Former Vibe Editor-In-Chief, Danyel Smith has made shocking allegations against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. In a personal essay, Smith details a particularly violent incident she had with Combs. The author claims that while preparing to release Vibe‘s 1997 December/January issue — in which Diddy was the cover star — the two disagreed about the cover’s direction. The shoot was inspired by Warren Beatty’s 1978 classic, Heaven Can Wait. In one cover, the producer dons angel wings, and a halo upon his head. Whereas the other showed a more duplicitous side of the hitmaker, and the caption “The Good, The Bad, And The Puffy.”
After the photoshoot, an emboldened Combs requested to see the cover before it went to print. When Smith declined and informed him it was against the publication’s policy, he became enraged. Later, she got wind, that Combs had plans to confront her face-to-face. “We heard that he planned to come to our office and force us to show him what we’d chosen — and to make us choose something else if he didn’t like what he saw,” she says.
Smith Says Combs Wanted To See Her ‘Dead In The Trunk Of A Car’
Following that Smith claims Diddy began to harass her at work, calling nonstop. The writer says that he eventually did pop up at Vibe’s office and a few colleagues quickly escorted her to safety. “The receptionist had already notified other colleagues that Combs had walked into the editorial bullpen,” the former editor writes. “As he and his two associates looked into various cubicles and offices, my co-workers eased into mine.”
One of the more egregious allegations made by Smith was that after the harassing phone calls, and an unexpected visit by Combs he threatened her life. Smith says that Combs told her that he wanted to see her “dead in the trunk of a car.” The writer noted that immediately after the call she contacted her lawyer, who spoke to Combs. A short time later, the now-disgraced mogul faxed over an apology. However, not too long after the office at Vibe was raided, and servers were removed from the building. Smith believes that it was an “inside job.”