Sheila E. Testifies: Prince’s Chilling Warnings About Diddy and the Music Industry Revealed in Court

Viewer Discretion Advised: This article contains allegations and testimony that may be disturbing.

In a dramatic turn on the seventh day of the federal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs, the courtroom fell silent as Sheila E.—the legendary percussionist and longtime confidant of Prince—took the stand. While many expected her to speak only of her own experiences, Sheila E. instead delivered a testimony that echoed with the final warnings of Prince himself, connecting the late icon’s deepest fears to the very heart of the case against Diddy.

Prince’s Fears: “It’s Not Just About Owning Your Masters. It’s About Who Owns You.”

Sheila E. began her testimony calmly, but her words carried the weight of history. She told the jury that in the months before his death in 2016, Prince became increasingly unsettled—not by mortality, but by the threat of being silenced. “There’s more going on in this industry than anyone knows,” he told her. “It’s not just about owning your masters. It’s about who owns you.”

According to Sheila, Prince believed the music industry had become a breeding ground for exploitation, manipulation, and coercion. He warned her never to attend certain parties—especially those hosted by Diddy—describing them as “rituals masked as celebrations.” Prince told her, “You don’t want to be in that room. Things happen there that you can’t unsee.”

The Party at Paisley Park: “Something Dark Came in With Him.”

Sheila recounted a night in 2006 when Diddy persuaded Prince to let him host an exclusive party at Paisley Park. Sheila described how the event, which began as a typical industry gathering, quickly shifted into something more sinister. Security confiscated phones, and a private section was closed off to most guests. “That’s where the real party is,” Prince told her, refusing to enter himself.

The next morning, Prince reportedly said, “That was the last time I let him into my home. Something dark came in with him.” Sheila testified that after that night, Prince felt he had opened a door that couldn’t be closed—and everything changed.

Surveillance, Blackmail, and the “Freakoff” Parties

Sheila E. revealed that Prince believed the true power in the industry was psychological, not just financial. “They don’t just want your hits, they want your silence,” he told her. “And if they can’t buy it, they’ll bury you.”

Prince described a system of secret recordings, NDAs, and blackmail. According to Sheila, he believed Diddy’s infamous parties were designed to trap artists—filming them without consent and using the footage as leverage. “This isn’t just dirt. This is currency. They own you with it,” Prince warned.

The Warner Brothers Connection

Sheila also testified that Prince saw connections between his own battles with Warner Brothers and Diddy’s rise in the industry. The same executives who shortchanged Prince were now bankrolling Diddy. “He said they fund the machine I escaped, but others never will,” Sheila relayed.

Prince’s Final Warning: “Don’t Let Them Twist My Legacy.”

In one of the most emotional moments, Sheila described her last conversation with Prince. He called her late at night, sounding scared—not of death, but of people. “They’re watching me. They want me quiet,” he told her. Prince said he was preparing to testify in a federal case, hinting at a plan to expose the industry’s darkest secrets.

“If I go down, it’ll be because I tried to save someone who didn’t want saving,” Prince said. Sheila now believes he was referring to Diddy. His final words to her: “Don’t let them twist my legacy. And if something happens, remember this call. Say it loud if I can’t.”

Evidence and Cross-Examination

Prosecutors followed Sheila’s testimony with evidence: NDAs, financial records, and an audio file of Prince rehearsing an interview in which he warned, “They’ll call it networking, but it’s harvesting. Young artists go in thinking it’s a party. They leave owing a debt measured in silence.”

A financial analyst detailed how appearance fees were routed through shell companies to security firms, matching the dates of alleged “freakoff” parties. Hotel keycard data showed Prince’s passcode was reissued at 3 a.m.—the same night he told Sheila, “They’re outside my door.”

The defense tried to undermine Sheila’s credibility, citing past estrangement from Prince and questioning her motives. But she stood firm, presenting phone logs, flight manifests, and handwritten notes as evidence of their reconciliation before his death.

A Reckoning for the Industry

Sheila E. ended her testimony with Prince’s handwritten note: “Your silence won’t protect you.” The courtroom was left in stunned silence, and the wider music industry felt immediate tremors. Social media erupted, legal teams scrambled, and even streaming platforms began quietly auditing archival footage.

For the first time, Prince’s warnings—once dismissed as paranoia—were given tangible courtroom weight. As one court observer noted, “I’ve never seen a ghost walk into a federal courtroom and testify. Today, Prince did.”

Whatever the jury decides about Diddy’s guilt, one thing is certain: the story can no longer be contained. The silence that Prince said the industry valued most has, at last, been shattered.

Play video: