At a Glance
- D. Woods says she and bandmates “suffered in silence” while working with Sean “Diddy” Combs on Bad Boy Records
- The reunion tour let them “rewrite the story” after media revelations removed “the elephant in the room”
- Woods calls assault video of Cassie “consistent with what we experienced” inside the group
Why it matters: The interview gives first-hand insight into the environment surrounding Combs during the height of his MTV-era empire.
Danity Kane’s D. Woods and Aundrea Fimbres are using their 20-year reunion tour to speak openly about the atmosphere they endured while working with Sean “Diddy” Combs at Bad Boy Records.
Woods, 42, tells News Of Los Angeles exclusively that she spent years “holding onto individually, and suffering in silence about” experiences that shaped her early career. The pair, who wrapped the Untold Chapter Tour, say the timing finally felt right to reunite with bandmate Aubrey O’Day, 41.
“There were lots of things going on in the media,” Woods explains. “Lots of things being aired out and exposed, and … kind of like the obstacles moved out of the way.”
Removing the elephant
With headlines swirling around Combs, Woods says the group sensed space to reclaim their narrative.
“The elephant in the room was removed,” she continues. “Some of the things that were difficult … So we were like, ‘Ugh, all right. Well, now we can just do music, and we can actually write, rewrite the story and reclaim it.’ And that’s where the title came from, The Untold Chapter.”
She adds that recent revelations about Combs, now 56, “were not a surprise.”
“Unfortunately, it was very consistent with what we experienced. Even if we didn’t experience those things firsthand, the atmosphere was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, he acts like that. He does that. He talks to people like that. He talked to us like that.'”
Cassie video sparks reflection
Video released in May 2024 showed Combs physically assaulting singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura during a 2016 altercation, matching allegations she made in a now-settled November 2023 lawsuit.
Woods says seeing the footage triggered memories of their own isolation inside the group.
“I made a comment about Cassie and I was like, ‘At least we had the five of us. Even though we weren’t the best of friends and on the same page all the time, at least we were the five of us,'” Woods notes. “She was a solo act. And we didn’t know what was going on.”
“We were all young and just trying to figure it out at the same time,” she recalls. “Almost a little out of body experience, like you’re watching a movie about a group, but we were the people living [it].”
Fimbres’ hesitation
Fimbres, 42, says stepping back on stage required careful thought; she hadn’t toured since marrying nearly 12 years ago.
“Doing something like this … you have to make sure your stamina’s up,” she tells News Of Los Angeles. “I just didn’t want to feel like I wasn’t up to par with the girls.”
Family life added another layer.
“I’m married. I’m a stepparent. So it was a conversation that I had with both my husband and some of my family members… ‘Hey, I’m gonna be gone for a little bit… you guys are gonna have to keep up the house on your own, and make your own dinners!'”
Lack of control
Looking back, Fimbres says the group’s most jarring realization was how little control they possessed.
“With age obviously comes wisdom,” she says. “There’s a lot of things that aren’t really acceptable now – we wouldn’t have sleep for days. We weren’t being managed correctly.”
“Whatever they threw at us, we went with the flow – but now we have a lot more control, and that’s always nice.”
Formation and fallout
Danity Kane originated on MTV’s Making the Band 3 and signed to Combs’ Bad Boy Records. The lineup featured Woods, Fimbres, O’Day, Dawn Richard and Shannon Bex.
In 2008, Combs removed O’Day and Woods amid rising tension between himself and the performers.
Richard’s lawsuit
In September 2024, former member Richard, 42, filed a complaint in New York federal court against Combs, alleging nearly a decade of sexual and verbal abuse, according to court documents obtained by News Of Los Angeles. She also claims Combs owes her:
- $3.5 million in unpaid salaries and royalties
- Unpaid wages for touring on over 100 dates
Combs’ attorney, Erica Wolff, told News Of Los Angeles in a statement at the time: “Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a payday – conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour.”
“If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album last year,” Wolff continued. “It’s unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court.”
Combs’ sentence
Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison after being convicted on two prostitution-related charges in July. With credit for time served, he is expected to spend about three years behind bars.
The judge also handed down:
- Five years of supervised release
- A $500,000 fine, the maximum allowable
During sentencing, Combs kept his head lowered, shoulders hunched and hands clasped. He later apologized to former girlfriends, friends and family, calling his behavior “disgusting, shameful and sick” and admitting he had failed his children and his mother.
