"It's stupid": Gene Deal voices his opinions about Kanye visiting Diddy's sex trafficking trial in support

On June 13, 2025, Kanye West, a Grammy-winning artist, made a very public visit to the Manhattan federal courthouse to offer his support for his old friend Sean "Diddy" Combs during his ongoing trial for abuse, prostitution, and sex trafficking. Gene Deal, an industry veteran and former bodyguard, was quite critical of the performance, even if Diddy's crew liked it. Deal said the action was "stupid" and warned that it might hurt how people see both Diddy and Ye.

Gene Deal voices his opinions about Kanye visiting Diddy's sex trafficking trial in support

In September 2024, Sean Combs, often known as Diddy, was arrested and accused of sex trafficking, prostitution, and conspiracy to run a racketeering business. After "Jane," a key witness, testified for six days regarding supposed forced sex practices, Kanye West showed up to the trial in a black Maybach with Diddy's son, Christian "King" Combs. He was dressed entirely in white, including his sunglasses.

After roughly 40 minutes of watching the proceedings on closed-circuit video in an overflow room, Ye exited in a black Mercedes. He wasn't allowed to go inside the main courtroom since he didn't have authorization. When asked whether he was there to support Combs, Ye nodded during his brief visit. Then he didn't say anything more before he left.

Eugene "Gene" Deal, who used to be a professional bodyguard for both Diddy and The Notorious B.I.G., didn't hold back when he spoke about Ye's appearance in court. In an interview with the website The Art of Dialogue, Deal called Kanye's backing "hypocritical and harmful," pointing out that Ye had openly insulted Combs on the Drink Champs podcast only a year before.

He went on to talk about Ye's controversial comments from the 2024 interview in which Kanye attacked Combs. He warned that Diddy would get into trouble if he sided with Ye since he had made incendiary statements and had legal problems in the past.

Deal remarked:

“This is the same guy that got on Drink Champs about a year or so ago before Diddy was arrested, talking about ‘F Diddy’ and all this other stuff like that,”

He further concluded, saying:

“Having Kanye support you? I don’t even think that’s a good thing. It’s stupid.”

People trust Gene Deal's advice because he has been in the business of protecting people for a long time. Deal has written novels and worked as a police officer. He shielded famous hip-hop artists for over 20 years and watched their friendships and battles evolve. He has been at the heart of a lot of big issues because of things he has stated in public, including how he handles women and tales about how he gets along with other famous musicians.

Deal says that Ye's gesture of support may hurt Diddy's defense more than it helps. From the point of view of the jury, prosecutors may use the fact that they welcomed someone as controversial as Ye, who has had his own legal and public relations problems, as proof that one controversial star believes another's guilt. Critics also say that Kanye's presence takes away from the main concerns in the trial and turns public attention away from the serious charges and toward celebrity spectacle.

The subject of celebrity impact on the court process has resurfaced after Kanye's unexpected attendance in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial. Gene Deal, who has seen the perils of high-profile unity in a high-stakes trial from the inside, ripped the cameo apart, even if it was supposed to demonstrate loyalty. As the trial continues, the parties fight for control of the story, and those watching will be keeping track of every public move that might affect the jury.

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