11 hours ago
50 Cent Calls Diddy 'The Gay John Gotti' after the Rapper Beats the Rap
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Among celebrities' strong social media reaction following the acquittal of Sean "Diddy" Combs from charges of human trafficking and racketeering there was a pointed jab from Diddy rival 50 Cent.
Taking to Instagram, 50 Cent posted, "Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man!" Then, referencing an infamous case in which a New York mobster beat racketeering charges, 50 Cent wrote: "Beat the Rico, he the Gay John Gotti."
Much of the highly-publicized trial involved accounts of alleged sexual coercion involving women. "During testimony, jurors heard from more than 30 witnesses, including Ventura Fine, who accused him of abusing her throughout their relationship," USA Today detailed.
But the musician has also faced accusations of sexual misconduct from men. The Associated Press reported last fall that three men brought suit against Combs, claiming that he had "drugged and raped them."
Two other suits alleged that Combs had sexually assaulted a 10-year-old boy in 2005 and a 17-year-old boy three years later.
"50 Cent trolled Combs throughout the trial, mocking him by referencing pieces of witness testimony," Variety recalled, citing how "when one of Combs' sex trafficking accusers said she and Combs called each other by the nicknames 'Bert' and 'Ernie,' 50 Cent posted an image of the 'Sesame Street' characters wearing lingerie."
"Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution," Variety noted, "but he was acquitted on three more serious charges, for sex trafficking and racketeering."
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
