Janice Combs, mother to Sean “Diddy” Combs, has released a statement on behalf of the Combs family amid ongoing sex crime allegations against the music mogul.

Combs was indicted by federal prosecutors in mid-September on racketeering and sex trafficking charges and denied bail.

In a statement released Sunday (Oct. 6) through attorney Natlie G. Figgers, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Combs’ mother said Diddy is not guilty of the allegations against him: “My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side.”

“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” reads her statement, which comes five days after it was reported Diddy will face lawsuits from 120 additional accusers for alleged incidents dating as far back as 1991. “To bear witness [to] what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.”

Indictment documents unsealed on Sept. 17 said, “For decades, Sean Combs … abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct. To do so, Combs relied on the employees, resources and the influence of his multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled.”

Combs was denied bail. If convicted of the charges, he faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life behind bars.

On Sunday, his mother said, “I am not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not. He has made mistakes in his past, as we all have.”

She referenced the lawsuit Combs settled last year from singer and ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who accused him of rape and abuse. Combs had denied her allegations, but when video surfaced of him physically assaulting her in a hotel, issued an apology.

“My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel’s surveillance showed otherwise,” Janice Combs said in her statement. “Sometimes, the truth and a lie become so closely intertwined that it becomes terrifying to admit one part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or is too complicated to be believed. This is why I believe my son’s civil legal team opted to settle the ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit instead of contesting it until the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son by interpreting it as an admission of guilt.”

She said this does not make him guilty of the multiple “repulsive allegations and the grave charges leveled against him.”

“Many individuals who were wrongfully convicted and later exonerated had their freedom taken from them not because they were guilty of the crimes they were accused of, but because they didn’t fit the image of what this society considers to be a ‘good person.’ History has showed us how individuals can be wrongfully convicted due to their past actions or mistakes,” she said.

“It is truly agonizing to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions, without ever hearing his side or affording him the opportunity to present his side,” she added.

“These lies thrown at him are motivated by those seeking a financial gain, and not justice,” reads the statement. “These individuals saw how quickly my son’s civil legal team settled his ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit, so they believe they can receive a quick payday by falsely accusing my son. False allegations of sexual assault thwart true victims of sexual violence from getting the justice they deserve. To make matters worse, the federal government is now using these lies to prosecute my son. This injustice has been unbearable for our family. The worst part of this ordeal is watching my beloved son be stripped of his dignity, not for what he did, but for what people choose to believe about him.”

Ariana Grande joins Charli XCX on the upcoming Brat remixes album, and the two have seemingly confirmed Grande’s feature is on the track “Sympathy Is a Knife.”

“It’s a knife when they dissect your body on the front page/ It’s a knife when they won’t believe you/ Why should you explain?” Charli wrote in a Sunday (Oct. 6) post on X and in an Instagram Story, both with links to pre-order/pre-save the album.

Grande shared the same lyrics via an Instagram Story on Sunday, fueling fan frenzy for the collab.

The collection, Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat — with unreleased features from artists including Grande, The 1975 and Bon Iver on Brat tracks — arrives later this week, on Oct. 11.

Charli previewed the names of all featured artists in a picture collage of neon green Brat-themed billboards Friday night.

A rumored track list circulated over the weekend, but Charli hasn’t commented on it. With an Oct. 11 release, all will be revealed in just a few short days.

Charli and Troye Sivan, who’s also on Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, are presently on their co-headlining Sweat Tour, which runs in North America through Oct. 23 and heads to the U.K. in November.

Grande dropped a couple videos on YouTube over the weekend: live performances of “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends,” both found on her Eternal Sunshine (Slightly Deluxe and Also Live) edition of studio album Eternal Sunshine.

“wanted to surprise you all with one more Eternal Sunshine related something before i head back into my bubble and meet you over the rainbow next month…,” Grande wrote of the release on Instagram last week, referencing the Wicked premiere in November. “so i performed seven songs (from ag7) with this wonderful group of musicians.”

Michael Stipe and Jason Isbell joined forces to perform a pair of R.E.M. classics during a Pennsylvania campaign event supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

On Friday (Oct. 4), the singer-songwriters took the stage during a Get Out the Vote concert at Pittsburgh’s Schenley Plaza, where Stipe sang R.E.M.’s “The One I Love” and “Driver 8,” which he hadn’t performed live since 2008. The former was the iconic rock band’s first top 10 hit, reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1987.

The singer-songwriters also teamed up for a handful of songs from Isbell’s catalog, including “Traveling Alone” and “Hope the High Road.”

During the event, Stipe and Isbell were introduced by potential future First Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is married to Vice President Harris. Emhoff was present to help rally voters in the battleground state for this year’s Democratic presidential ticket.

“It’s been a while since I’ve sung these songs, 16 years in fact, but I’m really happy to be here with Jason and with the soon-to-be First Gentleman ever of the United States of America,” Stipe told the crowd.

Stipe and Isbell have been vocal in their support for the VP this year, with the “Cover Me Up” singer performing at the Democratic National Convention in August. Stevie Wonder, John Legend, The Chicks, Mickey Guyton and P!nk also took the stage at the Chicago political gathering, while numerous celebrity musicians — including Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Cardi B — have all endorsed Harris for president in 2024.

The Get Out the Vote concert arrived on the heels of the Oct. 1 vice presidential debate between Walz and Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, which took place a few weeks after the Sept. 10 presidential debate between Harris and the former POTUS.

Both campaigns are now working to sway the minds of American voters as Election Day on Nov. 5 approaches, particularly the nation’s swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Watch Stipe and Isbell’s performances of “The One I Love” and “Driver 8” here.

Mimis Plessas, a beloved Greek composer whose music featured in scores of films, television shows and theatrical productions and who provided the soundtrack to millions of Greeks’ lives, has died just a week shy of his 100th birthday.

His death was confirmed Saturday (Oct. 5) by his wife, Loukila Carrer. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis paid tribute to Plessas, writing, “A leading composer, a great scholar and a kind man has left us.

Born in Athens on Oct. 12, 1924, Plessas began his musical journey at a young age. He became a piano soloist at state radio before entering international piano competitions while still in his 20s. His gift for composition would cement his legacy.

Plessas became a constant presence on Greek television, his mild manner and singalong melodies endearing him to generations. Often seated at the piano, accompanying renowned Greek stars, he was a fixture of musical moments and celebrations for decades, his music becoming intertwined with the nation’s cultural fabric. His 1969 composition, “O Dromos” (The Street), remains one of the highest-selling albums in Greek history.

He collaborated with a constellation of Greek music icons, including Nana Mouskouri, Vicky Leandros, Giannis Poulopoulos, Marinella, and lyricist Lefteris Papadopoulos, shaping the landscape of Greek music. His work defied genre, blending traditional Greek music forms with elements of jazz and classical, creating an easy-on-the-ear signature sound — softer than the hard jangle of many of his contemporaries.

“His ‘Road’ was rich, full of melodies that start from jazz and permeate Greek song, as well as Greek cinema,” Mitsotakis said. “Mimis Plessas was unique, just like the moments he will forever give us with his music.”

Plessas’ contributions extended beyond composing. He produced a popular radio quiz show, In 30 Seconds, and he served as a judge on numerous Greek and international music competition panels. He was also a member of prestigious artistic societies, including the Greek Society of Theatrical Authors and the Society of Greek Composers and Lyricists.

Plessas is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.