Everything to know about Cassie, the ‘Me & U’ singer who accused Diddy of abuse

Cassie burst onto the music scene in 2006 with an irresistible blend of pop and R&B.

Although the singer, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, has withdrawn from the spotlight in recent years, Cassie is still beloved by fans of 2000s club jams.

On Thursday, she filed a lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging abuse throughout their relationship, including rape. An attorney for Combs denied the allegations to Business Insider.

Here’s everything to know about the late-aughts icon.

Cassie broke out with the club hit ‘Me & U’

Before launching her music career, Cassie had done some modeling for brands like Delia’s.

In 2006, when she was 19 years old, she released her debut single “Me & U.” It became her first hit, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 3 on the Hot 100.

“Me & U” set the tone for her self-titled debut album, which was praised by critics for its “hypnotic groove” and “flippant playfulness.” Rolling Stone later described “Cassie” as “the most brilliantly minimalist R&B album of its era.”

In a positive review for Slant, Sal Cinquemani also noted, “‘Me & U’ has single-handedly revived his ailing Bad Boy imprint,” referring to Sean Combs, then known as Diddy.

Cassie signed to Bad Boy Records in 2006

According to an archived feature from 2008, Combs heard “Me & U” in a club and felt inspired to help Cassie’s career.

Combs teamed up with Ryan Leslie, who wrote and produced the song, to record Cassie’s album.

In 2008, she announced her plans to release her sophomore album.

“I guess I grew up a lot but I’m still in essence the same person,” Cassie, then 21, told Billboard. “Lots has changed in my life, stuff that has made me think about things differently. I’m more vulnerable and you can hear my vocals better this time around. There’s real emotion and a much realer connection with my fans.”

At the time, Combs praised Cassie’s musical development, which he said was reflected on the album. “We pulled out, we took our time, we developed her for like, a year-and-a-half,” he told Billboard in a 2008 interview. “People are just going to see her there and be like, ‘Wow, she’s really cocooned into a butterfly.'”

However, the album was delayed several times. She didn’t release new music until 2012, when she surprise-dropped a set of three mixtapes. She continued releasing singles sporadically in the years following.

Cassie has dabbled in acting

According to her IMDB, Cassie played Sophie in the 2008 film “Step Up 2: The Streets,” and has also appeared in “The Perfect Match” and on several episodes of “Empire.”

Cassie was in a tumultuous relationship with Diddy

Prior to her lawsuit, gossip news sites had reported that Cassie and Combs maintained an on-again, off-again relationship.

Cassie’s recent civil lawsuit accuses Combs of serious allegations, painting the music mogul as an extremely violent and angry ex-partner.

It details several instances when the music mogul physically and mentally abused Cassie as well as used intimidation tactics to keep her in the relationship.

She got married in 2019 and now has two children

Following her split from Combs in 2018, Cassie began a relationship with Alex Fine, a professional bull rider, model, and personal trainer. She revealed in June 2019 that she and Fine were expecting their first child together.

“Can’t wait to meet our baby girl,” the singer captioned two photos of her and Fine. “Love You Always & Forever.”

The couple later tied the knot in a surprise wedding in California in September 2019, and welcomed their second child in March 2021.

Read the original article on Insider