Remember, Dr. Dre Was Charged With Beating Journalist Dee Barnes.That Diddy-Cassie Abuse Video Got Barnes Thinking about it Too

For many, the release of a 2016 surveillance video showing Sean Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway was difficult to watch. The image of him violently grabbing and kicking a woman who was clearly trying to get away from him was deeply disturbing.

That was especially true for journalist Dee Barnes, who made a conscious decision to log off as the news of the video went viral.

On May 17, Barnes shared her decision to step away from social media in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, which has since received over 12,000 likes.

“Seeing that video is extremely triggering. #DrDre punched, slammed, kicked and stomped me out. #Concussion “Logging TF off,” she wrote.

Barnes’ post referenced a 1991 incident in which rapper/producer Dr. Dre allegedly assaulted her at a party in Hollywood. Dre, who pled no contest to charges of assault and battery at the time, was fined $2,500 and sentenced to two years probation and community service.

In a 2015 interview with HuffPost, Barnes described the horrific encounter that was left out of the N.W.A. biopic “Straight Outta Compton” in detail:

“He grabbed me by my hair, and he started slamming me against the wall,” she said. “It is a painful and dramatic experience. And then when you add celebrity into the factor, it’s a constant reminder. In my situation, there’s actually references in songs.”

But while some may have forgotten about the incident or never heard the story at all, Barnes is forced to live with the painful memory while Dre continues to be celebrated by the music industry. She spoke out in February when Jay-Z was presented with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

“The @RecordingAcad does not care about #ViolenceAgainstWomen. #JayZ received an award named after an abuser and defended his wife in his speech while his daughter stood by his side. #Grammys 2024,” she posted on X.

On May 20, Barnes bravely returned to X to post a message of support for Cassie and Combs’ ex-girlfriend Kim Porter who passed away in 2018. In a May 20 interview with Piers Morgan, Diddy’s former head of security, Roger Bonds, said he’d seen his former boss be violent with both women in the past.

Barnes wrote:

“I’m disgusted and disappointed with Sean Combs. I stand with #Cassie, #KimPorter and all the other victims of his violent abuse.”