Aubrey O'Day's Most Disturbing Claims About Her Time Working With Diddy

The following article includes allegations of abuse and sexual assault.

Sean "Diddy" Combs is in big trouble. With allegations of several sex crimes piling up against the rapper, it might be safe to say that he can kiss his career goodbye. Someone who isn't holding back on Combs' turmoil is former "Celebrity Apprentice" star and singer Aubrey O'Day, who claims she'd been one of Combs' many victims during her time in the girl band Danity Kane.

O'Day and Combs clashed on many occasions while she appeared on "Making the Band" in 2005, and she eventually left the group. While sitting down for a candid chat on the "Call Me Daddy" podcast back in 2022, O'Day confirmed that she was ousted from the band by Combs. "I wasn't willing to do what was expected of me. Not talent-wise but in other areas. At the very end he fired me," she said.

When multiple bombshell allegations against Combs started surfacing in 2024, however, O'Day told the "Crysis Queen" podcast how the rapper was rarely sober when he came to work, saying she was never sure which version of Combs she would have to deal with. She also claimed Combs was incredibly controlling. "I was sent out of a studio session one time because my toes weren't polished properly," she admitted. She confessed that Combs had a way of making her feel good about herself, but then he would break her down again just as easily, trying to get her to act on his every whim. "Grooming is a process, they don't just abuse you on day one. They make you feel like you get little bits of things that make you attracted and excited by, and then once they've got your attention, they let you know about yourself in different ways," she explained.

Many celebrities found themselves under a microscope for what they've said about Sean "Diddy" Combs in the past after the allegations against him became public, especially those who were big fans of the rapper. However, Aubrey O'Day isn't one of them. In fact, some people have been quick to point out that she's been outspoken about Combs' abuse for years. Journalist Yashar Ali was one of those people, and after Combs was charged with sex trafficking, Ali took to X, formerly Twitter, to point this out. "For years, @AubreyODay has been trying to bring attention to Diddy's abusive nature and warn people that he is dangerous," he wrote. "In exchange for her courage, she was bullied, terrorized, and threatened."

O'Day told People that the allegations against Combs becoming public didn't do much to relieve any of the trauma she experienced while working with him. "It's a forever thing that you have to wake up every day and choose to evolve past. It doesn't go away. It's like childhood trauma," she said. She did, however, take to X to admit that she felt "validated" after Combs' arrest. "Today is a win for women all over the world, not just me. Things are finally changing," she wrote.

Even though so many ridiculed O'Day for speaking out about Combs' abuse in the past, they were hungry for her opinion and story after the rapper got arrested, with one X user urging the singer to "hurry up and speak." O'Day clapped back, "I chose to speak to people who could move justice in the way I needed to see it. I've been speaking. Never underestimated that."

Shortly before the damaging allegations against Sean "Diddy" Combs became public, he allegedly attempted to get Aubrey O'Day to keep quiet about her experiences while working with him. While sitting down on the "No Jumper" podcast, O'Day shared that, about six months before Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura came forward with claims that he abused her, Combs approached the former members of Danity Kane and offered them a publishing deal, which was really just a front to get them to sign away their right to speak out against him in the future.

"When I went to look at the publishing deal, it said anything but I'm being made whole financially again. In fact, it asked me to not be able to have access to my story and my experience anymore. It asked me specifically to stay silent and never speak poorly about a human," O'Day told TMZ for its "The Downfall of Diddy" documentary. "So then I realized something really bad is coming."

When Ventura finally filed a lawsuit against Combs, O'Day voiced her support, telling Entertainment Tonight, "I know what her heart is feeling right now, because I have done so as well." She also took to Instagram Stories to respond to the news of the lawsuit, writing, "Been trynna tell y'all for years."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).