Following Touré’s MSNBC interview, Tanika Ray, one of Diddy’s former backup dancers, opened up about her experience with the rapper, describing her story as “horrific.”
Amid an ongoing investigation into Sean “Diddy” Combs, two more people in the media industry are sharing their stories of alleged experiences with the Bad Boy Records founder.
While appearing on MSNBC’s The ReidOut on Tuesday night, music journalist and podcaster Touré weighed in after federal agents raided two properties owned by Diddy, which comes as many have accused the record producer of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and abuse.
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During the conversation, Touré recalled how over a decade ago, he was able to get a male relative an internship with Diddy through his connection with him. However, he said his family member’s internship with Diddy “stopped abruptly like three or four months into it,” and they refused to reveal what happened.
“I spoke to my family member like, what happened? And they wouldn’t say,” Touré said. “And I’m like, why did it end? And they wouldn’t say. And years later, they finally came out — and [this is] a male — and said that, Puff had said, ‘Come home, stay the night with me or the internship is over.’ And they said, ‘Absolutely not.’ He said, ‘Absolutely not.’ And the internship ended.”
He added, “But from there I was like, “Oh, like, this is how it goes, okay. So to hear that things went even further with potentially allegedly many other people … We feel like we’ve seen this coming.”
Following Touré’s interview with Reid, Tanika Ray, one of Diddy’s former backup dancers, took to social media to open up about her experience with the rapper, describing her story as “horrific” and “traumatizing.”
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Ray, who is a former host of Extra, shared a video on Instagram on Wednesday, first including a clip of Touré’s appearance on MSNBC.
“Oh yeah, you know we all have stories … Seriously, we all have stories,” Ray began. “Mine is horrific and only five people know it, and I probably will never tell it.”
“But since then, I’ve been like, ‘Yup,'” she continued. “I am also intimately aware that you tell your truth, and you become victimized over and over and over and over, and mind you, I’ve then interviewed him many times.”
“I have a lot of stories, y’all. I’ve been in Hollywood for 25 years, maybe longer, 30? I got a lot of stories,” she added. “Unfortunately … maybe I’ll write a book one day, but it’s just so traumatizing.”
Ray concluded her video by sharing that, “Women just want to live every day and feel safe.”
“And when we revisit … we live in a state of victimhood, and nobody wants to live there,” she said. “So, for people who say, ‘Why didn’t you say something then?’ Because we just want to live. We want to be happy, and we really just want to forget the trauma. So, there’s that.”
The entertainment reporter shared more in the caption of her video.
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“Oh yeah women hold a lot in order to function everyday in a man’s world. Unfortch we can compartmentalization out pain and carry on. We utilize the experience as a lesson and move differently.”
Ray — who was a backup dancer for Diddy in the ’90s — added, “If I told my story in 1996 then What?? I just knew to avoid him at all costs. Yes I danced for him and kept my space. I was on the Vote or die airplane and kept my space. I interviewed him for his projects and kept my space.”
While she didn’t share any specifics, she said that “nothing that is happening is surprising” to her.
“Ladies keep space to heal and move on is key,” Ray said. “Gathering to incriminate is goals. But in this wild world with a broke azz system… our healing is priority. Shame on all those men that let this continue. Shame on me maybe for prioritizing my mental health some would say.”
“But after working in a place that snatches souls… mine is in tact and of the light,” she added. “I saved myself. Now if someone needs me to pile on my story, give me a call.”
Ray ended her post by referencing Diddy’s ex, R&B singer, Cassie Ventura, who sued Diddy and accused him of rape, among other allegations of wrongdoing in November. (The rap mogul settled the lawsuit within 24 hours.)
“But I think Cassie got it!!” she wrote.
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Ray’s post comes just just days after federal agents raided Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami in what Homeland Security Investigations said was part of an ongoing investigation in which Diddy is the target. Per TMZ, the probe is in connection to the allegations against the businessman, including sex trafficking, sexual assault, and soliciting and distributing illegal narcotics and firearms.
Sources also told TMZ that the raids were an unexpected surprise for the producer and his team.
On Tuesday, Diddy’s attorney, Aaron Dyer, released a statement to TMZ, denying the allegations against the record producer, and calling the raids a “witch hunt.”
“Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” Dyer began. “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,” he continued. “Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way.”
“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,” Dyer added, before concluding, “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.”
