She’s not waking up within the morning feeling like P. Diddy.
Kesha appeared to chop her Sean “Diddy” Combs reference in her hit 2009 song “Tik Tok” within the wake of singer Cassie’s lawsuit accusing her ex of rape and abuse.
The song’s opening line begins with, “Get up within the morning feeling like P. Diddy.”
Nonetheless, during a performance in Oakland, California, on Friday, Kesha, 36, sang: “Get up within the morning feeling similar to me.”
Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, filed an explosive lawsuit against Combs, 54, on Thursday, which they’ve since settled.
In response to Ventura’s federal lawsuit, Combs allegedly trafficked, raped and viciously beat her throughout their on-and-off 13-year relationship. The exes met 2005 when Ventura was 19 and Combs was 37, they usually officially went their separate ways in 2018.
“After years in silence and darkness, I’m finally able to tell my story, and to talk up on behalf of myself and for the advantage of other women who face violence and abuse of their relationships,” Ventura said in an announcement.
The lawsuit claimed that Combs repeatedly gave Ventura drugs and alcohol and compelled her to have sex with sex staff while he filmed, directed and masturbated to the encounters.
In response to the lawsuit, Ventura was told by Combs in 2016 that her single wouldn’t see the sunshine of day if she left him.
The “Me & U” singer revealed that she attempted to flee Combs several times but returned attributable to the hip-hop legend allegedly threatening to tank her profession.
Combs’ attorney, Ben Brafman, released an announcement on the rapper’s behalf shortly after, saying he “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.” He also alleged that Ventura had been harassing the singer for $30 million “under the specter of writing a dangerous book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail.”
“Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’s popularity and searching for a payday,” Brafman told Page Six.
Combs and Ventura later managed to settle out of court someday after the singer’s filing.
In response to Ventura’s lawyer, either side “resolved the claims … to their mutual satisfaction” despite not going into details.
“I actually have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I actually have some level of control,” Ventura said. “I would like to thank my family, fans and lawyers for his or her unwavering support.”
Combs, for his part, said in an announcement: “We have now decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all one of the best.”
In a second statement provided to CBS News, Brafman added: “Just so we’re clear, a choice to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is by no means an admission of wrongdoing. Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit doesn’t in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He’s glad they got to a mutual settlement and needs Ms. Ventura one of the best.”
Ventura’s plight is analogous to the one Kesha went through in 2014 when she sued music producer Dr. Luke, claiming he had been “sexually, physically, verbally, and emotionally abused [her] to the purpose where [she] nearly lost her life.”
The “Cannibal” singer claimed that Luke, born Lukasz Gottwald, drugged and raped her at a celebration in 2005 and emotionally tormented her for years after. He denied the allegations.
Following several years of back-and-forth litigation, the “Prayers” singer and the producer settled the dispute out of court in an undisclosed deal in June.