The Complicated Truth: Kalenna Harper’s Perspective on Diddy and Dawn Richard

In the recently released Netflix docuseries “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” former Diddy-Dirty Money member Kalenna Harper offers a nuanced perspective on the allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The 43-year-old singer found herself caught between loyalty, personal struggles, and the truth when her former bandmate Dawn Richard filed a lawsuit against Diddy in September 2024. The series, which premiered on December 2, reveals previously unseen footage showing Diddy calling Harper and asking her to make a statement in his defense, saying, “I’m asking for a brother’s favor of life.” This request came at a particularly vulnerable time for Harper, who had recently asked Diddy for financial help with a child custody dispute—a request he had declined. The timing created an ethical dilemma for Harper, who felt pressured to defend someone who hadn’t been there for her when she needed help.

Harper’s relationship with Diddy was clearly complex. While she acknowledged that he could be an “asshole,” she maintained that she didn’t witness the incidents that Richard described in her lawsuit. Richard, who worked with Diddy in Danity Kane before joining Diddy-Dirty Money alongside Harper, accused him of sexual assault in her filing. Richard also claimed that Harper was present during incidents where Diddy physically assaulted his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. In response, Harper released a statement on social media pointing out that Richard mentioned her “33 times” in the court filing, emphasizing that Richard’s account reflected “her personal perspective and should not be interpreted as a universal truth.” Harper explained in the docuseries that her statement wasn’t meant to protect Diddy but to tell her own truth: “I don’t want people to think I’m trying to wear a bulletproof vest for Puff, ’cause I’m not,” she said emotionally. “It’s just like, I’m not a bad person and I wasn’t around that shit. I don’t fucking know what they was doing—I don’t know.”

The timing of Richard’s lawsuit created a particularly challenging situation for Harper. When Diddy reached out asking for her support, she was in the middle of a custody battle for her children and had recently been denied help by the music mogul. “The only person I could call in the beginning was Puff. Just trying to get help,” she recalled in the documentary, noting that she had asked for a loan of $5,000. “And at the time, he was like, ‘I can’t help because I’m doing something else.'” When Diddy later asked her to make a statement defending him, Harper reminded him of his earlier refusal to help her. “I said, ‘You know that’s fucked up, because I needed you,'” she explained. The pressure she felt was immense, and she told him, “I have to talk to my husband because anything I say can fuck around and I could not get my kids back.” Despite her reservations, Harper did eventually issue a statement on September 13, 2024, three days after Richard filed her lawsuit.

The Netflix docuseries comes at a significant moment in Diddy’s legal troubles. In July 2024, he was found guilty on two counts of transportation but acquitted of racketeering and trafficking charges. This came after his arrest on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution—all of which he pleaded not guilty to. Following his partial conviction, Diddy was sentenced to 50 months in prison, including time served. He reported to FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey on October 30 after being transferred from Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where he had been incarcerated since his September 2024 arrest. Throughout these legal proceedings, the public has been inundated with increasingly disturbing allegations about Diddy’s behavior, making Harper’s perspective particularly valuable as someone who worked closely with him.

Diddy vehemently condemned the Netflix docuseries in a statement released through his spokesperson, calling it “a shameful hit piece” that relied on “stolen footage that was never authorized for release.” He claimed that the footage had been taken out of context, including “conversations with his lawyers that were never intended for public viewing.” Diddy also took issue with the involvement of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as executive producer, describing him as “a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta.” In contrast, director Alexandria Stapleton insisted that the footage was acquired legally, telling Netflix’s Tudum, “We obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights. We moved heaven and earth to keep the filmmaker’s identity confidential.” The dispute over the footage adds another layer of complexity to an already complicated situation, raising questions about privacy, consent, and the ethics of documentary filmmaking.

Harper’s testimony in the docuseries illuminates the personal toll of being associated with a powerful figure facing serious allegations. Her story highlights how victims and witnesses in high-profile cases often face immense pressure from all sides while dealing with their own personal struggles. As she navigated her custody battle, Harper was simultaneously pulled into Diddy’s legal drama, forced to make difficult choices about loyalty versus truth. Her emotional interview reveals someone trying to maintain her integrity in an impossible situation—acknowledging Diddy’s flaws while being honest about what she did and didn’t witness. As “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” continues to spark conversation, Harper’s perspective offers a reminder that behind the sensational headlines are real people with complicated relationships and their own truths to tell. The docuseries, now streaming on Netflix, provides viewers with a more nuanced understanding of the allegations against Diddy and the impact they’ve had on those in his orbit.