Jackson State University parents appear worried over Diddy’s donation in the wake of a sexual lawsuit brought against him by singer Cassie albeit the issue is believed to have been settled out of court.
Sean “Diddy” Combs presented the Jackson State University football team with a $1 million check at the beginning of the season during the first half of the Tigers’ game against South Carolina State as part of the MEAC SWAC Challenge Kickoff.
While posing for a picture on the sidelines of Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Combs gave his donation which he had publicly pledged during the 2022 BET Awards to JSU acting president Elayne Hayes-Anthony.
Ashley Robinson, the school’s athletic director, praised Combs as “one of the greatest and most influential entertainers and businessmen” when she accepted the payment.
T.C. Taylor, JSU’s first-year football coach, claimed that seeing Combs “up close and personal on our sideline” had inspired his team.
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But just two months later, JSU is now keeping quiet about the rap mogul and his money, just days after Combs settled with R&B singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, one day after she filed an explosive lawsuit in federal court, alleging rape and repeated acts of physical abuse.
This has made some parents quite skeptical and are pushing for the school’s authorities to put out a statement on the matter.
Combs’ attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said his client “vehemently” denied the allegations when the news broke.
Nevertheless, the public fallout has already proven significant, with other celebrity friends of Combs appearing to distance themselves.
An email from a Jackson State representative when asked if the lawsuit had affected the university’s stance on Combs’ football donation, to which the response was a “no comment” was reported by Sportico.
The Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports that Combs’ donation will be disbursed in equal parts over the next three years, with the first $332,000 being made available on June 24. Charles Barkley, a former NBA player, also pledged $1 million to the university in December, in addition to Combs’.
Combs presented his $1 million donation to Howard University, his alma mater, last month in addition to Jackson State. When asked via email for a statement from the university, a Howard representative did not reply.