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Sean Combs

 
Gale Contemporary Black Biography:

Sean Combs

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Sean Combs
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rap musician; music producer; media executive; fashion designer; entrepreneur

Personal Information

Born Sean J. Combs on November 4, 1969, in New York, NY; son of Janice and Melvin Earl Combs; divorced; children: Justin and Christian Combs
Education: Attended Howard University, 1988-90.
Memberships: American Federation of Television & Radio Artists; American Federation of Musicians; Daddy's House Programs; Sean "Puffy" Combs and Janice Combs Endowed Scholarship Fund, founder.

Career

Uptown Records, New York, intern, 1990-91, director of artists and repertory, 1991, vice president, 1991-93; record producer, 1994-; Bad Boy Entertainment, founder and chief executive officer, 1994-; rap musician, 1997-; Sean John clothing line, founder and chief executive officer, 1998-; actor, 2001-; television producer, 2002-; Broadway debut in Raisin in the Sun, 2004.

Life's Work

Very few people can follow popular culture today without knowing the name of Sean Combs, whether it is as Puff Daddy, the rapper of the mid-nineties, as P. Diddy, the rapper/actor/entertainer of the new millennium, or as Sean Combs, the mind behind Bad Boy Entertainment, the Sean John clothing line, and the producer with sure-fire hit making instincts. While he has had monstrous success, Combs has had his share of rough times in the past decade. But, no matter where critics stand on Sean Combs the man, it is true that Combs's name is synonymous with the rise of the hip-hop culture in America.

Combs has had a prolific presence in the media. He has grown from producing albums for other artists to being the artist featured on his own albums. He has moved from the music world to acting in movies like the 2001 acclaimed Monster's Ball. His entrepreneurial exploits have allowed him also to depart from the entertainment industry to found a successful urban clothing line, Sean John. In 1997, he had a number one single "I'll Be Missing You". This single was replaced as number one on the Billboard Top 100 by a hit single by Notorious B.I.G., featuring Combs, "Mo Money, Mo Problems". This feat was previously met only by Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Boyz II Men.

Started Early in Music Business

Sean Combs was born in New York City on November 4, 1969, to Janice and Melvin Earl Combs. Combs grew up believing his father was killed in a car accident when Combs was three, but found out at age 14, through research at a public library, that his father had been a small time hustler who was shot in the head on Central Park West. His widowed mother worked three jobs, including as a teacher and a model, in order to scrape money together, to buy a house in suburban Mount Vernon, New York.

"At first I thought nobody would accept me as a rap artist," Combs later told Chuck Phillips of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "After all, it's not like I came from the 'hood," he added. But his mother maintained the family's ties to New York's Harlem, and it was there that young Sean Combs obtained a remarkable cultural education, soaking up the creations of the founders of rap music: Grandmaster Flash, Run D.M.C., KRS-One, and more. "I would be 12 years old, and sometimes I'd be out until 3, 4 in the morning, seeing the music. I had to sneak out to do it, but I was doing it," he told Rolling Stone's Mikal Gilmore. He obtained the nickname "Puffy" from a childhood friend. "Whenever I got mad as a kid, I used to huff and puff.... That's why my friend started calling me Puffy," he told Jet.

Combs enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1988. Although he spent much of his time promoting rap-music events, he managed to remain at Howard for at least two years. Recommended by rapper Heavy D., Combs parlayed his musical activities into an internship at New York's Uptown Records in 1990. After just three months, he attracted the attention of label head and former rap artist Andre Harrell, who named his young protegé director of artists and repertoire, a position of extraordinary influence for a twenty-year-old with a keen understanding of the city's flourishing rap scene. Within a year Combs became vice president. He quickly became an accomplished producer, working on such successful Uptown releases as Jodeci's Forever My Lady and Mary J. Blige's What's the 411?.

Started Bad Boy and Recording Career

Things took a turn for the worse at a disastrous celebrity basketball event that Combs promoted at New York's City College in December of 1991. Nine people were killed in a stampede at the gates. In the aftermath, Combs received some blame for the deaths, but was successfully defended in court by renowned attorney William Kunstler. In 1993 Combs was fired from Uptown Records. The split with Harrell was difficult for him. "It was like the old sensei [teacher] rejecting the student," Combs told Rolling Stone.

A scant two weeks later, however, Combs finalized a deal with the large music conglomerate Arista to distribute the musical output of his new company, Bad Boy Entertainment. Bad Boy succeeded from the start and over the first four years of its existence posted skyrocketing sales; estimates of total sales over the period 1993 to 1997 range from $100 million to $200 million. Arista rewarded Combs with a $6 million cash advance when he renegotiated his relationship with the label in 1997.

Although Combs has produced top-chart-level recordings by Bad Boy artists Mase, Craig Mack, and others, and has worked with outside artists of the magnitude of Aretha Franklin and Sting, his greatest success at the helm of Bad Boy came with the recordings of New York rapper Christopher Wallace, better known as Biggie Smalls, who recorded under the name of the Notorious B.I.G. Smalls was Combs's first major project at Bad Boy. "He saw things so vivid," Combs recalled in a 1997 interview with Rolling Stone. "If you sat and listened to a Biggie Smalls record in the dark, you see a whole movie in front of you." The first Notorious B.I.G. album, Ready to Die, attracted widespread attention; the second, the prophetically named Life After Death, was one of 1997's top sellers, spawning an unprecedented two Number One singles after Wallace's murder in March of that year. Combs had earlier moved in the direction of mainstream R&B and was credited by some with founding a hybrid named hip-hop soul; as executive producer of the Notorious B.I.G. recordings, he proved himself master of the hardcore gangsta' rap style during its period of maximum sales.

Combs was to achieve even greater success on his own, recording with various other Bad Boy artists under the name Puff Daddy & the Family. The No Way Out album, released in July 1997, included "I'll Be Missing You"; the album took the theme of a tribute or a requiem for the murdered Smalls. Musically, the album was marked by wholesale adoption of the melodies and rhythm tracks of familiar pieces of R&B and rock from the 1970s and 1980s. Writer Sean Piccoli of the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel dubbed the practice "stapling," as opposed to the "sampling" present on earlier rap recordings, where only short snippets of music would be borrowed from earlier sources. "I'll Be Missing You" was directly based on the 1983 Police hit, "Every Breath You Take."

Combs has taken criticism for this practice, both from other hip-hop artists and from fans of the artists whose work he borrows. Yet Combs was not the inventor of such wholesale borrowing; as he was putting the finishing touches on the No Way Out disc, movie star/rapper Will Smith recycled Patrice Rushen's 1982 hit "Forget Me Nots" on the soundtrack of the film Men in Black. The style dated back at least to MC Hammer's 1990 "U Can't Touch This" (based on Rick James's "Super Freak" of a decade earlier). Furthermore, those who claimed that Combs in "I'll Be Missing You" was coasting along on the strength of the Police recording mostly failed to notice the other quotation contained in the song: the early twentieth-century Protestant hymn "I'll Fly Away," and, on the album, the classical orchestral work "Adagio for Strings," composed in 1915 by Samuel Barber. Clearly, for millions of listeners, the works blended into a convincing expression of Combs's grief over his friend's death.

Success Hampered by Court Cases

The end of the 1990s saw a rise in Combs's presence in various courtrooms throughout the country as well as a rise in Combs's presence in the business and philanthropic world. Daddy's House Social Programs began in 1995. This charity organization, guided by both Combs and Executive Director Sister Souljah, seeks to promote the positive influence of parents, teachers and mentors for urban youth. Daddy's House has spearheaded programs in academic tutoring, promoting higher education, and international travel for students. The charity even runs summer camping programs in upstate New York.

In 1997 Combs opened up Justin's, a fine dining restaurant in New York and another in Atlanta in 1999, with plans to expand to new locations. In 1998 Combs made his run at a clothing line, Sean John. Designed with urban male youth in mind, the clothing line became an almost immediate success and has been nominated for a CFDA fashion award every year since its inception. In 2000 Combs appeared on his own reality show on ABC, called Making The Band. The series ran for two seasons on ABC, but moved to MTV under the name Making The Band 2 for its third season. Combs made his Broadway debut in a 2004 revival of Raisin In The Sun , and received excellent reviews for the effort.

In 1999 Combs was brought up on charges of assaulting record executive Steve Stoute. Stoute was one of the executives who allowed the airing of a video on MTV that pictured Combs nailed to a cross. Combs was upset at the disrespect he believed the video showed to God. After a public apology to Stoute, the charges were dropped. In 2000 Combs was charged with criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident at a New York nightclub on December 27, 1999. Combs was at the club with then girlfriend singer-actress Jennifer Lopez. A jury, in March of 2001, found Combs not guilty of all charges. On May 24, 2000, Combs settled the lawsuit that was a result of the 1991 New York City College tragedy. He received further vindication on June 1, 2004 when the North Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a $450,000 judgment against him for allegedly having a man beaten.

All of Combs's legal and personal problems culminated in a public persona name change. In 2001, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs made an announcement that the entertainment world would now know him by the name "P. Diddy." The name change stemmed from the legal issues, but that was not the only reason. Combs believed that he was not given the respect and admiration he deserved for his entertainment work. He looked at himself as a person who, for the most part, stayed out of the east coast/west coast rap wars, looked to better the quality of hip-hop entertainment, and tried to become a role model and leader for people of his race. A name change would allow him to wipe the slate clean and start anew. However, Combs found that even as P. Diddy, his past still haunted him and his respectability was still in question. On New Year's Eve 2003, according to Villa, Combs announced at a party, "First they called me Puff Daddy, then they called me P. Diddy. But now I'm just Sean Combs."

Combs increased his focus on philanthropic causes in the early 2000s, making headlines on November 2, 2003 by completing the New York Marathon and raising $2 million for children's charities in the process. On July 20, 2004, he unveiled plans for Citizen Change, a nonpartisan campaign to mobilize youth and minority voters to participate in the presidential election that year. Earlier, on February 4, he was named to receive the Patrick Lippert Award for his ongoing work with a similar nonpartisan organization, Rock the Vote.

Legal and political involvements notwithstanding, his entertainment career thrived also. Later that month he shared his second Grammy Award for best rap performance by a duo or group--his third Grammy overall--for "Shake Ya Tailfeather,", recorded with Murphy Lee and Nelly. After announcing his pending retirement from solo recording in March of that year, he made his Broadway acting debut in a revival of Lorraine Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun, at the Royale Theater, and received admirable reviews for the effort. In other 2004 honors, on June 7 Combs was named the top men's wear designer of 2004, by the Council of Fashion Designers. Less than two weeks later, on June 19, he carried the Olympic torch for one lap, through the streets of New York City.

It is clear that with the success Combs has had through repeated name changes, the next few years will prove to be both exciting and profitable for Sean Combs.

Awards

3M, Visionary Award for Producing, 1994; Impace, Award of Merit for Creative Excellence, 1994; ASCAP, Rhythm & Soul Award for "Juicy", 1995; Gavin, Rap Indie (Dist. by a Major) of the Year, 1995; Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, with Faith Evans and 112, and for Best Rap Album, 1998; Howard University, Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement, 1999; Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, with Murphy Lee and Nelly, for "Shake Ya Tailfeather," 2003.

Works

Selected works

    Discography
    • No Way Out, Bad Boy, 1997.
    • Forever, Bad Boy, 1999.
    • The Saga Continues, Bad Boy, 2001.
    Film
    • Made, 2001.
    • Monster's Ball, 2001.
    Record production
    • Britney Spears, In The Zone, BMG International, 2003.
    • Faith Evans, Faith, Bad Boy, 1995.
    • L. L. Cool J, Phenomenon, Def Jam, 1997.
    • Lil' Kim, Notorious K.I.M. , Atlantic, 2000.
    • Mary J. Blige, Love & Life, Geffen, 2003.
    • The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die, Bad Boy, 1994.
    • The Notorious B.I.G., Life After Death, Bad Boy, 1997.
    • The Notorious B.I.G., Born Again, Bad Boy, 1999.
    Other
    • Combs has also produced recordings by Bad Boy artists Total, 112, the Lox, and others; he has produced recordings for artists associated with other labels, including Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Keith Sweat, and the Police. He has worked in remixing on a number of albums by artists like Janet Jackson and even the 1999 tribute album to Princess Diana. He also appears in his own reality show, called Making the Band.

    Further Reading

    Periodicals

    • Billboard, August 30, 1997.
    • Black Enterprise, December 1, 1999.
    • Entertainment Weekly, October 31, 1997.
    • Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, October 19, 1997.
    • Hip-hop News, January 13, 2004.
    • Jet, January 12, 1998; February 21, 2001; April 16, 2001; January 12, 2004.
    • Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 26, 1997.
    • New York Times, January 1, 1998.
    • Rolling Stone, April 20, 1995; August 7, 1997.
    • Source, May 1997.
    • Time, December 20, 2004.
    • USA Today, July 22, 1997.
    • Vibe, December 1997/January 1998.
    On-line
    • ABCNews.com, www.abcnews.go.com/wire/Entertainment/ap20031103_241.html?cmp=EM333 (November 3, 2003).
    • E! Online, www.eonline.com (June 8, 2004).
    • "46th Grammy Awards," Grammys.com, www.grammys.com/awards/grammy/46winners.aspx (February 8, 2004).
    • New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2004/06/18/sports/basketball/18marbury.html (June 20, 2004).
    • P. Diddy & the Bad Boy Family, www.p-diddy.com (February 2, 2004).
    • USA Today, www.usatoday.com/life/people/2004-06-02-pdiddy-lawsuit_x.htm (June 3, 2004).

    — James M. Manhiem and Adam R. Hazlett

    AMG AllMovie Guide:

    Sean Combs

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    Biography

    Initially rising to fame thanks to his skillful rhymes and savvy business skills, rapper-turned-actor Sean Combs surprised audiences who may have doubted his dramatic abilities by turning in a moving and unforgettable appearance as a death-row inmate whose wife seeks solace in the arms of the man who executed him in Marc Foster's acclaimed 2001 drama Monster's Ball. Though subsequent roles in the 2003 musical comedy Death of a Dynasty and the 2004 made-for-television drama Love in Vain give testament that Combs' Hollywood aspirations are still very much in tact, he continues to hold on to his status as one of hip-hop's most powerful players thanks to a series of hit albums and collaborations, as well as a successful clothing line which bears his namesake. Born to a working class couple in Harlem, NY, the murder of Combs' father when the future superstar was a mere two years old prompted his mother to relocate to Mount Vernon to provide a safer environment for young Sean and his sister, Keisha.

    Combs' skills for paying the bills was evident early on when the entrepreneurial youngster landed a paper route at 12, and not long after that the aspiring businessman was receiving his higher education at the esteemed Howard University. An internship at Uptown Entertainment found Combs' connections expanding and real-world experience growing, with Combs achieving the status of director of A&R for the company by the age of just nineteen. In the years that followed, Combs would not only shape the careers of such popular artists as Mary J. Blige and Jodeci, but also build a successful career as a recording artist himself with such albums as his debut No Way Out and the follow-up Forever. Combs' performance in Monster's Ball opposite Halle Berry may have been the first feature performance that brought him widespread recognition in film, though to that point, the multifaceted rapper had made numerous cameos and personal appearances on multiple talk shows and awards programs.

    Although he maintained a successful music career, he also wanted to make it as an actor. To that end, he appeared in the sequel to Carlito's Way and earned positive reviews for his work in a 2008 version of A Raisin in the Sun. In 2010 he had an excellent supporting turn in the comedy Get Him to the Greek and spoofed himself in I'm Still Here. He also executive produced the high-school football documentary Undefeated which won the Oscar for best Documentary Feature. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
    Gale Musician Profiles:

    Puff Daddy

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    Producer, singer, songwriter

    Producer, songwriter, singer, and entrepreneur Puff Daddy, or Sean "Puffy" Combs, founded Bad Boy Records in 1991, and sold more than 12 million albums in three years, including five platinum and ten gold albums. His hit single "No Way Out" rose to number one on six Billboard charts for 12 weeks; the multi-platinum single was the best-selling single of the year, and captured audiences in Europe as well. As founder of Bad Boy Records, he contributed to or oversaw the music and careers of Notorious B.I.G., Mase, Ginuwine, The Lox, Foxy Brown, Black Rob, Lil’ Kim, Twista, Busta Rhymes, Carl Thomas, Faith Evans, 112, Jay-Z, Shyne, Fuzzbubble, Tanya Blount, Total, Q-Tip, Mariah Carey, and numerous other hip-hop and rap artists. In 1999, he started a clothing line called Sean John, and founded Bad Boy Films production company, which released the film No Way Out. The film starred Combs and was produced and directed by him as well. No other record label founder to date has been more in the limelight than Puff Daddy, and none have contributed as much musically for the artists. The sometimes controversial Puff Daddy is a generational leader, selling a lifestyle rather than a record label, and—like the Motown and Def Jam founders before him—managed to capture the spirit of his time in music and marketing.

    Sean Combs was born on November 4, 1970 in the Harlem section of New York City as the first of two children born to Melvin and Janice Combs. His mother, an aspiring model, raised the two children. His father was a street hustler who was fatally shot in Central Park when Combs was three years old. He discovered this at a later at the age of thirteen when perusing old newspaper clippings in the library. He lived in Harlem until the age of twelve, where he enjoyed block parties that featured hip-hop and rap music, and musical rhyming contests in Central Park. His family moved to Mount Vernon, NY, when he was twelve and he attended the all-male private school Mount St. Michael’s Academy. He was thin in high school and earned the nickname "Puffy" while playing football for Mount St. Michael’s Academy, because he would puff out his chest in an attempt to look bigger. In 1988, he went to Howard University and stayed for a year and a half. While at Howard, he demonstrated his knack for entrepreneurial enterprise by selling term papers and old exams, and promoting house parties and campus concerts.

    Feeling unsettled, he left Howard eager to enter the work force and make a name for himself. He contacted Andre Harrell, then president of Uptown records in New York City, and asked to work as an intern for the label. Harrell was so fond of Combs that he gave him room and board and a small salary in return for his promotional skills. Combs’ efforts soon eclipsed those of entire departments at Uptown and his contributions to hit singles by artists such

    as Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, and others rendered him invaluable to the label. Within a year, he was promoted to vice-president of the Promotion Department. At the close of 1991, Combs organized a charity celebrity event at New York’s City College basketball auditorium. The event was so popular it became overcrowded and eventually violent—the audience, impatient to leave, broke into a stampede and nine people were killed as a result. The event’s poor organization and lack of security were attributed to Combs, and he was devastated by the experience. This early tragedy tested his resiliency and resolve, but he emerged optimistic and much stronger.

    Publicized Feud
    While at Uptown Records, Combs produced multi-platinum releases for Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. Blige’s debut CD, What’s the 411 ?, proved to be a seminal example of hip-hop and R&B fusion. His success with these efforts prompted Combs to consider founding his own label within Uptown, and the first artist he wanted to sign was a Brooklyn-based rapper named Biggie Smalls who performed under the name Notorious B.I.G. (born Christopher Wallace). Combs was given Notorious B.I.G.’s tape by an editor at The Sourceand he became captivated by Notoriouw B.I.G.’s vivid lyricism and distinct New York sound. In orderto lure Notorious B.I.G. awayfrom his already lucrative street-hustling lifestyle, Combs offered him a hefty advance and instant recognition on the soundtrack for the film Who’s The Man, as well as an offer to collaborate on a song with Mary J. Blige. The offer worked, and Notorious B.I.G.’s career skyrocketed.

    In 1993, Combs was fired from Uptown Records, reportedly because he was overconfident in the eyes of his coworkers, who felt threatened by his success. Combs then negotiated a $15 million deal to relocate Bad Boy Records to Arista Records, retaining complete creative control with full support from Arista. He produced several number one hits withCraig Mack and Notorious B.I.G., and his involvement in the artists’ videos and on their songs and remixes heightened his own profile. As Combs and Notorious B.I.G. were meeting with success on the east coast, Suge Knight and his Death Row Records artists—Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Doggy Dogg—were flourishing on the west coast. Combs and Knight were friends until Shakur was wounded in November of 1994 by a gunshot in the lobby of a Times Square recording studio. Shakur blamed the assault on Combs and B.I.G., both of whom were, coincidentally, in the building at the time.

    The feud between Knight and Combs escalated; Knight made a veiled yet pointed remark about Combs at The Source Awards. Knght also offered to sign to Death Row Records those artists who didn’t want a label’s CEO appearing in their videos and on their releases. A friend of Knight’s was then shot, and Knight blamed the shooting on a member of Combs’ entourage. In March of 1996, there was a stand-off in the parking lot of the Soul Train Awards between the Combs faction and the Knight faction; guns were drawn, but none were shot. In September of that year, Shakur was gunned down in Las Vegas. Shortly after, Combs, then a nascent vocalist, released the single "Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down" with newfound rapper Mase. Notorious B.I.G. released Life After Death the same year, and the title single reached number one on the charts. In March of 1997, Notorious B.I.G. was fatally shot after a Soul Train Awards party. Combs was in the car ahead of B.I.G.’s when he was shot, and rushed his best friend to the hospital. After Notorious B.I.G.’s death, Combs released "I’ll Be Missing You," as a tribute to him, which featured the melody and hook from the Police hit of 1983 titled "Every Breath You Take." The single immediately reached number one on the charts, as did Notorious B.I.G.’s single "Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems" from his posthumously-released CD No Way Out featuring Combs and Mase. The release sold more than four million copies.

    Combs and the rest of the Bad Boy Records family took center stage on the first No Way Out Tour, bringing together a diverse audience. It was the second biggest concert of the year, after the Rolling Stones Tour. Along with his astounding artistic and financial success, Combs has had to grapple with producer, artist, and DJ detractors who claimed his reliance on obvious samples such as Grandmaster Flash’s "The Message" on Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down, the Police hit on "I’ll Be Missing You," and David Bowie’s "Let’s Dance" on Been Around the World detracted from the general artistry and creativity of rap and hip-hop music. His admirers felt these obvious samples were a choice and a message, and part of a larger, successful commercial picture.

    Selling a Lifestyle
    After the birth of Combs’ first son, Justin, in the mid1990s, he felt a deeper sense of permanency and responsibility in his life. He opened a soul food restaurant in Manhattan and named it after Justin. His second son, Christian Casey, was born on April 1, 1999. Combs, who is noted for working as much as 20 hours a day and for partying just as hard, founded a charity called Daddy’s House Social Programs, a non-profit organization for local underprivileged children. The program provides children with access to computer camps, social clubs, and other beneficial outlets. In addition to creating a Sean John clothing line and a Bad Boy Films production company, he released a gospel album titled Thank You to inspire the generation to turn to God.

    Combs has produced music for KRS-One, Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Brian McKnight, SWV, Boyz 11 Men, Q-Tip, Beck, Whitney Houston, and all of the artists at Bad Boy Records. He transcended the role of label CEO, producer, and recording artist to achieve what few have achieved before him: the role of generational lifestyle leader, always in sync with and frequently defining the times.

    Selected discography

    Albums
    No Way Out, Bad Boy, 1997.
    Thank You, Bad Boy Records, 1999.

    Compilations/Soundtracks
    Diana, Princess of Wales: A Tribute, Columbia, 1997.
    Funkmaster Flex Presents The Mix Tape, Volume 2, RCA, 1997.
    In Tha Beginning… There Was Rap, Priority, 1997.
    Chef Aid: The South Park Album, American, 1998.

    Sources
    Periodicals
    The Source, September, 1998.

    Online
    http://puffmase.simplenet.com/home.html
    http://mohan2m.8m.com/puffdaddy/mam.html
    http://tmone.simplenet.com/puffy.com
    http://www.wallofsound.go.com/artists/puffdaddy/home.html
    http://www.ewsonline.com/badboy/index.html
    http://www.geocities.com/area51/cavem
    http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Studio/7253
    http://www.mp3dda.com/evolve/evolve.cgi’37
    http://www.nj.com/spotlight/puffy/
    AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

    Diddy

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    • Genres: Rap

    Biography

    The biggest hip-hop impresario of the mid-'90s, Sean Combs -- known as Puff Daddy until his professional name change to P. Diddy, then just Diddy -- created a multi-million-dollar industry around Bad Boy Entertainment, with recordings by the Notorious B.I.G., Craig Mack, Faith Evans, 112, and Total all produced and masterminded by Combs himself. Responsible for over $100 million in total record sales and named ASCAP's 1996 Songwriter of the Year, Combs was, on the other hand, criticized by many in the hip-hop community for watering down the sound of the underground and also for a perceived over-reliance on samples as practically the sole basis for many of his hits. A very successful A&R executive at Uptown Records during the early '90s responsible for sizable hit records by Father MC, Mary J. Blige, and Jodeci, Combs formed his own Bad Boy label, signed B.I.G., Evans, and Mack, and earned enough hits to cement an alliance with Arista Records. A highly publicized feud with Death Row Records (in which Tupac Shakur and label head Suge Knight served as West Coast/Dark Side equivalents to the Notorious B.I.G. and Combs) was summarily ended in late 1996, when Shakur was murdered and Knight jailed. Six months later, the Notorious B.I.G. was dead as well, and after Combs mourned his friend's death, he hit the pop charts in a big way during his biggest year, 1997.

    Born in Harlem in 1969, Sean Combs spent much of his childhood in nearby Mt. Vernon, NY. Already a shrewd businessman through his two paper routes, Combs applied to Howard University in Washington, D.C., and while attending, convinced childhood friend Heavy D to sign him up as an intern at the label for which he recorded, Uptown Records. Several months later, he was an A&R executive with his sights set on the vice presidency, serving as the executive producer for Father MC's 1990 album Father's Day, which became a hit. Successful albums followed for Mary J. Blige (What's the 411?) and Heavy D & the Boyz (Blue Funk) during 1992, though Combs was fired from Uptown by the following year (probably because he was a bit too ambitious).

    He worked as a remixer during 1993 and set up Bad Boy Entertainment as his own venture, running the label out of his apartment during long hours with only several employees. After more than a year of hard work, he finally signed two hit artists: former EPMD roadie Craig Mack and the Notorious B.I.G. Mack hit the big time in mid-1994, when a remix of his "Flava in Ya Ear" single (featuring LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Rampage, and the Notorious B.I.G.) hit the Top Ten and became the first platinum record for Bad Boy. At the beginning of 1995, B.I.G. notched the second, when his own second hit, "Big Poppa," reached number six on the pop charts. Mack's album Project: Funk da World eventually went gold and the Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die was certified double platinum.

    Sean "Puffy" Combs began branching out with Bad Boy during 1995, adding platinum R&B acts Faith Evans and Total (both of whom were connected to B.I.G., Evans as his wife and Total as his former backing vocal group) plus another platinum seller, 112, in 1996. He also produced for many outside artists (including Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, TLC, SWV, and Lil' Kim) and added two straight-ahead hip-hop acts, Mase and the LOX. By that time, however, Combs and B.I.G. were embroiled in a feud with Death Row Records' head, Suge Knight, and star, Tupac Shakur. Shakur accused Combs of involvement in his 1994 shooting, mocked B.I.G. by saying he had slept with Faith Evans, and threatened the two in the lyrics to his hit song "Hit 'Em Up." (The video for the track featured two characters, P.I.G. and Buffy, who are humiliated in various ways.)

    In September 1996, however, Shakur was shot and killed by unknown assailants; just six months later, in March of 1997, B.I.G. himself was killed in the same fashion. Just three weeks later, his second album debuted at number one and was eventually certified six times platinum. The single "Hypnotize" also hit number one and stayed on the charts for months after B.I.G. was killed. Though Combs had been preparing his own solo debut, under the name Puff Daddy, he quit working for several months out of grief for his longtime friend. When he returned in mid-1997, it was with a vengeance, as the single "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" held the top spot on the singles charts for almost two months. Following quickly behind was another monster number one hit, "I'll Be Missing You," a tender tribute to B.I.G. with Evans providing background vocals.

    Combs' subsequent LP as Puff Daddy, No Way Out, shot straight to number one and was certified platinum several times over; in 1998 it won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and "I'll Be Missing You" won the award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Forever followed in 1999, but the rushed release and lack of any new ideas disappointed fans and dampened sales. On top of that, on April 15 of that year he was accused of severely beating Interscope Records exec Steve Stoute and was brought to court for the incident. Puffy managed to get his sentence trimmed down to second-degree harassment when he finally reached the courts in September, much to his detractors' dismay.

    More controversy started brewing when his relationship with singer/actress Jennifer Lopez was made public around the same time. Engagement rumors haunted them for a few months, but the real problems began when they were present at a shooting in a New York City club that December. The couple was brought in for questioning and eventually both faced charges for illegal possession of a firearm. Meanwhile, rapper Shyne was indicted for the incident, but Puffy was not dismissed because of the weapons charge. His trial date for the club shooting was finally set, while October found two new lawsuits facing the rapper. First, his driver sued for three million dollars due to personal injury and stress, followed by a $1.8 million suit from the club owner stemming from poor business following the shooting. Though Lopez initially supported Puffy, she broke off their relationship on Valentine's Day 2001.

    A planned gospel album was pushed back to a summer release during the mess, but by March some good news finally hit the Bad Boy camp. Puffy was acquitted of all charges stemming from the club incident, which also snuffed out the civil suits revolving around his involvement in the club situation. In a move sure to spark comparisons with Prince (and not the good kind of comparisons), he announced that he was changing his professional name to P. Diddy at the end of the month, and also predicted a new direction for himself and his label. He recorded a gospel album, Thank You, as well as a new solo album, The Saga Continues, but the former was never released. "Bad Boy for Life" became his biggest hit in years late in the summer, and a collaboration with David Bowie appeared on the Training Day movie soundtrack.

    Combs took a serious blow in the spring of 2002 when Arista stopped distributing Bad Boy and took Evans with them. A collection of Bad Boy remixes entitled We Invented the Remix became his last album for Arista. 112 attempted to also jump ship to Def Jam, but a restraining order was filed before the group could make a clean break. It was around this time that Diddy broke into reality television by becoming the focal point of Making the Band 2, and subsequently Making the Band 3 (which birthed the group Danity Kane), Making the Band 4, and Making His Band. Bad Boy was revived during the summer of 2006 through the success of both Yung Joc's "It's Going Down" and Cassie's "Me&U," which helped set the stage for his own star-studded Press Play, released that October. After numerous holdups, Diddy issued his fifth album in December 2010. Co-billed to Dirty Money, his group featuring Kalenna Harper and Danity Kane's Dawn Richard, Last Train to Paris was as heavy on high-profile guest collaborators as the previous Diddy release. ~ John Bush & Bradley Torreano, Rovi
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    Sean Combs

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    Sean Combs

    Combs performing in 2010
    Background information
    Birth name Sean John Combs
    Also known as Diddy, P. Diddy, Puff Daddy
    Born (1969-11-04) November 4, 1969 (age 42)
    New York City
    Origin Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
    Genres Hip hop, R&B
    Occupations Rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, singer
    Years active 1988–present
    Labels Bad Boy, Interscope
    Associated acts Mary J. Blige, The Notorious B.I.G., Diddy – Dirty Money, Faith Evans, Lil' Kim, Jay-Z
    Website facebook.com/Diddy

    Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969[1]), also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy have been used as nicknames, but never as recording names). In August 2005, he changed his stage name to simply "Diddy", but continues to use the name P. Diddy in the UK as the result of a lawsuit. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He formed and recorded with the group Diddy – Dirty Money.

    Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records in 1993. His business interests—under the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide—include Bad Boy Records, the clothing lines Sean John and "Sean by Sean Combs", a movie production company, and two restaurants. He has taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTV's Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.[2]

    Contents

    Early life

    Sean Combs was born in a public housing project in Harlem, New York City, the son of Janice, a model and teacher, and Melvin Combs.[3] He grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. When Combs was a child, his father, aged 33, an associate of New York drug dealer Frank Lucas,[4] was shot to death in his car after attending a party.[5]

    Combs graduated from the Roman Catholic Mount Saint Michael Academy in 1987. He played football for the academy, and his team won a division title in 1986.[6][7]

    Combs said that he was given the nickname "Puff" as a child because he would "huff and puff" when he was angry,[8] and "Daddy" was another version of "player".[9]

    Career

    After dropping out of Howard University in 1989, where he had majored in business, Combs became an intern at New York's Uptown Records.[10] While talent director at Uptown, he helped develop Jodeci and Mary J. Blige.[11]

    In 1991, Combs promoted an event 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.[10][12]

    Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide headquarters on Broadway near Times Square. A billboard of Combs is in the distance.

    In 1993, after being fired from Uptown, Combs established Bad Boy Records, taking then-newcomer The Notorious B.I.G. with him.[12] Both The Notorious B.I.G. and Craig Mack quickly released hit singles, followed by successful LPs, particularly The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die.[12] Combs signed more acts to Bad Boy, including Carl Thomas, Faith Evans, Father MC, 112, and Total. The Hitmen, his in-house production team, worked with Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil' Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, SWV, Aretha Franklin, and others. Mase and D-Block (then known as "The L.O.X.") joined Bad Boy just as a widely-publicized rivalry with the West Coast's Death Row Records was beginning. Combs and The Notorious B.I.G. were criticized and parodied by Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight in songs and interviews during the mid-1990s. During 1994–1995, Combs helped produce the songs "If I Was Your Girlfriend" and "Can I Get A Witness" for TLC's CrazySexyCool, which was the decade's best-selling R&B album.[citation needed]

    1997–1998: "Puff Daddy" and No Way Out

    In 1997, under the name "Puff Daddy", Combs recorded his first commercial vocal as a rapper. His debut single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", spent six weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.[citation needed] His debut album, No Way Out, was released on July 1, 1997, through Bad Boy Records. Originally titled Hell Up In Harlem,[13] the album underwent several changes after The Notorious B.I.G. was killed on March 9, 1997. 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. The album produced five successful 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 eleven consecutive weeks and topped several other charts worldwide. Four other singles—"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", "It's All About the Benjamins", "Been Around the World", and "Victory"—were also successful, and all except the latter peaked in the top two positions of the Billboard Hot 100. Combs collaborated with Jimmy Page on the song "Come with Me" for the 1998 film Godzilla. The track sampled the Led Zeppelin song "Kashmir". Producer Tom Morello supplied live guitar parts and played bass. Combs and Page filmed a video for "Come with Me", which reached number 2 in the UK.[citation needed]

    The album earned Combs five nominations at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998, winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.[14][not in citation given] On September 7, 2000, the album was certified septuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of 7,000,000+ copies.[15]

    In 1997, Combs was sued for landlord neglect by Inge Bongo. Combs denied the charges.[16] By the late 1990s, he was being criticized for watering down and overly commercializing hip hop, and for using too many guest appearances, samples, and interpolations of past hits in his new songs.[17][18]

    1999–2000: Club New York and Forever

    In April 1999, Combs was charged with assault as a result of an incident with 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. He asked for the video to be pulled, but after it aired on MTV on April 15, Combs visited Stoute's offices and injured Stoute. Combs was charged with second-degree assault and criminal mischief,[19] and was sentenced to attend an anger managment class.[20]

    On December 27, 1999, Combs and his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez were at Club New York in Manhattan when gunfire broke out. After a police investigation, Combs and fellow rapper Shyne were arrested for weapons violations and other charges.[21] Combs was charged with bribing his driver, Wardel Fenderson, to claim ownership of his gun, plus four weapons-related charges.[22]

    With a gag order in place, the highly-publicized trial began.[22] Combs' attorneys were Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. and Benjamin Brafman.[23] Combs was found not guilty on all charges; Shyne was convicted on five of his eight charges[23] and sentenced to ten years in prison. Combs and Lopez split shortly after. A lawsuit filed by Combs's driver, Fenderson, who said he suffered emotional damage after the club shooting, was settled in February 2004. Lawyers for both sides, having agreed to keep the settlement terms secret, said that the matter was "resolved to the satisfaction of all parties".[24]

    Forever, Combs' debut 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 debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and entered at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it remained for one week before being knocked off by Mary J. Blige's fourth album, Mary. The album has received positive to mixed reviews from music critics and has spawned three singles that have charted on the Billboard charts. In the UK, the album peaked at number nine on the UK Albums Chart. It opened at number four on the Canadian Albums Chart, becoming Combs' highest-charting album. To date, the album has sold 1.4 million copies worldwide.[citation needed]

    2001–2004: "P. Diddy" and The Saga Continues

    Combs changed his stage name from "Puff Daddy" to "P. Diddy" in 2001.[25] The gospel album, Thank You, which had been completed just before the beginning of the weapons trial, was released that March.[26] He appeared as a drug dealer in the film Made and starred with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball (both in 2001). He was arrested for driving on a suspended license in Florida.[27] Combs began working with a series of unusual (for him) artists. For a short period of time, he was the manager of Kelis; they have a collaboration titled "Let's Get Ill". A collaboration with David Bowie appeared on the soundtrack to Training Day and he also worked with Britney Spears and 'N Sync. He signed California-based pop girl group Dream to his record label. He was also an opening act for 'N Sync on their Spring 2002 Celebrity Tour.[citation needed]

    The Saga Continues... was released by American on July 10, 2001 in North America. The album was eventually certified Platinum. It is the only studio album under the P. Diddy name, and last studio album under Bad Boy Entertainment's joint venture with Arista Records (his We Invented The Remix album was the last overall album with Arista). The Saga Continues is considered by most fans to be the best album to date since the release of No Way Out. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This is the first album by Sean Combs not to feature any guest appearances by Jay-Z or Lil Kim.[citation needed]

    Later in 2002, he made his own reality show on MTV called Making the Band 2, a sequel to the first Making the Band, in which contestants competed to be in a new group on Bad Boy Records. Six finalists were to come up with their name, CD and video (see Da Band). The group, maligned by comics and critics and drawing a skit on Chappelle's Show, was dissolved by Combs at the end of the series.[citation needed]

    In 2003 Combs ran in the New York City Marathon, raising $2 million for the educational system for the children of New York.[28] On March 10, 2004, he appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss the marathon, which he finished in four hours and eighteen minutes. In 2004, Combs headed the campaign "Vote or Die" for the 2004 presidential election. The "Vote or Die" slogan was mocked by The Daily Show and South Park as being too simplistic and encouraging young people to vote without knowing the issues. In a South Park episode entitled "Douche and Turd", Combs and his armed friends were depicted chasing Stan Marsh, one of the show's main characters, threatening to kill him if he didn't vote in his school election.[citation needed]

    2005–2009: "Diddy" and Press Play

    Combs performing in 2006

    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 that fans didn't know how to address him, which led to confusion.[29] In November 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 longer use the name Diddy in the UK, where he is still known as P. Diddy.[30][31] An assault charge against Combs filed by Michigan television host Rogelio Mills was resolved in Comb's favor in 2005.[32]

    Combs starred in the 2005 film Carlito's Way: Rise to Power. He played Walter Lee Younger in the 2004 Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun[33] and the television adaptation that aired in February 2008. In 2005 Combs sold half of his record company to the Warner Music Group.[34] Tensions still existed between him and former Warner CEOs Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles (both formerly of Def Jam) but they arranged for his imprint to be a part of the company.[citation needed] In an interview with AndPOP Combs said that he was developing a line of men's suits. He hosted the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, and was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2005 by Time magazine.[35] He was mentioned in the country song "Play Something Country" by Brooks & Dunn: the lyricist says he "didn't come to hear P. Diddy", which is rhymed with "something thumpin' from the city."[36]

    In 2006, when Combs refused to release musician Mase from his contractual obligations to allow him to join the group G-Unit, 50 Cent recorded a dis song, "Hip-Hop". The lyrics imply that Combs knew the identity of The Notorious B.I.G.'s murderer.[37] The two later resolved the feud.[38]

    Combs released his first album in four years, Press Play, on October 17, 2006, on the Bad Boy Records label.[39] The album features guest appearances by Christina Aguilera, Keyshia Cole, Mario Winans (signed to his label), Nas, Will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas), Mary J. Blige, Nicole Scherzinger (of the Pussycat Dolls), Jamie Foxx, Fergie, Big Boi (of Outkast), Ciara, Twista, Just Blaze, Pharrell, and Brandy. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with sales of over 173,009. In the UK, the album debuted at number 11. Its singles "Come to Me" and "Last Night" both reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.[citation needed] The album became available to preview on MTV's The Leak on October 10, 2006, a week before being sold in stores.[40] Press Play received mixed to positive reviews from critics.[41] As of November 21, 2008, the album had sold 700,000 copies in the United States.[42][not in citation given]

    On September 18, 2007, Combs teamed up with 50 Cent and Jay-Z for the "Forbes I Get Money Billion Dollar Remix".[43] He also made appearances with Jay-Z on his American Gangster concert tour in 2007.[citation needed]

    In March 2008, 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.[44]

    In June 2008, Combs' representative denied rumors of another name change.[45] Combs ventured into reality television in August 2008 with the premiere of his VH1 series I Want to Work for Diddy.[46] After the season finale of Making The Band 4, Combs said he would be heading back into the studio to record his next album. In an interview with The Daily Mail, he said: "I had Christina Aguilera on my last album, but its all about Leona Lewis on my next."[47] 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.[48]

    2010–present: The Dream Team and Diddy – Dirty Money

    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.[49] 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.[50] Combs made an appearance at comedian Chris Gethard's live show in January 2010 at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City.[51]

    Last Train to Paris was released by Combs' group Diddy – Dirty Money on December 13, 2010. During its opening week the album outperformed expectations, debuting eight places higher than predicted, at number seven on the Billboard 200. The release was preceded by four singles "Angels", "Hello Good Morning", "Loving You No More", and "Coming Home", which experienced mixed success on the Billboard Hot 100. "Coming Home" has become the most successful of the four songs, peaking at number twelve on the U.S. Hot 100 and top-five or top-ten in much of Europe.[citation needed] On March 10, 2011 Diddy – Dirty Money performed "Coming Home" live on American Idol.[52]

    On April 18, 2011, Combs appeared in season one of Hawaii Five-0, guest starring as an undercover NYPD detective.[53]

    Business ventures

    Fortune magazine listed him at number 12 on their top 40 of entrepreneurs under 40 in 2002.[54] In 2011 his estimated net worth was $500 million, making him the richest person in the hip hop entertainment business.[2]

    Sean John

    In 1998, Combs started a clothing line, Sean John. It was nominated for the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) award for Menswear Designer of the Year in 2000,[55] and won in 2004.[56]

    The clothing line was subject to controversy in 2003 when the National Labor Committee revealed that factories producing the clothing in Honduras were violating Honduran labor laws.[57] 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.[58] 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."[57]

    Combs responded with an extensive investigation, telling reporters "I'm as pro-worker as they get".[59] On February 14, 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.[60]

    In late 2006, the department store Macy's removed Sean John jackets from their shelves when they discovered that the clothing was made using dog fur (from a species called raccoon dog). Combs had not known the jackets were made with dog fur, but as soon as he was alerted, he had production stopped.[61] In 2008 he appeared in a Macy's commercial.[citation needed]

    In November 2008, Combs added a men's perfume called "I Am King" to the Sean John brand". The fragrance, dedicated to Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, and Martin Luther King, featured model Bar Refaeli in its advertisements.[citation needed]

    Other ventures

    In addition to his clothing line, Combs owns an upscale restaurant chain called Justin's, named after his son. The current restaurant is in Atlanta; the original New York location closed in September 2007.[62] He is the designer of the Dallas Mavericks alternate jersey.[63] In October 2007, Combs agreed to help develop the Ciroc vodka brand for a share in the profits.[64] Combs acquired the Enyce clothing line from Liz Claiborne for $20 million on October 21, 2008.[65]

    In February 2010 Combs announced to Wolf Blitzer on CNN that he plans to open a business school in New York. He announced that he wants the school to be "known for building leaders."[66]

    Personal life

    Combs with his sons Christian and Justin at the Spider-Man 3 premiere

    Family

    Combs is the father of five children. He is the informal stepfather of Quincy Jones Brown (born December 1991), son of his on-again, off-again girlfriend Kimberly Porter with 1980s New Jack Swing romantic singer/producer Al B Sure.[67] Quincy was featured on My Super Sweet 16.[68]

    Combs' first child is Justin Combs (born December 1993), from a relationship with his high-school sweetheart, designer Misa Hylton-Brim. In January 2010 Combs presented Justin with a $360,000 Maybach car, complete with chauffeur, as a sixteenth birthday present.[69] Justin was also featured on My Super Sweet 16.[70]

    Kim Porter is the mother of Christian Casey Combs (born April 1998) and twin daughters D'Lila Star Combs and Jessie James Combs (born December 2006).[71] Combs and Porter ended their relationship in July 2007.[72] In October 2007, Combs took legal responsibility for Chance, his daughter with Sarah Chapman.[67]

    Combs owns a home in Alpine, New Jersey, which he purchased for a reported $7 million.[73] His winter home in Miami Beach was purchased for $14.5 million in November 2003.[74]

    Charity work and honors

    Combs' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

    The mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, gave Combs the key to the city[75] and a pair of cufflinks.[citation needed] October 13, 2006 was named "Diddy Day" in honor of Combs' charity work.[76]

    In 2008 Combs was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[77]

    Wardrobe style

    Combs describes his wardrobe style as "swagger, timeless, diverse".[78] On September 2, 2007, Combs held his ninth annual "White Party", at which guests are limited to an all-white dress code. The White Party, which has also been held in St. Tropez, was held in his home in East Hampton, Long Island. Combs stated, "This party is up there with the top three that I've thrown. It's a party that has legendary status. It's hard to throw a party that lives up to its legend."[79]

    Discography

    Main articles: Sean Combs discography and Sean Combs production discography

    Studio albums

    Accolades

    Year Category Genre Nominated work Result
    1998 Best New Artist General Himself Nominated
    1998 Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" Nominated
    1998 Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Mo Money Mo Problems" Nominated
    1998 Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "I'll Be Missing You" Won
    1998 Best Rap Album Rap No Way Out Won
    2000 Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Satisfy You" Nominated
    2002 Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Bad Boy For Life" Nominated
    2003 Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Pass the Courvoisier (Part 2)" Nominated
    2004 Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Shake Ya Tailfeather" Won
    Rank Artist Album Year
    133[85] The Notorious B.I.G. Ready To Die 1994
    279[86] Mary J. Blige My Life 1994
    483[87] The Notorious B.I.G. Life After Death 1997

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