As accusations of rape, sexual abuse and sex trafficking of women heap on rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs — following his September 2024 indictment and arrest— singers Usher and Justin Bieber have been in the spotlight too.
At the young age of 13, Usher relocated to New York City to live with Diddy as a part of the “Puffy Flavor Camp” where he was mentored by the producer.
At “The Howard Stern Show” in 2016, Usher said, “I got a chance to see some things.”
“I don’t know if I could indulge and understand what I was even looking at. It was pretty wild,” he added.
Amidst the allegations, this led to speculations of “hidden truths” about Diddy. However, Usher has nothing but praise for his former mentor.
In February, Usher told People magazine how being mentored by Diddy in 1994 helped him become the artist he is today. “Some of the most valuable lessons I could ever learn as an entrepreneur were picked up when I spent that time in New York with him.”
He had also shared with Revolt in July 2022 that staying with Diddy exposed him to a litany of artists in the R&B and hip-hop community. “It was a culture and I felt like they were ushering me in,” he said.