Kanye West appeared to be at Manhattan federal court last week to support Sean “Diddy” Combs, but a former Combs’ insider doubts that’s the real reason the “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” rapper was there.
Gene Deal did security work for Bad Boy Records and was with Combs the night Notorious B.I.G. was fatally shot in 1997.
The ex-bodyguard does Diddy trial analysis for “The Art of Dialogue” YouTube channel. Asked his thoughts on West’s Friday, June 13 appearance at the courthouse, Deal said the timing was “shocking.” But considering the amount of media attention the case is getting, he wasn’t surprised to see West there.
“I believe and my prediction on this is that, that was just all show for Kanye to come up in there,” Deal said.
Related: Kanye West Appears at Diddy Trial, But Federal Agent Commands Attention in Courtroom
West visited the courthouse one day after Diddy’s ex-girlfriend — using the pseudonym “Jane” — testified about angering the mogul by attending a “freak off” in Las Vegas in January 2024, with an “iconic” rapper and his girlfriend or wife.
Based on clues revealed by the defense during cross-examination, many people on social media speculated that West, now legally known as Ye, was the “iconic” rapper who hosted the “freak off” sex party.
Gene Deal agreed with the social media sleuths.
“All the information that came out, it was pointing to Kanye West and then the next day he comes up there?” Deal pondered. He added that the entire situation between the two hip-hop moguls is “crazy.”
“[West] is the same guy who got on ‘Drink Champs’ about a year or so ago before Diddy was arrested, talking about Diddy was a ‘fed’… now they say he and Diddy made amends,” Deal said. “He is looking for attention.”
During an interview with the “Drink Champs” podcast, West called Diddy “fake” and said he managed to stay out of jail because he was “fed” — working with law enforcement, according to reporting by The Root in 2024.
But after beefing with Diddy, West had a change of heart and earlier this year released the song “Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine,” featuring a jail recording of Diddy thanking West for standing by him after the Bad Boy Records founder was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and other counts, and held without bail. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Deal cautioned West’s motives and sudden support are questionable.
“Having Kanye to support you, I don’t even think that’s a good thing,” he said.
Diddy faces life in prison if convicted.
Watch the interview below:
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