Diddy’s Ex-Artist Claims She Begged Him for Food and Was Only Allowed to Have Peanut Butter Shakes

Diddy’s former artist Dawn Richard accused him of criticizing her for being “too skinny” but denying her requests for food and only allowing her to drink shakes, In Touch can report.

In her federal lawsuit, Dawn, 41, detailed her time working with Diddy, 54. The singer met the mogul in 2004 when he selected her to be in the girl group Danity Kane.

Dawn said Diddy’s, “contempt for women was readily apparent as he continued to display aggressive and hostile behavior towards [Dawn] and her all-female Danity Kane bandmates. [Diddy] regularly referred to the five women as ‘bitches’ and ‘hoes’ and denigrated their physical appearances. By way of example, [Diddy] stated that [Dawn] was too skinny and needed to ‘do something about this [her face].’

She said during Danity Kane, Diddy “deprived” her and her bandmates of basic needs such as adequate food and sleep. Dawn said when her or her bandmates requested meals or rest, Diddy refused and chastised them with derogatory comments.

Dawn said Diddy would “regularly be awake for prolonged periods of time because he was high on drugs.”

She said, “During these periods, [Diddy] demanded continuous access to [Dawn] and her Danity Kane bandmates, often forcing them to record and rehearse for stretches of 36 to 48 hours without breaks. Forced to choose between eating and sleeping, [Dawn] lost a significant amount of weight, weighing approximately 100 pounds at a height of 5’4”.

Dawn said Diddy often sent associates to wake her and her bandmates up in the overnight hours “so he could watch them rehearse.”

“The regularity of these disturbances led Ms. Richard to adapt by sleeping in a sitting position, fully dressed and with makeup on, heightening her anxiety,” the suit said. “The unrelenting and rigorous schedule of rehearsals, performance, and near-constant filming that [Diddy] imposed caused [Dawn] to experience extreme weight loss, dehydration, fatigue, and painful rashes from the microphone pack she was required to wear on her back,” the suit said. Danity Kane disbanded in 2009.

Dawn said she continued working with Diddy because she needed money. She said he formed a new group called Dirty Money, that consisted of Diddy, Dawn and another singer named Kalenna Harper.

During her time with Dirty Money, Dawn claimed, “[Diddy] continued to use drugs that caused him to remain awake for prolonged periods of time. When he was awake, he would demand that [Dawn] and [Kalenna] record in the studio, where they would spend three to four consecutive days recording without a break to eat or sleep.”

Dawn said Diddy would leave the studio but required her and Kalenna to stay and write. She said when she tried to leave to get something to eat or to go to her hotel, Diddy would call and demand she return to the studio.

“[Diddy] criticized [Dawn] for being ‘too skinny,’ yet denied her requests for food and demanded that she drink only peanut butter shakes. [Diddy] had full meals prepared by a chef and ate them in front of [Dawn] and [Kalenna], never offering them food,” the suit alleged.

Dawn said she begged for food and rest breaks, but Diddy refused. She said she continued to work nonstop which led to her becoming, “severely dehydrated and [experiencing] chronic stomach cramping from being undernourished and excessively thin.”

“On the numerous occasions that she told Mr. Combs that she was not feeling well, he called her lazy and dismissed her health concerns, instilling in her further apprehension of communicating her needs,” the suit alleged.

In 2010, Dawn said she experienced “abdominal pain, swollen glands and a fever.”

She said she “hospitalized and diagnosed with arthralgia (joint pain due to overuse, sprains, tendonitis and infection), anemia, and a low white blood cell count.”

The suit said, “[Dawn] presented [Diddy] with her medical records specifying that she needed to emphasize eating well, being adequately hydrated, and getting adequate rest, but [Diddy] ordered her to report to the studio the next day for another multi-day recording session. [Diddy’s] blatant disregard for her health and well-being cemented [Dawn’s] fear of his authority and control over her career and health.”

Dawn sued Diddy for sexual abuse and various other claims.

In response to the lawsuit, Diddy’s lawyer, Erica Wolff, told In Touch, “Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour. If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album last year. It’s unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court.”

For her part, Kalenna said, “Many of the allegations and incidents described in this suit are not representative of my experiences, and some do not align with my own truth.”

Diddy was arrested on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering days later. He pleaded not guilty. A judge denied his request to be released on bond.