Suge Knight believes Sean "Diddy" Combs has the potential to shake up the music industry—if he speaks truthfully from the witness stand.

The former Death Row Records boss phoned in from prison to speak with Aubrey O'Day on the "Covering the Diddy Trial" podcast, where he said Diddy revealing names in his federal sex trafficking and racketeering case "would be the best thing for the culture of hip-hop."

"If they give Puffy the opportunity to humanize himself, it'll be the best thing for the culture," Knight said. "It'll be one of the biggest power moves of the US."

Knight urged Diddy to cooperate, but in a strategic manner. "Cut the deal first," he said, addressing Combs directly. "Get a situation where whatever you say on the stand, they use against you. When you get on that stand, fix hip-hop, fix the culture of our people."

While Knight didn't excuse Combs, he also said he didn't believe a harsh sentence was necessary. "Does he deserve to get something? He deserves to get something. I don't think they should give him a lot of time. Let's be honest."

"He might be stupid sometimes, but he's not dumb," he continued, implying that Combs knows that now is the time to tell the truth.

Fear And Silence In The Industry

Knight also addressed the lack of public commentary from artists affiliated with Bad Boy Records or Combs himself. When asked why figures like Mary J. Blige, Ma$e, and Faith Evans have stayed quiet, Knight claimed it comes down to fear.

"They are so scared," Knight said. "They are slaves."

According to him, it's not about street-level fear. "They're not scared of the guns and the knives. They're scared of the people in the suites," he said, referring to the industry executives and gatekeepers who hold careers in their hands.

He also commented on recent allegations made by Ray J, who accused Knight of assaulting men, allegations Knight denied. "Ray is lost. He need help," he said, adding, "So let's not pick on Ray J."

Originally published on Music Times

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Diddy, Sean Combs, Suge knight