Aubrey O’Day Shares Why She Was Let Go from Danity Kane Due to Diddy’s Expectations

Aubrey O’Day in Netflix’s ‘Sean Combs: The Reckoning’; Sean "Diddy" Combs in 2023.
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Netflix; Paras Griffin/Getty

Aubrey O’Day Alleges Misconduct by Sean "Diddy" Combs

In a recent Netflix docuseries titled Sean Combs: The Reckoning, Aubrey O’Day has made serious allegations against Sean "Diddy" Combs, claiming she was let go from the girl group Danity Kane after rejecting his sexual advances.

O’Day, now 41, recounted her experiences working with Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, which began when she was selected for the group during the 2005 MTV reality show Making the Band. She expressed feelings of isolation, stating, "Diddy made it clear that I was the looker. I remember that phrase a lot. He was separating me, and there were a different set of expectations for me."

Her claims escalated when she revealed receiving an explicit email from Combs in 2008, which she reads aloud in the third episode of the series. The email allegedly included a line implying sexual dominance and referenced pornographic content. O’Day contended that Combs also sent her personal photographs of himself. Reflecting on her firing, she stated, "What happens in real life to anyone else, your boss gets fired. Six months later, I was fired," attributing it to her refusal to engage sexually with Combs.

Sean "Diddy" Combs (third from left) with Aubrey O’Day (fourth from left) and other group members.

Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic

In a later episode, O’Day disclosed that she was contacted by an attorney representing a woman who filed a civil complaint against Combs. This complaint included allegations that O’Day was sexually assaulted after being rendered incapacitated in a Bad Boy Records studio in 2005. O’Day claimed she has no memory of such an incident. "Does this mean I was raped? Is that what this means? I don’t even know if I was raped, and I don’t want to know," she stated.

Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Combs, responded to the allegations, stating, "we will not be addressing individual allegations made in this Netflix hit piece." He previously remarked that many individuals featured in the series have personal grievances and credibility issues, labeling the project as a one-sided narrative.

The docuseries premiered on December 2 and was produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, a long-time rival of Combs. This release follows Combs’ recent legal troubles, including a high-profile federal trial concerning sexual misconduct allegations.

Combs was convicted on charges related to transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution but was acquitted of more serious charges involving sex trafficking and racketeering. He is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence, set to conclude in June 2028. Multiple civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and misconduct against Combs remain pending.

O’Day’s long-standing criticisms of Combs resurfaced in September 2023 when she stated that he had asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement to avoid disparaging him or Bad Boy Records, which she advised her former bandmates against accepting. After Combs’ sentencing, she articulated a cautionary message aimed at aspiring artists, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and protecting oneself from coercive situations within the industry.