The dark, seedy chapters of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ past are being revisited, and the concerning details that got buried with time, money, and power are once again under the microscope, this time ready to drag anyone and everyone who willingly or unwillingly was a part of the disgraced rapper’s activities. This time, the name is Jennifer Lopez.
Years before “Bennifer,” when her soaring music and her acting career were all that the world could talk about when the topic was JLo, the renowned singer was in a relationship with Diddy. Dating him from 1999 to 2001, Lopez was often seen at his side, accompanying him to red-carpet events and lavish parties.
But this power couple of Hollywood quickly fell from the towering pedestal of “relationship goals” one night in December 1999, when Diddy (then known as Puffy), Lopez, his bodyguard, Anthony “Wolf” Jones, and rapper Jamal “Shyne” Barrow were arrested after a shooting that took place inside a Times Square club where three people were injured, including a woman who was shot in her face.
Many allegations were made against the “On the Floor” singer, including the accusation of hiding the gun in her dress, taking it inside the club, and then later passing it to Diddy — this claim was made by record producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones in his lawsuit where he accused Diddy of grooming and abusing him for a year.
However, Lopez only spent 14 hours in prison and was let go. All the charges against her were dropped, as apparently, according to her lawyer, she was innocent to begin with, and yet, she “bawled” her eyes out in the cell, as shared by Ex-NYPD Detective Derrick Parker with The NY Post, and was yelled at by her mother who reminded how she had warned her about Diddy,
“Her mother was yelling at J.Lo in Spanish and she was really mad at Jennifer. I heard her say, ‘I told you not to get involved with (him)’.”
For a while, Diddy faced two felony weapons-possession charges, but soon he also walked free after 18-year-old rapper Jamal “Shyne” Barrow, who was also arrested along with Diddy and Lopez, was convicted of assault and gun possession, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The big puzzle piece that doesn’t fit
While no one actually saw Lopez hiding or handing the gun to Diddy, one of the victims of the 1999 shooting, Natania Reuben, maintains to this day that the rapper whipped out the gun and shot her in the face.
“I literally watched them pull out the guns, I had a clear point of view. I mean, for God’s sake, I got shot in my nose. I watched everything occur and have described it, vehemently, to all parties involved. I have nine bullet fragments remaining in my face.”
Back then, Reuben didn’t receive proper justice — though Diddy did settle a civil lawsuit filed by Reuben and the two other victims, as per Reuters — but now, after learning of Diddy’s arrest, she shared with The Daily Beast that she celebrated “one of the best days” of her life as the rapper, “somebody with power, prestige, fame, money, and all of that,” was finally, hopefully going to face justice.
