Jelly Roll Claims He Turned Down Meeting Diddy

Country singer and rapper Jelly Roll said he turned down an opportunity to meet music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs when they both appeared on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! last year.

The stars appeared on comedian Jimmy Kimmel's talk show in an episode that aired on October 30. However, Jelly Roll, whose given name is Jason Bradley DeFord, said in a recent interview that when he was offered the chance to meet Combs backstage, he initially accepted before changing his mind.

On the April 6 episode of Tana Mongeau's Cancelled Podcast, Jelly Roll discussed his doubts about the existence of an "Illuminati" in Hollywood. Conspiracy theorists have expressed unfounded beliefs in a class of ruling elites who, they claim, control Hollywood and the world.

When Mongeau asked if there were any celebrities he didn't get along with or felt were "giving Illuminati or dark side," Jelly Roll said he would "probably get in trouble" for the anecdote he was about to share.

"I did Kimmel the day Diddy did Kimmel," he said. "And this was the first time in my career ever where they said, 'Do you want to meet such and such?' And I said, 'Yeah,' and I started walking that way. And as I was getting down the hallway—this is a true story—I said, 'Nah,' and went and got back in the car. Swear. I don't know what it was."

The "Son of a Sinner" hitmaker added that his attempt at humor when he was offered the chance to meet Combs did little to help the situation.

"I made a joke at first. I was like, 'You don't wanna meet the guy who got Tupac killed.' Nobody thought that was funny. So I thought, That's a bomb. Maybe I shouldn't go and do this anyway," he continued. "So I was already skeptical because I thought I had a funny one."

Jelly Roll added that while making his way to meet Combs, he thought, "I don't even know if that's a picture I want." He said he had previously ended up in pictures with people he did not want to be with because they happened to be on the red carpet at the same time. "They're like, 'Hey, y'all get together.' And you're like, 'Yo, I don't really know who this human is,'" he continued.

Newsweek has contacted representatives of Jelly Roll and Combs for comment via email.

Combs has faced legal battles in recent months, with lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and sex trafficking. Investigators with the Department of Homeland Security executed search warrants at properties belonging to Combs in Miami and the Holmby Hills suburb of Los Angeles on March 25.

The raids were tied to sex-trafficking allegations leveled by multiple plaintiffs, the Associated Press reported, citing law-enforcement sources.

Homeland Security Investigations said in a statement that it had "executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami and our local law enforcement partners."

In response to the raids and subsequent media coverage, Aaron Dyer, Combs' attorney, told Newsweek in an email on March 26: "There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.

"This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."

In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of coercing him to solicit prostitutes and pressuring him to have sex with them. The producer, Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, alleged in the lawsuit that he was sexually harassed, drugged and threatened by Combs for more than a year. Jones produced several tracks on Combs' The Love Album: Off the Grid and seeks $30 million in damages.

Shawn Holley, another attorney for Combs, has disputed the allegations, previously telling Newsweek that "we have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies."

In a separate case, Cassie, an R&B singer and Combs' ex-girlfriend, sued him in November, alleging years of sexual abuse. The lawsuit, which accused Combs of forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes while he filmed, was settled the day after it was filed.

Combs was hit with another lawsuit in December over allegations that he trafficked and sexually abused a woman identified as Jane Doe. The suit accused Combs of "gang rape" and sex trafficking.

On X, formerly Twitter, the rapper addressed the accusations that he raped and trafficked women in a December 6 post that is pinned to the top of his account.

"Enough is Enough," Combs wrote. "For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy.

"Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth."

Update, 4/8/24, 2pm ET: The headline on this article was updated to reflect that Jelly Roll was making a claim.