Dee Barnes is one of the loudest voices when it comes to domestic abuse in hip-hop. She was assaulted by Dr Dre during a 1991 party, and subsequently sued the rapper. He pleased no contest, and went on to have a relatively unscathed career despite his crimes. Dee Barnes is revered for her bravery and her willingness to discuss her experiences. This made her uniquely qualified to speak on the recently released footage of Diddy assaulting Cassie in a hotel hallway.
Barnes, a former rapper and journalist, shared her thoughts via social media. She made it clear that she was horrified by what she saw on the security footage, as it reminded her of the ordeal she went through decades ago. "Seeing that video is extremely triggering," she wrote on X. "Dr. Dre punched, slammed, kicked and stomped me out. #Concussion." Barnes then said that she was getting off social media due to the widespread exposure the footage received. "Logging tf off."
Dee Barnes Described Diddy's Behavior As Disgusting
Dee Barnes did, however, return to X the evening of May 19 to voice her support for Cassie. She also made sure to call out Diddy for his horrible actions. "I’m disgusted and disappointed with Sean Combs," she tweeted. "I stand with #Cassie, #KimPorter and all the other victims of his violent abuse." This was tweeted shortly after Diddy issued a public apology in the form of an Instagram video. The mogul tried to address the assault footage and the other crimes he's been accused of, but the response to the apology has been overwhelmingly negative.
Barnes was similarly skeptical when Dr. Dre issued a public apology in 2015. The producer addressed his violent past during a profile with the New York Times, and claimed he had changed in the ensuring years. "I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life," he claimed. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did... I’m doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again." Barnes responded to the apology with a curt: "I hope he means it."