Entertainment Music Country Jelly Roll Recalls Turning Down Meet-and-Greet with Diddy: 'I Don't Even Know If That's a Picture I Want' The country star had the chance to meet Sean "Diddy" Combs before lawsuits were filed accusing the music mogul of sex trafficking By Jack Irvin Jack Irvin Jack Irvin has over five years of experience working in digital journalism, and he’s worked at PEOPLE since 2022. Jack started in the industry with internships at Rolling Stone and Entertainment Tonight, and he worked as a freelance writer for publications including Bustle, MTV News, Shondaland, L’Officiel USA, Ladygunn, Flood and PopCrush before joining PEOPLE. In his current role, Jack covers daily music news and has interviewed both up-and-coming and established artists including Dolly Parton, Michelle Branch, Ashanti, Cyndi Lauper, Normani, Carly Rae Jepsen and Coco Jones. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 9, 2024 01:35PM EDT Even before Sean “Diddy” Combs was facing sex trafficking allegations, Jelly Roll didn't feel right about posing with him for a photo. In a new interview alongside his wife, Bunnie Xo, on the Cancelled podcast, the 39-year-old country star recalled turning down a photo with Diddy after they both appeared on the same episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! last fall. "This is the first time in my career, ever, where they said, 'Do you want to meet such-and-such?' And I said, 'Yeah,' and I started walking that way, and as I was getting down the hallway — this is a true story — I said, 'Nah,' and went and got back in the car," said Jelly. Sean 'Diddy' Combs 'Keeping His Cool' amid 'Stressful' Federal Investigation: Source (Exclusive) Jelly Roll; Sean "Diddy" Combs. Kevin Mazur/Getty; Steve Granitz/WireImage "I don't know what it was, and I made a joke at first," continued the "Save Me" singer, who noted that he joked on the Kimmel set about the longtime rumor that Diddy, 54, played a role in Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder. (Diddy said the rumor is "nonsense" in a 2016 interview with The Breakfast Club. Duane “Keffe D” Davis was arrested last year in connection with the murder, though he's since pleaded not guilty.) "Nobody thought that was funny, so I was like, ‘Ooh that’s a bomb. Maybe I shouldn’t go and do this anyway.’ So I was already skeptical, ‘cause I thought I had a funny one," Jelly added. "When we were walking, I was like, I don’t know," said the Grammy-nominated star, who got a bad feeling about meeting Diddy. "Very seldom does things rub me in a way where I was like, 'I don't even know if that’s a picture I want.'" Jelly Roll's Private Jet Makes an Emergency Landing After Wife Bunnie XO Says It 'Stopped Mid-Air' Jelly Roll in Los Angeles in February 2024. Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Jelly explained that he's "been in situations" where he's "ended up in pictures with people I didn't want to be with" at various entertainment industry events. "Motherf---ers will walk a carpet around the same time. S--- happens," he said. "They’re like, ‘Hey, y’all get together.’ And you’re like, ‘I don’t really even know who this human is.'" PEOPLE has learned that Diddy was never directly asked to meet Jelly Roll and that the ask may have come from show producers without Combs' knowledge. The two musicians' near-meeting came before Diddy was accused of sexual assault and similar allegations by five people in separate lawsuits throughout the past few months, with two including accusations of sex trafficking. He's denied all the allegations. Last month, the music mogul's properties in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by federal agents. Model Named as Sex Worker in Lil Rod's Lawsuit Against Diddy Refutes Claim as 'False Allegations' Sean "Diddy" Combs in Beverly Hills in March 2018. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / SplashNews.com "Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners. We will provide further information as it becomes available," a Homeland Security Investigations representative said in a statement to PEOPLE at the time. Following the home raids, Combs' lawyer released a statement condemning the action. "There was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences," said attorney Aaron Dyer told PEOPLE in a statement. "There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated." Sean "Diddy" Combs in Beverly Hills in January 2020. Steve Granitz/WireImage He added: "This unprecedented ambush — paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence — leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits." "There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name," the statement concluded. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.