One of the 34 witnesses who testified on behalf of the prosecution in Sean Combs’ trial was the makeup artist Mylah Morales.
While some of the witnesses interacted with Combs and his former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, who was known as the singer “Cassie,” Morales worked for both of them earlier in her career. After surveillance video footage of Ventura being assaulted by Combs in the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Calif., was made public by CNN in May 2024, Morale spoke out about an experience that she had had with Ventura that led to her being physically harmed by Combs.
Ventura, a former model who some know for the 2006 single “Me & U,” was a key witness during Combs’ seven-week trial, which resulted in him being found not guilty of racketeering and not guilty of sex trafficking, but guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. The latter refers to two charges — one in relation to Ventura and the other to another witness, who testified under the pseudonym “Jane.”
Reached on location at a job on Wednesday, Morales deferred comment until later in the day.
In a statement, Ventura’s lawyer Douglas H. Wigdor said, “By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice. We must repeat — with no reservation — that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial. She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.”
Combs’ legal defense team planned to address the media Wednesday afternoon outside of the federal district courthouse in lower Manhattan.
Last week Morales spoke with WWD about those early years in her career. In 2001, after moving from New York to Los Angeles, Morales started working with Combs as a makeup artist. A friend, who was then the assistant to the president of Bad Boy Records, had referred her, she said. That placed her in what was then “a very small circle” of Combs’, Morales said.
Describing that experience as “very professional,” Morales was involved with the music mogul’s TV appearances, music videos, editorial shoots, advertising campaigns and awards shows. There was always music playing, Morales added. “Everyone was always professional and busy — just trying to get it done,” she said.
Her assignments, which also pertained to Combs’ partner at that time Kim Porter, included trips to Paris Fashion Week. “There were tons of paparazzi — of course — fans, paparazzi, the usual. Fans couldn’t really get to him because of security,” Morales said. “With styling, he was very hands-on. With grooming, he wanted to make sure there was no shine or that he looked healthy on camera. The lights can be a little harsh.”
Morales said she never socialized with Combs and Porter.
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Around 2004 or 2005, Morales met Ventura at a photo shoot in Brooklyn, when she was modeling as a teenager. Ventura was so young that her father traveled with her, Morales said. “When I first saw her, I thought, ‘Wow, this girl is stunning,’” Morales said. “Usually, I can pick a star out in the crowd. She definitely had star quality.”
Morales described Ventura as being “so lovely, with not one mean bone in her body. She was always so pleasant and happy.” She continued, “We would just laugh. It was like working with your friend or little sister. There was never a dull moment or a stressful moment. That’s what I appreciate about her so much.”
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When Ventura mentioned an interest in pursuing a music career, Morales suggested to her that she should meet the music producer Ryan Leslie, and vice versa. Leslie was working with musicians like Combs and Usher at that time, Morales said. “He was just a really nice guy — went to Harvard, very put together,” she said. As it turned out, Ventura and Leslie met by chance at a party, and figured out the Morales connection.
Leslie could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
While working with Ventura, Morales said she decided to stop working with Combs to have more time to work with female clients, including pop stars. To accommodate that change in direction, Morales and her agent agreed to decline any future jobs with Combs. But she said she continued to see him on occasion, like when working with his artists.
Working “a lot” with Rihanna in 2005 and often traveling for her and other clients like Leona Lewis, Jordin Sparks and “female girl groups that aren’t even around anymore,” Morales said she worked with Ventura a few times a year, when time allowed. “I was also working with Lil’ Kim before she went to jail.”
Asked last week if Lil’ Kim would comment once a verdict was reached, her manager Greg Walker declined to comment.
In 2005, with clients like Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, Morales said she had little time to work with Ventura. Morales and Ventura reconnected during a Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam cover shoot during COVID-19 in Los Angeles. Ventura was expecting her second child at that time. Days after testifying last month, Ventura gave birth to her third child.
Looking back at the early 2000s, Morales speculated that some people today might not understand the exclusivity of that time. Agents and music executives were primarily responsible for making the connections. “Social media changed the world so much so there’s not a lot of privacy when it comes to artists and actors. Everyone now has camera on their phone,” she said. “Whereas before, paparazzi was the only way to get photos.”
While the collision of fashion, music, branding and entrepreneurship is so common now, that was not the case then. “It was actually really dope back then. It was more exclusive. There were a certain group of people that were working with certain artists. You didn’t have social media so nobody could get to an artist the way that they can now,” Morales said.
Morales said after the surveillance video footage of Combs physically assaulting Ventura in the Los Angeles hotel in 2016 was shown publicly last year, she was “really devastated.”
During the trial, Morales testified about a 2010 incident when Combs allegedly assaulted Ventura at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Regarding the impact of testifying, she said, “It’s been a very emotional time. I hadn’t seen Sean for many years. It just triggered a lot of memories. It made me feel very disappointed. I wish he had done better with people and situations in his life. I was very sad about it. The years were flashing back. It made me think, ‘Wow, here we are 25 years later in a courtroom.’”
Having recently taken a few months off, Morales said she has since joined a new agency.
As for Combs, Morales said last week, “If he had controlled his actions, a lot of things would have been so much better. He could have done so much more, because he’s not an old guy. He just didn’t make the right decisions.”