Diddy has declined an invitation to attend the 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony, despite scoring his first nomination in 20 years.
The Bad Boy boss was last nominated in 2004, winning Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Shake Ya Tailfeather” with Nelly and Murphy Lee. But he will not be returning to see if he wins for Best Progressive R&B Album for The Love Album: Off the Grid.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a representative for the embattled media mogul said that he will not be attending the ceremony on February 4.
All nominees are automatically invited to the ceremony but Diddy, like other controversial artists in the past who were up for Grammys such as Louis CK and Dr. Luke, the No Way Out hitmaker will be skipping the event completely.
In December last year, just a week after the Grammy nominations were announced, Diddy was accused of rape and sexual assault by ex-girlfriend Cassie in a lawsuit filed against the rapper and producer.
The following day, the former couple “amicably” settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum but Puff vehemently denied the allegations.
Since Cassie’s lawsuit, a number of other claims have been filed against Diddy accusing him of a range of sex crimes dating back to the early 1990s, all of which he denies.
In total, four lawsuits have been filed against the 54-year-old, with one accusing Diddy, former Bad Boy president Harve Pierre and another man of gang-raping a woman when she was just 17-years-old.
Diddy has only made a single public comment about the allegations, accusing his accusers of looking for a “quick payday.”
In a message posted on social media, he said: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy.
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
It was previously reported that the controversy surrounding Diddy caused a “crisis” for the Recording Academy, with several big-name invitees wanting to keep their distance from him.
“Some, including several high-profile African-American members, fear that inviting him sends the wrong message to audiences and the charities it supports,” an insider told The Mirror. “Several publicists have asked that their artists aren’t seated by him. It’s a logistical nightmare.”
