John Legend‘s manager was once a college graduate, enjoying a family vacation on the picturesque island of St. Barts—a playground for the rich and famous—and suddenly everything thing changed following her attendance at a Diddy party.
In a recent New York Times op-ed, Ty Stiklorius recalls a night years ago when she attended a party hosted by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
Stiklorius described the experience as “terrifying,” as she remembers feeling trapped by one of Diddy’s friends. By a stroke of luck, she was able to “escape,” eventually carving out her place in the industry with people who didn’t subscribe to the questionable antics she encountered that night.
“Twenty-seven years ago, I was on a family vacation in the Caribbean and my brother and I finagled our way into a New Year’s Eve party on a yacht docked at St. Barts. I was a recent college graduate and it was hard not to be overwhelmed by the slew of boldface names onboard. But the sheen of the situation wore off quickly,” Stiklorius wrote.
She explained that she was “directed into a bedroom by a man who seemed to be an associate of the party’s host, Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs” that she thought was a disco room.
“To this day, I can’t remember how I managed to talk my way out of that terrifying situation,” she continued, “Perhaps my nervous babbling — ‘My brother’s on this boat, and he’s probably looking for me!’ — convinced him to unlock the bedroom door and let me go.”
According to Stiklorius, when recent news of Diddy’s indictment hit the internet, her “mind flashed back to that night on the yacht.”
At the time, she chalked it up as the guy just being drunk and acting bad at the party. Now, the Friends at Work founder realizes that there is a through line.
“I do now know, after 20 years as a music industry executive, that what happened that night was no aberration — it was an indicator of a pervasive culture in the music industry that actively fostered sexual misconduct and exploited the lives and bodies of those hoping to make it in the business,” Stiklorius continued.
According to Stiklorius, the music industry’s power structure allows wealthy, entitled male gatekeepers to dominate pathways to success, often abusing their unchecked power. Women, especially, face dangers in studios, tour buses, and offices, which she believes isn’t an industry flaw — it’s deeply ingrained into the culture of the industry.
“But there is hope — we might finally be on the cusp of real change in the culture of the industry, thanks to shifts in the business model that have loosened the grip of exploitative gatekeepers,” she said, referencing how technology allows for independent artists to circumvent the antiquated model that allowed a few, mostly men, to have the power to greenlight people’s careers, and use that power to make people do outrageous things just to get on.
Legend, Stiklorius’ University of Pennsylvania college friend, helped usher her into the music business, surrounding her with a community of people who were safe.
Many on social media weighed in on her coming forward with her story now, mostly suggesting Stiklorius is trying to distance her client far from the scandal that might have Bad Boy Records founder in jail for the rest of his life.
“Riiiiiiiiiiiight….. I’m sure she’s the victim,” a comment read, neglecting the fact she was in her early 20s and fresh out of college. “I’m sure these entertainment lawyers and managers had NO IDEA what was happening.
Someone else posted, “The real question is what did John Legend do and why hasn’t he spoken out about it?”
A third believes, “Shes trying cover for him & the wife.”
the real question is what did John Legend do and why hasn't he spoken out about it?
— BTC 🧡 RUNES RUNES RUNES (@mark_ippol51515) October 31, 2024
Another wrote, “Now they’re gonna try making the attendees of all Diddy parties into victims instead of the accomplices they truly are. I see what’s goin on here.”
While Legend does not seem to have engaged in the antics that she has referenced, it doesn’t mean that he is super strait-laced. Many have wondered if he is among the many celebs who attended Diddy’s “Freak-Offs” or all night parties which he allegedly used to facilitate the abuse and exploitation of women and men since 2008. There have been reports he manipulated several victims into not speaking by threatening to release video footage.
Recently, a tale from his wife Chrissy Teigen, 38, referencing how she and the “Ordinary People” singer had sex at an event with the Obamas resurfaced.
The pair were on the red carpet at the 58th annual Grammy Awards, when the former model drew a question card asking her to name a public place she’d had sex.
She answered, “Probably the Obama thing,” leaving the singer speechless.
AJ Calloway, the “Extra” correspondent for the segment, pressed for more details about the encounter involving the 44th president, but Legend replied, “I don’t know. We’re not going to discuss that.”
After a while, the couple clarified that their intimate rendevous did not take place at the White House and happened before Obama had become president.
Assuming her husband was embarrassed at her candid candor, Teigen closed the segment with, “Sorry. I’m in trouble now.”
It is not known if Teigen, a mother of four, actually got in trouble or faced any backlash from her husband or the White House for her statement.
But the “All of Me” singer has been vocal about Diddy’s allegations and the horrific video released in May 2024 of him beating his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel lobby.
Exclusive: Disgraced Hip-Hop mogul Diddy physically assaulting Cassie Ventura in 2016 surveillance video. #HerRapStory pic.twitter.com/Mk3OPj4jTF
— Lance Cooper (@lmauricecpr) May 17, 2024
“I was horrified by the descriptions that I read before the video evidence came out and absolutely it’s something that needs to be brought to light when it happens,” Legend said in an interview with CNN, calling Diddy’s actions “Shameful.”
Legend went on to that his “default stance” is to “Believe women when they make these accusations and to make sure that we do whatever we can to support women.”
He added, “It’s quite a shame. I really just want accountability and hopefully some healing for all of his victims.”
