact.

That fall, according to Cassie's lawsuit, Combs invited her to come to Miami by herself under the pretense of a work obligation. She says he hired a party promoter to make fake flyers for an event that she was supposed to host. But Cassie's lawsuit claims there was no party. It was all a sham.

That fall, according to Cassie's lawsuit, Combs invited her to come to Miami by herself under the pretense of a work obligation. She says he hired a party promoter to make fake flyers for an event that she was supposed to host. But Cassie's lawsuit claims there was no party. It was all a sham.