Cassie’s Songwriter Recalls Realizing ‘Something Is Wrong’ in Singer’s Relationship With Diddy

Cassie’s songwriter Tiffany Red recalled the first time she saw red flags in the singer’s relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs.

The New Jersey native, 37, appeared on ABC’s Secret Life of Diddy — A Special Edition of 20/20 on Wednesday, October 9, and explained that the moment occurred in 2015 when Cassie, 38, put Diddy, 54, on speakerphone. Tiffany said she heard the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper screaming at his then-girlfriend and asking who was with her.

“‘Is someone in the car with you?’” Tiffany recalled Diddy saying. “‘I know someone is in the car with you.’ That was my first time being like, ‘Something is wrong.’”

Tiffany also revealed that when Cassie, whose real name is Cassandra Ventura, turned 29 years old in August 2015, Diddy allegedly yelled at the “Long Way 2 Go” singer and cornered her in a room with his security. The songwriter said she witnessed the entire incident.

“[Diddy is] in her face and he’s cussing her out,” Tiffany claimed. “He was really mad, he was really close to her face and she just had her head down.”

She continued, “My sense was that everybody around him was afraid of him.”

Tiffany wrote Cassie’s 2016 song “Joint (No Sleep)” and her 2019 singles “Don’t Let Go,” “Teach Me” and “Simple Things.” Other artists she’s written for include Zendaya, Joe Jonas, Jennifer Hudson and Jason Derulo.

“Cassie is sweet, she’s quiet, she’s a good person,” Tiffany said during the ABC special, noting that the actress was “introduced to the world by Diddy.”

Tiffany also recalled an encounter she had with Diddy where the record producer asked her, “You’re the one writing all these songs about me?” It made her feel uneasy, like “he didn’t want [Cassie] talking to me.”

In November 2023, Cassie sued her ex for sexual assault and physical abuse that allegedly took place throughout their 10-year relationship. He denied the allegations, and the lawsuit was settled. However, the allegations resurfaced in May when CNN aired 2016 hotel surveillance footage of Diddy apparently physically assaulting Cassie. The rapper apologized for his actions after the video’s release, saying that he “f–ked up” and “hit rock bottom” at the time of the incident.

“My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted,” he said.

Diddy was arrested by Homeland Security on racketeering and sex trafficking charges on September 16. A grand jury alleged that the mogul had abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to “fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct,” according to the unsealed indictment obtained by In Touch.

Diddy pleaded not guilty and has denied all the allegations made against him. He is being held without bail until trial at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Diddy’s legal team, who have filed three appeals requesting to reverse the decision to hold the rapper without bail, accused the government of leaking the 2016 surveillance video as a way to tarnish his reputation and “undermine” his “right to a “fair trial,” according to court documents obtained by In Touch on Thursday, October 10.

His attorneys asked the Southern District of New York “to investigate alleged government misconduct, specifically concerning unlawful leaks that resulted in prejudicial pre-trial publicity.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.