Rapper Too $hort is walking back his promise to support Sean Diddy Combs‘ return home.
The former Bad Boy Records owner is serving a 50-month sentence after a jury convicted him on two counts of transporting persons across state lines for prostitution.
Diddy’s conviction capped a downfall that began when former girlfriend Cassie Ventura sued him for $20 million in fall 2023. She accused him of physical and sexual abuse.
Combs settled the suit within a day, but Ventura’s accusations put him under intense scrutiny as leaked video followed.
The footage shows Combs beating Ventura in a hotel, which later became part of the federal investigation into sex-trafficking allegations.
Fans condemned Combs online, but several peers supported him, including Boosie, Yung Miami, Stevie J and Ye.
Too $hort was also initially supportive of Diddy, which he shared in his Oct. 1 appearance on a podcast. But he quickly regretted it.
In “The TMZ Podcast,” the host asked $hort if he believes Diddy will have a career when he gets out.
Too $Short replied, “I’m going to the Puff Daddy coming-home party when he comes home.”
After days of backlash, he apologized on camera for his statement.
“I want to thank all the people that called me yesterday, texted me, hit me up about this TMZ Puff Daddy thing,” he began on Oct. 4. “I was a little insensitive with my words.”
The “Blew the Whistle” rapper took accountability for saying in the interview that he would attend a welcome home party for Diddy. He then condemned the “Bad Boy For Life” rapper for abusing Cassie.
“I really didn’t know the full extent of the case. I did not know that there were a lot of women who had claimed that they had been abused by Puff Daddy and how it affected them,” Short explained.
He added, “I do not condone abuse in any kind of way, not emotional, not physical, not sexual, and I don’t support anybody that does it.”
The 60-year-old apologized for his words and acknowledged all the women in his life. He also expanded on the type of Diddy parties he attended.
“When I say I’m gonna go to his party, I was talking about the parties that he throws for his friends. Not any party where it’s f—g baby oil or some g—n sexual s—t. I’ve been to dozens of his parties and never once have I seen a naked person or a sexual act.”
The likes of Kevin Hart and Leonardo DiCaprio have attended Diddy’s lavish, star-studded parties for years. But there were other parties which he called “freak offs” where drugs, alcohol, baby oil, and sexual acts would occur. Diddy would pay for sex workers for these occasions and request Ventura be involved.
$hort stressed that not every Diddy party qualified as a “sex party.” He also expressed his hope that Diddy would grow while serving his sentence.
“Because just in a short period of time of me dealing with this, I feel like I’ve grown a lot, I’ve learned a lot, and I hope that when he comes home that he’s not an abuser anymore,” he said.
Short’s comments drew mixed responses online, with some people siding with him and others putting him on blast.
One person who seemed satisfied with the apology said, “Setting a good example. The ability to acknowledge and apologize for faults.”
Another fan who was relieved wrote, “Maaaannn I’m so glad you cleared that up because I was kinda crushed.”
One person who was skeptical of the statement wrote, “You still going to the welcome home party.”
A fourth person who thought similarly wrote, “Lmaoo. Nah n—a u gon be at the party!!”
The Oakland, California, rapper said he wouldn’t be mad at his friends for being “super freaky.” He also said he doesn’t “crucify” Diddy for anything other than him abusing Ventura.
As far as Diddy’s career, $hort said, “I don’t think with his success and the life that he lived, I don’t think that he should chase the music industry.”
Many have advised Diddy not to try to make a comeback like Bill Cosby’s failed attempts after his 2021 release and again in 2023 over his sexual assault allegations.
He said Bill Cosby is a “perfect example” to learn from. But no one loved it when he came home to announce a comedy tour, “and the world said, ‘No you not.'”
Instead, $hort advised Diddy to, “Put your toes in the water, feel it around. If I was him, I’d move to Bali and go hang out with Russell Simmons.”
Music executive Russell Simmons moved to Bali in 2018 after several women accused him of assault, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. As years have gone by, more than 20 women have made accusations against him. Authorities have never arrested him.
Combs’ federal release date is January 2028.
