Music industry insiders assert that women often find themselves prioritizing survival over consent due to pressure and coercion within the sector.
Updated May 8, 2025 at 6:44 PM CDT
The jury selection for music mogul and entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial wrapped up on May 7. The judge delved into the personal biases of nearly a hundred potential jurors focusing on their views about abuse and sexual assault, as well as their opinion on Diddy.
Diddy has been in the slammer since September 2024, facing charges of sex trafficking, transporting individuals for sex work, and racketeering conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Ty Stiklorious, CEO and founder of Friends at work management firm, recently chatted with NPR's Michel Martin, discussing how the music industry has long been riddled with a toxic culture that women have grappled with for decades. In a candid interview, she shared instances where job interviews would lead to restaurant dates, only to be handed a hotel key, implying an exchange for sex.
Stiklorious highlighted that the problem isn't limited to one person or music executive; instead, she points out that the industry has fostered a system that has "allowed certain men to operate unchecked."
During a chat with Morning Edition, Stiklorious alleged that she was once lured to a room on a yacht hosted by Diddy by one of his associates, who then attempted to lock her in. She managed to escape by making a ruckus and explaining that her brother was at the party and would be looking for her.
Following the release of her story, several women working within the music industry came forward to share similar experiences. Many of them stayed quiet due to fear of retaliation or us signing non-disclosure agreements.
"These are women in positions of power," Stiklorious explained. "I think part of it is we have to talk about NDA's, nondisclosure agreements. I think they play a huge role. I know many men and women who've been threatened with the end of their careers that they spoke up."
Stiklorious wrote a powerful op-ed in the New York Times last October, The Music Industry Is Toxic. After P. Diddy, We Can Clean It Up, where she shed light on some alarming incidents she encountered in her early 20s. The article brought attention to the pressing issues within the industry, urging for change.
In the aftermath of her harrowing encounter on Diddy's yacht, Ty Stiklorious has continued to advocate for change within the music industry. Stiklorius' story, reminiscent of an aberration in the entertainment world, has inspired other women to share their experiences of sexual misconduct and power imbalances. The crisis in the music industry, as Stiklorious points out, extends beyond Diddy, with the system allowing certain men to operate unchecked. In her powerful op-ed for the New York Times last October, Stiklorius called for addressing the issue of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), acknowledging their role in silencing victims and hindering reform.
