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In a recent interview, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ longtime rival Marion “Suge” Knight has claimed that Diddy’s alleged misconduct “was taught from people before him, and he did it to the younger people after him.”
The former CEO and founder of Death Row Records, who is serving nearly three decades for voluntary manslaughter, told NewsNation on September 24 over a phone call from prison that artists who were signed to his label initially used to smoke weed only. However, once they joined other record labels, such as Diddy’s Bad Boy Records, they reportedly got involved with “heavier drugs.”
“Those guys… they introduced cocaine to my artists. So once they got on cocaine, once they got on drugs, once they got on alcohol, then that’s when the weird stuff happened. I think that’s what took Puffy [Combs] down that lane,” the 59-year-old claimed.
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Marion Knight further claimed that record executives Clive Davis, Russell Simmons, and the late Andre Harrell used “alcohol, drugs” to “compromise” Diddy’s “manhood.” According to Suge, Combs later did the same to others, such as Usher and Justin Bieber.
All you need to know about Clive Davis and Andre Harrell in the wake of Suge Knight’s claims against Diddy
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is a record producer and A&R executive who worked as the General Counsel of Columbia Records before becoming its Vice President and General Manager in 1966. He eventually became the company's President in 1967. Davis is credited with signing many notable rock artists to the label, including Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Pink Floyd, and Herbie Hancock.
Later, he also signed artists from R&B, country, jazz, and pop genres, such as Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Mile Davis, and Andy Williams. Soon, he left Columbia Records, founded Arista Records in 1974, and launched artists like Barry Manilow, Whitney Houston, Patti Smith, Kenny G, and Sarah McLachlan.
Later, Clive Davis formed Arista Nashville, dedicated solely to the growth of country music with artists like Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley. The now 92-year-old was also influential in the making of LaFace Records, which launched artists like Usher, Pink, and Toni Braxton in the 1990s.
In 1994, Davis partnered (50/50 joint venture) with Diddy to form Bad Boy Records and signed artists including Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Mase, 112, and Sean Combs himself. The label quickly became one of the most successful in the hip-hop business.
In 2000, Clive founded J Records and launched Alicia Keys. He soon became its chairman and CEO alongside other labels, including RCA Music Record (2002-2008) and BMG North America. Since 2008, he has been the Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment.
The father of four has received multiple Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Also regarded as a humanitarian, he has advocated for cancer and HIV/AIDs patients since the 1980s. Clive Davis, born and raised in Brooklyn but later settled in Manhattan, founded the Department of Recorded Music named after him at the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University.
It was later turned into the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Notably, the art theater inside the Grammy Museum in NYC is also named after him. Besides being a record executive, the New Yorker has been an author and lawyer and has previously attended the Harvard Law School.
Andre Harrell
Andre Harrell was a record executive, producer, rapper, and media proprietor. He rose to fame in 1976 when he formed the East Coast hip-hop duo Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde with his high school friend Alonzo Brown and released hit tracks such as Fast Life and AM/PM.
The Harlem, New York native dropped out of Lehman College, where he pursued communications and business management. He soon joined gospel station WWRL as an account executive, followed by local radio station WINS. In 1983, he started working at record executive and entrepreneur Russell Simmons’ RUSH Management. He soon became its General Manager and Vice President and launched the careers of people like LL Cool J.
In 1986, Andre Harrell formed his own record label called Uptown Record, which produced music in both hip-hop and contemporary R&B genres and signed artists like Al B. Sure, Notorious B.I.G., Guy, Jodeci, McGruff, Sean Combs, Lost Boyz, and The Gyrlz. Later, Uptown Records signed a distribution/multimedia contract with MCA Records and continued to work with big names in the music industry.
In fact, Andre is often credited with giving Diddy his first break and discovering his talents in the early 1990s. Between 1995 and 1997, Harrell also served as the CEO of Motown Records and worked alongside Queen Latifah and Stevie Wonder.
Some of his other notable ventures include founding Nu Records, serving as the Vice Chairman of Diddy’s multimedia firm, Revolt TV Network, and working as an executive producer on Fox’s TV show New York Undercover and the movies Strictly Business and Honey.
Andre Harrell passed away in 2020 at the age of 59 from heart failure.
In brief, exploring Suge Knight’s claims against Clive Davis and Andre Harrell
During his on-call interview with NewsNation, Suge Knight claimed that Clive Davis, Andre Harrell, and Russell Simmons exploited the manhood of Sean "Diddy" Combs by using drugs and alcohol on him.
He further alleged that Diddy was himself a victim of abuse at the hands of these men and, in turn, seemingly preyed on others, including Usher and Justin Bieber, both of whom were mentored by Combs.
“[Combs] was taught that. He got Usher as a kid … alcohol, drugs, s*x. Justin Bieber — and see they do these things to take control. … You choose to be gay that’s your preference, but they’re doing this to people for control,” Marion told NewsNations' Chris Cuomo.
Notably, neither Davis nor Harrell has ever been accused or charged with the alleged misconduct. In the wake of Suge Knight’s claims, Clive Davis’s representative told Page Six exclusively that they were a “completely fabricated thread” that was “being trafficked by an incarcerated felon.”
“Mr. Knight’s assertions about Clive Davis are 100 percent false as nothing of the sort ever happened. Clive is a mentor to artists and, in keeping with this, never ever condoned any such inappropriate behavior,” the spokesperson added.
So far, neither the late Andre Harrell’s family nor his representatives have addressed the accusations made by Suge Knight.
Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons has also remained silent on the allegations. However, in the past, multiple women have accused him of s*xual misconduct, leading him to retire and live a secluded life in Bali, Indonesia, as per Los Angeles Times. He has never confessed or denied the claims.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested by federal agents on September 16 in New York on charges of s*x trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He is being held at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn without any bond and has been denied bail twice. Diddy has so far pled “not guilty” and is looking at 15 years to life in prison if convicted.
