Cheyenne Roundtree, an investigative reporter for Rolling Stone, was surprised by the civil lawsuit filed in November 2023 against Sean "Diddy" Combs by his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura. The lawsuit alleged that Combs had physically abused, raped, and drugged Ventura during their decade-long relationship, and had forced her into sexual encounters with male sex workers. Roundtree had previously viewed Combs and Ventura as a powerful couple, and the allegations came as a shock. Combs and his legal team initially denied the claims, calling them "baseless and outrageous lies." However, they later settled the lawsuit with a $20 million payment. Shortly after, more women came forward with similar allegations, including Joi Dickerson-Neal, who claimed she was drugged and raped by Combs in 1991, and Anna Kane, who alleged that Combs and two others gang-raped her in 2003 when she was 17. Combs’s legal team continued to describe the lawsuits as "money grabs," but a leaked video from 2016 showed Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a hotel room. His attorneys later shifted their strategy, admitting to past domestic violence but claiming Combs had changed and was now known as "Love." However, the mounting legal cases and Roundtree’s investigation revealed a different narrative. Ventura’s research uncovered lost stories, interviews, and police reports, and she spoke to people who had known Combs at various stages of his life, from his childhood to his time in prison. The lawsuits led to a federal investigation and eventually resulted in Combs’s indictment. Now 56, he is serving a 50-month sentence for transporting people across state lines for prostitution. Roundtree’s book, Bad Boy for Life, explores Combs’s life, highlighting recurring patterns of behavior that have persisted through his many public personas. The book begins in Harlem, where Combs grew up, and details his early life, including the death of his father when he was a toddler. His mother, Janice, moved the family to Mount Vernon, and former friends describe a parenting style that included wild parties where people often walked in on couples "butt naked." At Howard University, Combs was known for his drive, style, and legendary parties. He described a romantic relationship that ended due to his girlfriend’s parents disapproving of their relationship. However, former classmates recalled Combs being jealous and abusive, with his girlfriend’s parents intervening after he whipped her with his belt and dragged her by her hair. Roundtree notes that Combs’s attorney described his relationship with Cassie in a similar way, calling it "a great modern love story." The book details allegations involving women who have since launched civil suits, with common features including one-night encounters where drinks were spiked, rape, and the filming of the abuse. Combs was known for his intense temper, and former friends and colleagues described witnessing his assaults on girlfriends and rivals. Roundtree also highlights other criminal activities in Combs’s orbit, including the murders of his proteges Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. In 2001, after a shooting inside a Manhattan nightclub, Combs was charged with possession of illegal weapons and attempted bribery. His legal team used a public relations campaign similar to the one in the 2025 trial, and the jury acquitted him, though his co-defendant, rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow, was convicted and deported. In the 2025 trial, Combs’s legal team argued that the alleged activities did not constitute a formal criminal enterprise. Ultimately, he was acquitted of most charges, only found guilty of paying for male escorts to travel across state lines. Roundtree notes that the music industry has yet to experience a "#MeToo" reckoning like Hollywood, with R. Kelly being the only other high-profile musician in prison due to abuse allegations. Combs’s release date is set for early 2028, and he has multiple civil cases still to answer, though his attorneys are no longer acting for him in a dispute over unpaid legal bills. Roundtree speculates that Combs will attempt to tell his story and make a comeback, as his desire to be loved and validated has not diminished.