Sean “Diddy” Combs may be unable to attend the 2024 Grammys after the Recording Academy confirmed it is considering its invite to the artist, who has been sued by four different women over sexual abuse claims in the past month.
Combs' 2023 project The Love Album: Off the Grid is nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album at next year's ceremony and, as is standared for all nominees, he is invited to attend the February 4 ceremony. In a statement provided to Rolling Stone, however, the Recording Academy admitted that they are in discussions about whether that should remain in place. “We are taking this matter very seriously and we are in the process of evaluating it with the time and care that it deserves,” the organization said in its statement.
There is currently no discussion as to whether the nomination could be rescinded, though it seems unlikely that the Academy would do such a thing. Louis C.K. and Marilyn Manson, both of whom have been accused of sexual abuse by women in the past, were nominated in 2021 - with C.K. winning Best Comedy Album.
Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told The Wrap prior to the 2021 ceremony that the Academy “won’t restrict the people who can submit their material for consideration. We won’t look back at people’s history, we won’t look at their criminal record, we won’t look at anything other than the legality within our rules of, is this recording for this work eligible based on date and other criteria.”
Last month Cassie became the first woman to allege sexual abuse at the hands of Combs, with whom she was in a relationship for a decade. The former couple reached a private settlement one day after Cassie went public with her allegations.
In the subsequent weeks, three more people have come forward, including one woman who says she was sex trafficked and gang raped in 2003. Combs denies all of the allegations.