50 Cent’s ex Daphne Joy, with whom he shares son Sire, was named in a sex trafficking lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
In February 2024, music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones sued Diddy for sexual harassment and misconduct. In his lawsuit, he claimed Diddy once “bragged” about employing sex workers and named Joy as one of the alleged sex workers, alleging she received a monthly allowance from Diddy.
Diddy, through his attorney, denied all of Jones’ accusations.
“Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit, shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday,” Diddy’s lawyer Shawn Holley told Us Weekly in a statement. “His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines.”
Holley continued: “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”
50 Cent had previously insinuated via his Instagram that he was unaware of Joy’s alleged sex work past. (Joy has not publicly addressed the claims. Us reached out for comment.)
“I didn’t know you was a sex worker, you little sex worker. LOL this s—t is a movie,” 50 Cent wrote via Instagram in March 2024, seemingly referring to Joy.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Joy:
What Does Daphne Joy Do for a Living?
Joy is an actress and model, booking cameos in movies Frankenhood, Venice Heat, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Setup. She has also launched her own eponymous fashion line.
“Designing pieces with a women’s curves and comfort in mind, has always been a dream of mine,” a description on the brand’s website reads. “Striking, minimally bold, classic silhouettes will always be the intention behind every piece. I hope you feel every bit of beautiful as you wrap yourself in our signature buttery, soft, stretch fabric.”
Joy and 50 Cent dated between 2011 and 2012, breaking up a few months after their son, Sire, was born. They have since remained relatively quiet about their relationship status.
“Since I’ve been in the industry, I’ve learnt to be a very private person and not to take things so personally,” Joy previously told Esquire Malaysia in December 2013. “When people are interested in you, whether it’s good or bad, they’re going to dig up whatever they want.”
She continued at the time, “It’s up to you to have your game face on always, and not to make a bigger spectacle of the situation than it is. Everyone goes through hardships and obstacles. It’s just unfortunate that some people have to go through it with such a big magnifying glass over them … but with me, because I have such a loving family, they’ve kept me so grounded and together that I don’t ever feel alone. If it gets overwhelming, I really just go to my mum and my dad. They just keep me together.”
A source exclusively told Us in March 2024 that 50 Cent, who also shares estranged son Marquise with ex Shaniqua Tompkins, was seeking sole custody of Sire in light of the sex trafficking allegations.
How Is Daphne Joy Involved in Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Against Diddy?
Joy is one of the alleged sex workers who used to get a “monthly stipend” from Diddy, according to Jones’ February 2024 lawsuit. Diddy has denied the claims and Joy has not publicly addressed them.
One month after Jones’ filing, Homeland Security raided two of Diddy’s residences in Los Angeles and Miami in connection to a federal sex trafficking investigation. Diddy was not home at the time nor has been formally arrested or charged at the time of publication.
Back in September 2022, 50 Cent accused Joy of galavanting with Diddy via Instagram after she attended the music mogul’s iHeartRadio Music Festival performance.
“Please stop doing this to me. I never bother you and I’m an outstanding mother to our son. Can we please just focus on that. Please,” Joy wrote in a since-deleted Instagram comment, per Complex.
Joy doubled down in a since-deleted follow-up message on her Instagram.
“I hate speaking about my private life on social media. But I feel it needs to be addressed. I’m so tired of my narrative being what it is. I was in a two-year relationship 10+ years ago, and out of the relationship, God blessed me with a beautiful, healthy baby boy,” Joy wrote at the time. “Although my child’s father and I parted ways, I shifted my focus on my son’s well-being emotionally, spiritually and everything in between.”
She continued, “I’ve healed privately, matured, have been closer to God than ever before, and really appreciating this life. I just want to be happy and be left alone. We are all human, and you never know where life can take you. … I’m so tired of defending my character, being prejudged, and constantly being villainized [sic]. I’m not doing anything wrong I wish no ill to anyone. I just want to be happy.”
Joy has not further addressed her connection to Diddy in light of the lawsuit and Homeland Security’s investigation.
Did Daphne Joy Date Any Other Celebs?
Three years after Joy and 50 Cent broke up, she moved on with Jason Derulo. A source told Us in November 2015 that they had “started getting cool” after meeting in London weeks earlier. Joy and Derulo split in May 2016 after six months together.
