Later that year, Bad Boy released "Juicy," the lead single from the Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album Ready to Die. While Mack's album achieved Gold certification, Ready to Die went multi-platinum, establishing the Notorious B.I.G. as one of the most prominent figures in hip-hop. By 1995, the Notorious B.I.G. dominated the charts, solidifying his status as Bad Boy's flagship artist.
During the same period, Bad Boy continued to expand its roster of successful acts. In 1995, the label released platinum-selling albums from Total and Faith Evans, further cementing its influence in R&B and hip-hop. Behind the scenes, Bad Boy maintained a stable of in-house writers and producers who played a significant role in crafting the label's signature sound. This team included Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, and D-Dot, all of whom contributed heavily to the label's output during this formative period.[10]
The rapid rise of the Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Records intensified tensions with Death Row Records, a label based in Beverly Hills, California that had dominated mainstream West Coast hip-hop throughout the early 1990s. For the three years leading up to 1995, West Coast hip-hop had largely been the prevailing force in popular hip-hop music. Suge Knight, co-founder and CEO of Death Row, blamed Combs for the death of his associate Jake Robles, allegedly carried out by Combs' bodyguard Anthony "Wolf" Jones.
Tensions further escalated when Death Row signed Tupac Shakur, who claimed that Bad Boy—particularly the Notorious B.I.G. and Combs—had been involved in his shooting at Quad Studios in Times Square in November 1994. The rivalry intensified after the June 1996 release of Shakur's diss track "Hit 'Em Up", which explicitly targeted Bad Boy and its artists.
The deaths of Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. fueled widespread speculation that the East Coast–West Coast rivalry contributed to the violence. Both cases were heavily criticized for their lack of resolution, and police investigations were scrutinized by public and judicial sources. As of today, both murders remain officially unsolved.
Commercial peak and decline (1997–2005)
Following the death of the Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records achieved unprecedented commercial success. Posthumously, the Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death (1997) reached number one on the Billboard 200. Its first two singles, "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money, Mo Problems," also topped the singles charts. The album eventually sold over 10 million copies in the United States alone, making it one of the highest-selling hip-hop albums in U.S. history.[11]
In 1996, Combs began recording his debut solo album. The lead single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", peaked at No. 1 on the hip-hop, R&B, and pop charts in the spring of 1997. In tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., the label quickly released "I'll Be Missing You", featuring the Notorious B.I.G.'s widow, Faith Evans, and the R&B group 112. The single remained at number one for eleven weeks and became the second single from Combs' album No Way Out, released in July 1997. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling over 560,000 copies in its first week, and eventually sold seven million copies in the United States[12]
No Way Out featured appearances from Mase, The Lox, and Carl Thomas, and introduced Bad Boy signee Black Rob. Mase, Combs' protégé, was immediately positioned as a successor to the Notorious B.I.G.'s commercial void. Mase's own debut album, Harlem World, also released in 1997, achieved quadruple platinum status. The successive successes of Life After Death, No Way Out, and Harlem World propelled Bad Boy to its commercial peak. During this period, the label promoted its newest signing, The Lox, who had been featured prominently on various releases throughout the year.
By 1999, Bad Boy began experiencing commercial challenges. Mase retired abruptly due to religious reasons, creating a significant void in the label, particularly as his second album had just been released. The label found moderate success with Belizean rapper Shyne, whose deep voice and slow flow drew comparisons to The Notorious B.I.G., though critical reception was mixed. Meanwhile, Combs' own follow-up albums did not replicate the acclaim of No Way Out.[15] Despite an advance of $50 million from Clive Davis and Arista in 1998, Bad Boy generated only $30 million in revenue in 1999.
Entering the 2000s, Bad Boy's commercial momentum declined further. Many established artists left the label, and sales of remaining acts diminished. Nevertheless, rapper Black Rob found success with his album Life Story (2000), which debuted in the top three of the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[16]
On June 20, 2002, Combs and Bad Boy parted ways with Arista Records, retaining ownership of the label's catalog and artist roster.[17] Around the same time, Combs oversaw the MTV reality show Making the Band 2, which followed the creation of his new group, Bad Boy's Da Band. Their debut album, Too Hot for TV (2003), benefited from MTV exposure and achieved Gold certification by the RIAA.
In 2003, Bad Boy signed a distribution deal with Universal Records under the Universal Music Group, retaining full ownership while Universal provided marketing, promotion, and distribution support.[18] Around this time, the label created Bad Boy South, signing acts such as Yung Joc and 8Ball & MJG, who released Living Legends (2004) to moderate success.
By January 2005, tensions arose between Bad Boy and Universal Records, reportedly over marketing support and revenue sharing. Although Bad Boy’s contract with Universal was set to expire in 2006, Combs was exploring alternative distribution partnerships with Warner Music Group and Columbia Records.[19]
Warner partnership and Interscope transition (2005–2009)
In 2005, Bad Boy entered a joint venture with Warner Music Group (WMG), under which Warner became the worldwide distributor of the company’s back catalog and acquired a 50% equity stake in Bad Boy.[20] Combs retained joint control over the label and the option to repurchase his equity stake in the future.
The label experienced a resurgence in 2005 with successful releases from new signees, including Cassie Ventura and Yung Joc, both of whom achieved top-five singles and strong debut albums.[21] In 2006, Bad Boy found further success with Making the Band 3's Danity Kane, whose self-titled debut album reached No. 1 on the charts—the label’s first chart-topping album since the Bad Boys II soundtrack three years earlier. The album also produced a top-five single. Danity Kane’s second album, Welcome to the Dollhouse, also debuted at No. 1 and featured the group’s second top-ten single, "Damaged". During this period, Combs also signed R&B group Day26 and singer Donnie Klang to Bad Boy.
By 2009, Combs dissolved Danity Kane, ending the contracts of members Aubrey O'Day, D. Woods, Shannon Bex, and Aundrea Fimbres.[22] Dawn Richard remained with the label, working as a solo artist and songwriter. In March 2009, it was reported that Richard and Combs were assembling a new girl group, which eventually became Diddy – Dirty Money, comprising Combs, Richard, and singer-songwriter Kalenna Harper. That same month, Bad Boy also signed rapper Red Café.
In September 2009, Combs departed from Warner and signed a new distribution deal with Universal's Interscope Records. Under this agreement, Combs rebooted the Bad Boy brand and trademark under Interscope's distribution, while the previous Bad Boy catalog and roster remained under Warner's control.[23]
Restructuring and revival (2010–2016)
In 2010, Combs offered Mase a one-year release from Bad Boy Records to resolve their longstanding differences following Mase's previous request to leave the label. Mase opted to retire from rap during this period, though he was scheduled to return to Bad Boy after the one-year hiatus.
On April 25, 2012, Mase appeared alongside Combs on Wale's "Slight Work" remix, marking his first recorded appearance since 2010. Rumors suggested that Mase and singer Omarion were considering signing with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group. However, Bad Boy artist French Montana revealed that Mase was serving as an A&R representative on his forthcoming Bad Boy debut, Excuse My French, and appeared on the remix of Montana's single "Everything's a Go." Although Mase remained affiliated with Bad Boy, he later announced that he had secured his release from the label.
In April 2013, Cassie Ventura released her first full-length project in seven years, a mixtape titled RockaByeBaby, receiving positive reviews. Rapper Los departed from Bad Boy Records on March 19, 2014.[27]
On October 5, 2015, Combs announced that Bad Boy would be distributed by Epic Records.[28][29] This marked the second time Epic president L.A. Reid oversaw distribution for Bad Boy, having previously done so in 2000 during his tenure at Arista.
Despite being founded in 1993, Bad Boy celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2015 with a 20-minute mega-medley performance at the BET Awards. The celebration extended into 2016 with sold-out shows at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and launched the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour across North America starting in August 2016.[30][31][32]
The Hitmen are the in-house production team of Bad Boy Records, responsible for creating much of the label's signature sound. The collective consists of several notable producers and musicians who have worked either independently or alongside Combs in producing tracks for Bad Boy artists, as well as for projects outside the label.[37]
On August 20, 2015, it was announced that rapper Kanye West had joined The Hitmen roster, further expanding the group's influence and production capabilities.[38]
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