Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known as Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy,[4][5] is an American rapper, record producer and record executive. He is credited with the discovery and development of musical artists including the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Usher.
Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, Combs worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record label, Bad Boy Records in 1993. He embarked on his recording career following the success of his first signee, the Notorious B.I.G., for whom he served as manager and hype man. Combs's debut studio album, No Way Out (1997), peaked atop the Billboard 200 and has sold over 7 million copies in the US. Two of its lead singles, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" and "I'll Be Missing You", topped the Billboard Hot 100—the latter was the first hip hop song to debut atop the chart. His second and third albums, Forever (1999) and The Saga Continues... (2001), reached number two on the Billboard 200, while his fourth, Press Play (2006), reached atop the chart. In 2009, Combs formed the musical group Diddy – Dirty Money with R&B singers Kalenna Harper and Dawn Richard to release the collaborative album Last Train to Paris (2010), which peaked at number seven in the US and was supported by the single "Coming Home". He released his fifth album, The Love Album: Off the Grid, thirteen years later: it received moderate critical and commercial response.
Sean John Combs was born on November 4, 1969, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Raised in Mount Vernon, New York,[18] his mother Janice Combs (née Smalls) was a model and teacher's assistant,[19] and his father, Melvin Earl Combs, served in the U.S. Air Force and was an associate of convicted New York drug dealer Frank Lucas.[18][20] At age 33, Melvin was shot dead while sitting in his car on Central Park West, when Combs was two years old.[21] Combs has a sister, Keisha, and grew up in poverty.[22][23]
Combs was raised Catholic and served as an altar boy.[24] He graduated from Mount Saint Michael Academy, an all-boys Catholic school, in 1987. He played football for the academy, and his team won a division title in 1986.[25] Combs said he was given the nickname "Puff" as a child, because he would "huff and puff" when he was angry.[26] Combs was a business major at Howard University, but left after his second year.[27]
Career
1990–1996: Career beginnings
Combs became an intern at New York's Uptown Records in 1990.[28][29] While working as a talent director at Uptown, under the guidance of label founder Andre Harrell,[30] he helped develop Jodeci and Mary J. Blige.[31] In his college days, Combs had a reputation for throwing parties, some of which attracted up to a thousand participants.[32]Usher, who lived with Combs for a year in New York City when he was 13 years old, told Howard Stern in 2016 that Combs's lifestyle was "pretty wild" during that time.[33] In 1991, Combs promoted an AIDS fundraiser with Heavy D held at the City College of New York (CCNY) gymnasium, following a charity basketball game. The event was oversold, and a stampede occurred in which nine people died.[34]
Mase and the Lox joined Bad Boy just as a widely publicized rivalry between the East Coast and West Coast hip hop scenes was beginning. Combs and Wallace were criticized and parodied by Death Row Records cohorts Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight in songs and interviews during the mid-1990s.[40] During 1994–1995, Combs produced several songs for TLC's CrazySexyCool, which finished the decade as number 25 on Billboard's list of top pop albums of the decade.[41][42]
1996–1998: "Puff Daddy" and No Way Out
In 1996, under the name Puff Daddy, Combs released his first commercial vocal work as a rapper.[43] His debut single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", spent 28 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number one.[44] His debut album, No Way Out, was released on July 22, 1997,[45] through Bad Boy Records. Originally titled Hell up in Harlem, the album underwent several changes after the Notorious B.I.G. was killed on March 9, 1997.[46] Several of the label's artists made guest appearances on the album. No Way Out was a significant success, particularly in the United States, where it reached number one on the Billboard 200 in its first week of release, selling 561,000 copies.[47]
The album produced five singles: "I'll Be Missing You", a tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., was the first rap song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100; it remained at the top of the chart for 11 consecutive weeks and topped several other charts worldwide.[48] Four other singles—"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", "It's All About the Benjamins", "Been Around the World", and "Victory"—were also released. Combs collaborated with Jimmy Page on the song "Come with Me" for the 1998 film Godzilla.[49]
The album earned Combs five nominations at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998, and would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.[50][51] On September 7, 2000, the album was certified septuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over 7 million copies.[52] By the late 1990s, he was being criticized for watering down and overly commercializing hip hop, and for relying excessively on guest appearances, samples, and interpolations of past hits.[5] For example, in a 1997 review of No Way Out for Billboard, Havelock Nelson commented: "...the over-reliance on huge swathes of undiluted samples is simply clumsy, lazy, and demeaning to the sources."[53] Also in 1997, Neil Strauss of The New York Times called Combs the "king of sampled hits".[54]
1999–2000: Forever
Combs at the 2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In April 1999, Combs was charged with assaulting Steve Stoute of Interscope Records. Stoute was the manager for Nas, with whom Combs had filmed a video earlier that year for the song "Hate Me Now". Combs was concerned that the video, which featured a shot of Nas and Combs being crucified, was blasphemous.[55] He asked for his scenes on the cross to be pulled, but after the video aired unedited on MTV on April 15, Combs visited Stoute's offices and injured Stoute.[56]
Forever, Combs's second solo studio album, was released by Bad Boy Records on August 24, 1999, in North America, and in the UK on the following day. It reached number two on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,[57] before being ousted the following week by Mary J. Blige's fourth album, Mary. The album received positive to mixed reviews from music critics and spawned three singles that have charted on the Billboard charts. It peaked at number four on the Canadian Albums Chart, Combs's highest-charting album in that country.[57]
2001–2004: "P. Diddy" and The Saga Continues
Combs changed his stage name from "Puff Daddy" to "P. Diddy" in 2001.[58] The gospel album, Thank You, which had been completed just before the beginning of the weapons trial, was due to be released in March that year, but remains unreleased as of 2023[update].[59] He appeared as a drug dealer in the film, Made, and starred with Halle Berry, Heath Ledger, and Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball (both in 2001).[60]
Combs began working with a series of atypical (for him) artists. For a short period of time, he was the manager of Kelis; they have a collaboration titled "Let's Get Ill".[61] He was an opening act for 'N Sync on their Spring 2002 Celebrity Tour,[62] and he signed California-based pop girl group Dream to his record label.[63] Combs was a producer of the soundtrack album for the film Training Day (2001).[64]
In June 2001, Combs ended Bad Boy's distribution deal with Arista Records, gaining full control of the label, its catalogue, and its roster of artists.[36]The Saga Continues..., released on July 10 in North America, was the last studio album released by the joint venture. The album reached number two on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts[65][66] and was eventually certified Platinum.[37] It is the only studio album under the P. Diddy name, and the first album by Sean Combs not to feature any guest appearances by Jay-Z or Lil' Kim. Combs was executive producer of the reality TV show, Making the Band, which appeared on MTV from 2002 to 2009.[67]
The show involves interviewing candidates and creating musical acts that would then enter the music business. Acts who got their start this way include Da Band,[68]Danity Kane,[67]Day26,[69] and Donnie Klang.[70] In 2003, Combs ran in the New York City Marathon, raising $2million for the educational system of the city of New York.[71] On March 10, 2004, he appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss the marathon, which he finished in four hours and eighteen minutes.[72] In 2004, Combs headed the campaign "Vote or Die" for the 2004 presidential election.[73] On February 1, 2004, Combs performed at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.[74]
2005–2009: "Diddy" and Press Play
Combs performing in 2008 at the eTalk Festival Party
On August 16, 2005, Combs announced on Today that he was altering his stage name yet again; he would be calling himself "Diddy". Combs said fans did not know how to address him, which led to confusion.[75]
In 2006, when Combs refused to release rapper Mase from his contractual obligations with Bad Boy to allow him to join the group G-Unit, 50 Cent recorded a diss song, "Hip-Hop". The lyrics imply that Combs knew the identity of the Notorious B.I.G.'s murderer.[80] The two resolved the feud, but it resurfaced in later years.[81][82]
Combs released his first album in four years, Press Play, on October 17, 2006, on the Bad Boy Records label.[83] The album, featuring guest appearances by many popular artists, debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart[84] with sales of over 173,009. Its singles "Come to Me" and "Last Night" both reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.[85][86] The album became available to preview on MTV's The Leak on October 10, 2006, a week before being sold in stores.[87]Press Play received mixed to positive reviews from critics,[88] and was certified Gold on the RIAA ratings.[37] On September 18, 2007, Combs teamed up with 50 Cent and Jay-Z for the "Forbes I Get Money Billion Dollar Remix".[89]
In June 2008, Combs's representative denied rumors of another name change.[90] Combs ventured into reality television in August 2008 with the premiere of his VH1 series I Want to Work for Diddy.[91] He appeared—credited under his real name—in two episodes of Season 7 of CSI: Miami: "Presumed Guilty" and "Sink or Swim", in the role of lawyer Derek Powell.[92]
Combs created a rap supergroup in 2010 known as the Dream Team. The group consists of Combs, Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Red Café, and Fabolous.[93] Combs made an appearance at comedian Chris Gethard's live show in January 2010 at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City.[94] In June 2010, Combs played a role, credited as Sean Combs, in the comedy film Get Him to the Greek, as Sergio Roma, a record company executive. An Entourage series representative announced that Combs would guest star on an episode during the 2010 season.[95] Recruiting singers Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper, Combs formed the female duo Diddy – Dirty Money in 2009. The trio's first and only album, Last Train to Paris, was released by Interscope Records on December 13, 2010. The release was preceded by four singles: "Angels", "Hello Good Morning", "Loving You No More", and "Coming Home", each saw mixed success on the Billboard Hot 100, although the latter peaked at number 11 on the U.S. Hot 100, number four in the UK, and number seven in Canada.[96] Combs produced the group, and often performed with them. On March 10, 2011, Diddy and Dirty Money performed "Coming Home" live on American Idol.[97]
On February 26, 2014, Combs premiered "Big Homie", featuring Rick Ross and French Montana, as the first single from his mixtape MMM (Money Making Mitch), which was originally scheduled to be released that year.[100] The song was released for digital download on March 24,[101] and two days later the trailer for the music video was released. The full version of the music video was released on March 31. Combs used his former stage name Puff Daddy for the album.[102]MMM was released as a free mixtape album of 12 tracks on November 4, 2015.[103] In July 2014, Combs and Israeli record producer Guy Gerber released the collaborative album, 11:11 as a free download.[104] On June 29, 2015, Combs released the single "Finna Get Loose", which featured vocals and production by Pharrell Williams.[105]
In July 2015, Bad Boy Entertainment signee Gizzle told the press that she was collaborating with Combs on the ultimately-cancelled album No Way Out 2, a sequel to his 1997 debut. She describes the music as unique: "The mindset is to just be classic and to be epic. And to really live up to that... we know it's a tall order, but we welcome the challenge."[106] In April 2016, Combs announced that after this album and its accompanying tour, he planned to retire from the music industry to focus on acting.[107]
On May 20, 2016, Combs launched a tour of Bad Boy Records' biggest names to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the label.[108] The documentary Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story, covering the two shows at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as well as behind-the-scenes events, was released on June 23, 2017.[109] The show toured to an additional twenty venues across the United States and Canada.[110][111]
2018–present: "Love" and The Love Album: Off the Grid
Combs in October 2019
On November 5, 2017, Combs announced that he would be going by the name Love, stating, "My new name is Love, aka Brother Love."[112] Two days later, he told the press he had been joking, but on January 3, 2018, he announced on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that he had changed his mind again, and will be using the new name after all.[113] The change became official in 2022.[114]
In 2019, Combs announced on Twitter that Making the Band would return to MTV in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it failed to do so; it was delayed once more for a release in 2021 before its complete cancellation.[115][116]
Combs executive-produced Nigerian singer Burna Boy's album, Twice as Tall, which was released on August 14, 2020.[117]
Combs hosted the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. In May of that year, he announced the startup of a new record label, Love Records as part of a recording contract with Motown. Along with Combs himself, the label's inaugural artist was singer Jozzy, who signed to the label that same month.[118][119] The following June, he released the single "Gotta Move On", which features singer Bryson Tiller and marked his first entry—at number 79—on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Coming Home". It was promoted as the lead single for the album, although it was only included on its expanded edition. On August 22, 2023, Combs released a teaser trailer on social media for his fifth studio album The Love Album: Off the Grid, which was released on September 15, 2023.
Coinciding with its release was the lead single "Another One of Me" (with the Weeknd, French Montana and 21 Savage). The song peaked at number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200. Critical responses to both the song and album were mixed to average.[120] Despite Combs's signing with Motown, the album released was independently, with the label's name only present on promotional materials. During an interview with Billboard, Combs stated that:
"[I]'m in a season of total independence. I had an experience with Motown where it was like, 'I've come too far to ask somebody that isn't where I'm from about cultural and artistic things. If I'm going to bet on anybody, I'm going to bet on the people I believe in.' So I decided to go independent with Love Records and Bad Boy. I decided to come back into the game with bolder ideas of ownership, distribution and future manufacturing because those are the things that we as a people are cut out of."[121]
The Love Album: Off the Grid received a nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, which commenced on February 4, 2024; Combs did not attend the ceremony, due to sexual misconduct allegations levied against him.[122]
Business career
Fortune magazine listed Combs at number 12 on their top 40 of entrepreneurs under 40 in 2002.[123]Forbes magazine estimated that for the year ending May 2017, Combs earned $130million, ranking him number one among entertainers.[124] He is one of the wealthiest musical artists, with an estimated net worth of US$1billion by 2022.[125]
Sean John
A billboard of Sean John is in the distance on Broadway, 2011.
In late 2006, the department store Macy's removed Sean John jackets from their shelves when they discovered that the clothing was made using raccoon dog fur. Combs had not known the jackets were made with genuine fur, but as soon as he was alerted, he had production stopped.[129]
In November 2008, Combs added a men's perfume line "I Am King" to the Sean John brand. The fragrance, dedicated to Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, and Martin Luther King Jr., featured Bar Refaeli in its advertising.[130] In early 2016, Sean John introduced the brand's GIRLS collection.[131]
Other ventures
Combs in 2011
Combs is the head of Combs Enterprises, an umbrella company for his portfolio of businesses.[132] In addition to his clothing line, Combs owned two restaurants called Justin's, named after his son. The original New York location closed in September 2007;[133] the Atlanta location closed in June 2012.[134] He is the designer of the Dallas Mavericks alternate jersey.[135] In October 2007, Combs agreed to help develop the Cîroc vodka brand for a 50% share of the profits.[130] In June 2023, after Ciroc was acquired by Diageo, they ended their partnership with Combs for "refusing to acknowledge or honor his commitments".[136]
Combs acquired the Enyce clothing line from Liz Claiborne for $20million on October 21, 2008.[137]
Combs has a major equity stake in Revolt TV, a television network that also has a film production branch.[138] It began broadcasting in 2014.[139] In February 2015, Combs teamed up with actor Mark Wahlberg and businessman Ronald Burkle of Yucaipa Companies to purchase a majority holding in Aquahydrate, a calorie-free beverage for athletes.[140][141] John Cochran, former president of Fiji Water, is CEO of the company.[142]
In 2019, Combs became an investor in PlayVS, which provides an infrastructure for competitive gaming in US high schools.[143] The company was also backed by Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin.[144]
Personal life
Combs with his sons Christian and Justin at the Spider-Man 3 premiere, 2007
Family and relationships
Combs is a father to seven children. His first biological child, a son, Justin, was born in 1993 to fashion designer and stylist Misa Hylton. He attended UCLA on a football scholarship and graduated in 2016.[145][146] Combs had an on-again, off-again relationship with Kimberly Porter (1970–2018), which lasted from 1994 to 2007.[2][147] He raised and adopted Quincy, born 1991,[148] Porter's son from a previous relationship with singer-producer and Combs's rival, Al B. Sure!. Together, they had a son, Christian, born 1998, and twin daughters, born 2006.[149] Porter died of pneumonia on November 15, 2018.[150][151]
Five months before the birth of his twins,[149] Combs had a daughter, born to Sarah Chapman. He took legal responsibility for her in October 2007.[147] Combs was in an 11-year relationship with Cassie Ventura from 2007 to 2018.[152][153] Combs's seventh child was born on October 15, 2022, a daughter.[154] Her mother is Dana Tran.[155]
In November 2022, Combs and his second-eldest son became the first father-son duo to have simultaneous No. 1 hits. Combs reached the top of the BillboardAdult R&B Airplay chart with "Gotta Move On", while his son, under his stage name King Combs, topped Mediabase's US Urban Radio chart with "Can't Stop Won't Stop", featuring Kodak Black.[156]
Combs owns a home in Alpine, New Jersey, which he purchased for $7million.[157] In 2018 Combs bought Past Times, a 1997 painting by Kerry James Marshall for $21 million, establishing a record for a painting by a living black artist.[158]
Religious views
Combs was raised Catholic and was an altar server as a boy.[159] In 2008, he told The Daily Telegraph that he does not adhere to any specific religious denomination. He said, "I just follow right from wrong, so I could pray in a synagogue or a mosque or a church. I believe that there is only one God."[159]
Combs founded Daddy's House Social Programs, an organization to help inner-city youth, in 1995. Programs include tutoring, life skills classes, and an annual summer camp. Along with Jay-Z, he pledged $1million to help support victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and donated clothing from his Sean John line to victims. He has donated computers and books to New York schools.[161]
In 2014, Combs received an honorary doctorate in Humanities from Howard University, where he gave the commencement speech for its 146th commencement ceremony. In his speech, Combs acknowledged that his experiences as a Howard student positively influenced his life.[166] In 2016, Combs donated $1million to Howard University to establish the Sean Combs Scholarship Fund to help students who are unable to pay their tuition.[167][168] On June 7, 2024, Howard University announced that it was revoking Combs's honorary doctorate. They also returned his $1million donation and terminated his pledge agreement.[169]
Combs held a series of parties known as White Parties between 1998 and 2009. The parties had a strict all-white dress code. A 2024 New York Times article stated that in the 2000s "few events held the cultural cachet".[171] CNN commented that "there was a time when one of the hottest summer tickets belonged to anyone who was able to score an invite to party" with Combs, and that the parties "marked the peak of his cultural influence".[172]
Legal issues
In 1997, Combs was sued for landlord neglect by Inge Bongo[fr]; Combs denied the charges.[173] On April 15, 1999, shortly after the music video for Nas' "Hate Me Now" aired on MTV featuring Combs being crucified, he and two others burst into Nas' former manager, Steve Stoute's office and attacked him.[174][175] Stoute sued Combs in June 1999, resulting in Combs paying him an out-of-court settlement of $500,000.[176] Originally charged with assault for the event, Combs pleaded guilty on September 8, 1999, to a charge of harassment, and was sentenced to spend one day in an anger management class.[177][178]
On December 27, 1999, Combs, his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, and his protégé rapper Shyne were at Club New York in Times Square in Manhattan when gunfire broke out.[179][180] A prosecutor said that the incident was sparked by an argument at the club between Combs and another patron.[179] After a police investigation, Combs and Shyne were arrested for weapons violations and other charges.[181] Combs was charged with four weapons-related charges and with bribing his driver, Wardel Fenderson, to claim ownership of his gun.[182] With a gag order in place, the highly publicized trial began.[182] Combs's attorneys were Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. and Benjamin Brafman.[183] Combs was found not guilty on all charges. Shyne was convicted on five of his eight charges[183] and sentenced to ten years in prison. Combs and Lopez broke up shortly after. A lawsuit filed by Fenderson, who said he suffered emotional damage after the shooting, was settled in February 2004. Lawyers for both sides, having agreed to keep the settlement terms secret, said the matter had been "resolved to the satisfaction of all parties".[184] In 2001, he was arrested for driving with a suspended license in Florida.[185]
In 2003, the National Labor Committee revealed that factories producing the Sean John clothing brand in Honduras were violating Honduran labor laws.[186] Among the accusations were that workers were subjected to body searches and involuntary pregnancy tests. Bathrooms were locked and access tightly controlled. Employees were forced to work overtime and were paid sweatshop wages.[187]Charles Kernaghan of the National Labor Committee told The New York Times that, "Sean Puff Daddy obviously has a lot of clout, he can literally do a lot overnight to help these workers."[186] Combs responded with an extensive investigation, telling reporters, "I'm as pro-worker as they get."[188] In February 2004, Kernaghan announced that improvements had been implemented at the factory, including adding air conditioning and water purification systems, firing the most abusive supervisors, and allowing the formation of a labor union.[189] Also in 2003, Kirk Burrowes sued Combs, claiming that he had forced him to give up his shares in Bad Boy Records through threats of violence. In 2006, the case was dismissed because the statute of limitations had expired.[22] In 2005, an assault charge against Combs filed by Michigan television host Rogelio Mills was resolved in Combs's favor.[190] Later in 2005, London-based musical artist and DJ Richard Dearlove, who had been performing under the name "Diddy" since 1992—nine years before Combs started using even "P. Diddy"—sought an injunction in the High Court of Justice in London. He accepted an out-of-court settlement of £10,000 in damages and more than £100,000 in costs. Combs can no longer use the name Diddy in the UK, where he is still known as P. Diddy.[191][192] In 2007, Gerard Rechnitzer sued Combs for battery after claiming Combs had punched him outside a Hollywood nightclub.[193] Rechnitzer claimed he was attacked after he approached Combs while the rap mogul was talking to his girlfriend.[193] Combs settled the lawsuit for undisclosed terms in March 2008.[194]
In 2009, the Los Angeles Times claimed that the Notorious B.I.G. and Combs orchestrated the 1994 robbery and shooting of Tupac, substantiating the claim with supposed FBI documents. The newspaper later retracted the story, acknowledging that the documents had been fabricated.[195] In 2012, Dexter Isaac, an associate of record management executive Jimmy Henchman, confessed that he had shot Tupac on Henchman's orders.[196][197] In 2015, Combs was arrested for aggravated assault after an altercation with his son's football coach at the University of California, Los Angeles.[198] On July 2, 2015, the assault charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.[199]
In 2021, Combs filed a $60million lawsuit against the new owners of Sean John, claiming the firm used his likeness without his permission and fabricated quotes endorsing their new product line.[200][201] In 2023, Combs filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against Diageo, claiming that the spirits company deliberately "knee-capped" the marketing and sales of his Cîroc vodka and DeLéon tequila labels. In January 2024, Combs voluntarily withdrew the lawsuit with prejudice, and also severed the business relationship.[202]
On March 4, 2024, music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, who was already suing Combs for sexual assault, filed a lawsuit against Combs and his son Justin, alleging that they engaged in a "massive" cover-up of their involvement in the shooting of a 30-year-old man at a "writers and producers camp" that was held at Combs's Chalice Recording Studio in Los Angeles in September 2022.[203][204]
On March 25, 2024, former Syracuse University basketball player and Combs associate Brendan Paul was arrested at the Opa Locka Airport in Miami-Dade County, Florida, on two charges of cocaine and controlled substance possession; he was released the next day after posting a $2,500 bond.[205] Lil Rod has accused Paul of being Combs's "drug mule" in court documents.[205][206]
Sexual misconduct allegations, lawsuits, and arrest
In May 2017, Cindy Rueda, who previously had served as Combs's personal chef, filed a lawsuit against Combs in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming, among other things, sexual harassment and retaliation.[207][208] The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount in February 2019.[209]
Cassie Ventura, with whom Combs had a long-term relationship, filed a lawsuit against him on November 16, 2023, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking, and physical abuse.[7] The lawsuit also suggested that Combs was responsible for blowing up Ventura's then-boyfriend Kid Cudi's car.[7][210] Combs and Ventura reached an undisclosed settlement the following day, and the lawsuit was dismissed.[211]
Two further lawsuits were filed against Combs by two additional complainants, alleging sexual assault and revenge porn, on November 23, 2023.[212][213] One of the lawsuits claimed that in 1990 or 1991, Combs and Aaron Hall had sexually abused a woman, with Combs recording the incident.[10][214]
On May 17, 2024, CNN released surveillance footage of Combs physically assaulting Ventura at the InterContinental hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, on March 5, 2016. This incident was among the allegations made in the lawsuit.[215] On May 19, 2024, Combs issued a video apology on Instagram and Facebook, stating he was "truly sorry" and that his actions were "inexcusable".[216] Combs's assault of Ventura was stopped by hotel staff, after which Combs allegedly tried to bribe the staff, according to a federal indictment in September 2024.[217]
On October 1, 2024, the Washington Post reported that a team of lawyers will be filing as many as 120 more lawsuits, covering assaults that took place during the 2000s and 2010s. Plaintiffs, 25 of whom are minors, are both male and female. Tony Buzbee, one of the attorneys on the team, said most of the alleged assaults took place in New York State. Half of the alleged victims say they reported the assault to police, to a doctor, or to the FBI. Some claim to have been drugged or offered hush money. Additional potential defendants other than Combs are also to be named in the lawsuits: "The names that we're going to name, assuming our investigators confirm and corroborate what we've been told, are names that will shock you", Buzbee commented at a press conference in Houston. "I'm talking here about not just the cowardly but complicit bystanders, that is those people that we know watched this behavior occur and did nothing. I'm talking about the people that participated, encouraged it, egged it on. They know who they are."[11] Buzbee filed the first six of these lawsuits in New York federal court on October 13, 2024.[218] Andrew Van Arsdale of the AVA Law Group, which is working with Buzbee, said they have heard abuse allegations against Combs from some three thousand people, and their team is currently actively examining another hundred potential cases.[219] Erica Wolff, a member of Combs's legal team, told the BBC that Combs "looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation".[219]
Combs was arrested and indicted in the Southern District of New York in September 2024 on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation for purposes of prostitution. He is awaiting trial in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.[220][15] As of September 24, 2024, his cellmate was Sam Bankman-Fried, who is appealing a 25-year sentence.[221] During a court appearance on October 10, 2024, Judge Arun Subramanian set Combs' trial start date as May 5, 2025.[17] On November 27, 2024, a judge denied bail for a third time.[16]
Christopher George Latore Wallace, known by the stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, and Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive, laidback lyrical delivery, offsetting his lyrics' often grim content. His music was usually semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality but also of debauchery and celebration.
Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American record label founded in 1993 by Sean "Puffy" Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip hop and contemporary R&B artists, beginning with the Notorious B.I.G. Following his commercial success, the label signed other acts, including Faith Evans, Mase, 112, Total, The Lox, Shyne and Carl Thomas. At its 1997 peak, Bad Boy was worth an estimated US$100 million.
Moses Michael Levi Barrow, best known by his stage name Shyne, is a Belizean politician and former rapper. He is the Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives, and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party. Barrow was born in Belize City, but moved to New York City as a child and began to rap as an adolescent. He is perhaps best known for his 2000 singles, "Bad Boyz" and "Bonnie & Shyne". He also wrote and performed on a number of multiple studio albums, such as The Notorious B.I.G.'s posthumous Born Again, Mase's Double Up, Puff Daddy's Forever, Usher's Confessions, and Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV, among other albums.
Cîroc is a brand of alcoholic beverages produced in France since 2003 and owned by the British-based multinational alcoholic beverage maker Diageo. The brand family includes vodka, flavored products containing vodka, and brandy. From 2007 the marketing and promotion for Cîroc in the United States was in conjunction with mogul Sean Combs in an "equal-share venture" with profits from the brand being split between Combs and Diageo, but this was terminated in 2024 after a legal dispute, leaving Diageo the sole owner.
Casandra Elizabeth Ventura, known mononymously as Cassie, is an American singer, dancer, actress, and model. Born in New London, Connecticut, she began her musical career after meeting producer Ryan Leslie in late 2004, who signed her to his record label, NextSelection Lifestyle Group. She was then discovered by rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs, who signed her to a joint venture with his label, Bad Boy Records, to commercially release her 2006 debut single, "Me & U". The song marked the first of her two entries on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three.
No Way Out is the debut studio album by American rapper Puff Daddy. It was released on July 22, 1997, via Arista Records and Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records. The album is credited to "Puff Daddy & the Family"; the latter act refers to guest appearances from his signees at Bad Boy.
Forever is the second studio album of American hip hop recording artist Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, released on August 24, 1999, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and sold 205,343 units in its first week. Despite this, Forever was met with mixed to negative reviews and trailed the success of his previous album, No Way Out (1997).
The Saga Continues... is the third studio album by American rapper P. Diddy, released on July 10, 2001 by Arista and Bad Boy Records. Similarly to his debut album No Way Out (1997), it is credited to "P. Diddy and the Bad Boy Family"; the latter act refers to his signees at Bad Boy Records. It was the first studio album released by Combs under the P. Diddy name, and the final release under Bad Boy Records' joint venture with Arista Records. His We Invented the Remix album was the last overall project with Arista.
Mason Durell Betha, better known by his mononym Mase, is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 and quickly found mainstream recognition as Combs' hype man. He guest appeared on Combs' 1997 single "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, while his singles as a lead artist, "Feel So Good" and "What You Want" both peaked within the top ten of the chart. Released in October of that year, his debut studio album, Harlem World (1997) peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart, received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and spawned his third top ten single as a lead artist, "Lookin' at Me". Furthermore, his guest performances on labelmate the Notorious B.I.G.'s single "Mo Money Mo Problems" and Puff Daddy's "Been Around the World" peaked at numbers one and two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, that same year.
Life Story is the debut studio album by American rapper Black Rob. It was released on March 7, 2000, via Arista Records and Sean "Puffy" Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment. The album was praised by critics for its production and Rob's vocal presence and lyricism being similar to the late Notorious B.I.G. Life Story debuted and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and sold close to 178,000 copies in its first week released. The album spawned two singles: "Whoa!" and "Espacio". Life Story was ultimately certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 1,000,000 copies in the United States on August 17, 2000.
"Victory" is a song by American rapper and producer Sean Combs, under his then stage name Puff Daddy. The song features vocals from rappers such as the late Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes. It features heavy use of mafioso-style lyrics, as was popular at the time. The song also heavily sampled the Bill Conti song "Going the Distance", which featured on the soundtrack to the movie Rocky making it a darker start to a rap album that featured many club-standard singles. It also featured the last verses recorded by The Notorious B.I.G. before his 1997 death, as these verses were recorded a day before his shooting. Released as the fifth and final single from No Way Out in March 1998, it peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and was certified gold by the RIAA later that year.
The discography of American rapper Sean Combs consists of five studio albums, two collaborative albums, one remix album and seventy-two singles – including thirty-three as a lead artist and thirty-nine as a featured artist.
"I Need a Girl (Part Two)" is a single by American rapper P. Diddy. It was released on May 21, 2002 as the second single from Diddy's and Bad Boy Records' remix album, We Invented the Remix (2002). It is a sequel to the single "I Need a Girl (Part One)", released a few months prior. The song includes guest appearances from Ginuwine, Loon, Mario Winans and Tammy Ruggeri. It was written by Sean Combs, Chauncey Hawkins, Mario Winans, Frankie Romano, Michael Carlos Jones and Adonis Shropshire and produced by Mario Winans and Diddy. Just like with "I Need a Girl (Part One)", the music video was directed by Benny Boom.
"Must Be Love" is a song recorded by American singer Cassie. It features guest vocals by American rapper Puff Daddy, who also co-wrote the song with Aion Clarke, Michael Jones, Leroy Watson and the producer Mario Winans. The song was released for digital download in the United States on April 14, 2009, by Atlantic Records under the Bad Boy imprint, impacting urban radio stations in that region on April 27, 2009.
Diddy – Dirty Money was an American musical trio, composed of R&B singers Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper, and rapper Sean Combs. The group, formed and introduced by the latter in July 2009, refers to their billing with Combs, while the "Dirty Money" act refers solely to Richard and Harper. The group signed with Combs' Bad Boy Records, a then-imprint of Interscope Records to release five commercial singles leading up to the release of their debut collaborative album, Last Train to Paris (2010). Supported by the single "Coming Home", the album peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200 and saw positive critical reception. It was preceded by one mixtape and followed by another until their 2012 disbandment.
"Coming Home" is a song by American musical trio Diddy – Dirty Money, released by Bad Boy and Interscope Records on November 16, 2010, as the fourth single from their only studio album, Last Train to Paris (2010). The song contains a guest performance from American singer Skylar Grey, who co-wrote the song along with American rappers J. Cole and Jay-Z; the latter co-produced it with British record producer, Alex da Kid. A biographically written hip hop and pop ballad inspired by moments in Diddy's life, including the loss of his close friend the Notorious B.I.G., it references classic songs by Dionne Warwick, McFadden & Whitehead, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Jay-Z and Kid personally gifted the song to Diddy for Last Train to Paris.
"Mo Money Mo Problems" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released as the second single from his second studio album, Life After Death (1997) on July 15, 1997 by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. It features guest performances from labelmate Mase and label boss Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs; all three performers co-wrote the song with Stevie J, who also co-produced it with Combs. "Mo Money Mo Problems" contains a sample and an interpolation of "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross, hence Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers are credited as songwriters; the sampled portions are heard in the production, while the hook is interpolative and performed by Kelly Price in an uncredited appearance.
"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" is the debut single by rapper Puff Daddy. It appears on Puff Daddy's debut studio album No Way Out and the song was released to Rhythmic contemporary radio in December 1996 and was physically released on January 7, 1997. The single was released through BMG Music, Arista Records and Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records.
"I'll Be Missing You" is a song by American rapper Puff Daddy and American singer Faith Evans, featuring R&B group 112, in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, who was murdered on March 9, 1997. Released as the second single from Puff Daddy and the Family's debut album, No Way Out (1997), "I'll Be Missing You" samples The Police's 1983 hit song "Every Breath You Take" with an interpolated chorus sung by Evans and interpolated rhythm. The song also interpolates the 1929 Albert E. Brumley hymn "I'll Fly Away" and features a spoken intro over a choral version of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings".
American rapper Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, has faced repeated accusations of sexual misconduct for incidents dating from 1991 to 2023. He has faced at least 10 civil lawsuits related to abuse and sexual misconduct, and has also faced accusations of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and sexual harassment. He pleaded not guilty to all his federal criminal charges from 2024.
↑ Conniff, Tamara; Werde, Bill (October 4, 2006). "Diddy: The Saga Continues". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
↑ Century, Douglas (February 11, 2007). "Alpine, N.J., Home of Hip-Hop Royalty". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2014. These days Mr. Combs hardly needs to crash on a homeboy's sofa. The house he recently bought here, for a reported $7million, is a 17,000-square-foot hilltop mansion with eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms, indoor and outdoor pools (complete with waterfall), racquetball and basketball courts, a home theater, a wine cellar and a six-car garage.
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