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Biography
Use mdy dates|date=August 2010pp-move-indefInfobox musical artist|name = Sean Combs|image = Sean Combs 2.jpg|caption=Combs performing in 2006|background = solo_singer|birth_name = Sean John Combs|alias = Diddy P. Diddy Puff Daddy|birth_date = Birth date and age|1969|11|4|mf=yes|birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.|origin = Mount Vernon, New York|Mount Vernon , New York, U.S.|genre = hip hop music|Hip hop , Contemporary R& B|R& B |occupation = Rapper , Record producer , Actor , Entrepreneur |years_active = 1988–present|label = Bad Boy Records|Bad Boy , Interscope Records|Interscope |associated_acts = The Notorious B.I.G. , Mase , Diddy – Dirty Money , Faith Evans , Lil' Kim , Usher (entertainer)|Usher , Jay-Z |website = URL|diddy.com Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969 http://web.archive.org/web/20080209202541/ http://www.courttv.com/trials/puffy/docs/duty-caps_3.html 1999 Duty Captain's Report (January 17, 2001) CourtTV. Archived from http://www.courttv.com/trials/puffy/docs/duty-caps_3.html the original on 2008-02-09. Accessed 2006-08-23.), also known by his stage name s Diddy and P. Diddy , is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Award s and two MTV Video Music Awards , and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy being often used as a nickname, 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 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 & 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 theatre|Broadway actor. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
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 Earl Combs. http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1999/12/28/1999-12-28_spotlight_burns_bright_and_h.html Spotlight Burns Bright And Hot Superstar Couple Riding Roller-coaster Romance. NY Daily News. Accessed 2011-04-04. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54731485.html Sean `Puffy' Combs Receives Howard University Alumni Award And Donates $500,000.(Brief Article) - Jet | HighBeam Research He grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. When Combs was a child, his father, aged 33, an associate of Frank Lucas (drug lord)|Frank Lucas (the New York drug lord), was shot to death in his car at a Manhattan park after attending a party.David E. Thigpen (February 8, 1999). http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,990184,00.html Puffy. Time. Accessed 2008-06-01 Lucas and rival gangster Nicky Barnes both publicly state that they were close to Melvin.Mark Jacobson (October 25, 2007). http://nymag.com/guides/money/2007/39948/ A Conversation Between Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes (page 4). New York Guides. Accessed 2008-06-01.
Combs played football at the Roman Catholic Mount Saint Michael Academy . In 1986, his team won a division title; he graduated in 1987.Jerry Capeci (June 16, 2005). http://web.archive.org/web/20070819041859/ http://www.ganglandnews.com/column437.htm P. Diddy & The Gambino Gangster Still Friends After All These Years (archive) http://articles.nydailynews.com/2001-02-01/news/18176474_1_puffy-combs-sean-combs-mount-vernon He's Old News At His Old School. NY Daily News. Accessed 2011-04-04.
Combs says he was given the nickname "Puff" as a child because he would "huff and puff" when he was angry,Cesar G. Soriano (August 17, 2005). http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-08-16-p-diddy_x.htm Nitty-gritty on Diddy USA Today . Accessed 2009-07-07. and "Daddy" was another version of " Promiscuity#Male promiscuity|playa ".Ellen Degeneres interview with P. Diddy (October 1999). http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_10_29/ai_56749888/pg_23/ Hot Pop 30. Interview . Accessed 2009-07-07.
Music career
Uptown Records
Combs attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. , where he showed a penchant for marketing and gained a reputation as a party promoter. He eventually became an intern at New York's Uptown Records . For some time he would travel back and forth between Washington and New York, juggling his classes and his internship, before eventually dropping out of Howard http://www.grabow.biz/HighBudgetSpecialEvents/Diddy.htm Diddy. Grabow.biz . Accessed May 4, 2008. when he became a talent director at Uptown. He was instrumental in developing Jodeci and signing and producing Mary J. Blige .
In 1991, Combs promoted a concert, headlined by Heavy D and held at the City College of New York (CCNY) gymnasium, following an AIDS charity basketball game. The event was overcrowded since it was oversold to almost twice capacity, while thousands without tickets were outside. To keep them out Combs' people shut the only door to a stairwell and put a table behind it, though the crowd jammed inside was pounding on the door and pleading for help. When the crowd outside broke several glass doors in an attempt to get in a stampede ensued inside the gymnasium in which nine people died.Mikal Gilmore (August 7, 1997). http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/puffdaddy/articles/story/8898835/puff_daddy_cometh? source=puffdaddy_rssfeed Puff Daddy Cometh. Rolling Stone. Accessed 2008-06-01. In a 1999 ruling, with respect to civil liability, a New York Court of Claims judge found Combs and Heavy D. fifty percent responsible. CCNY bore the rest of the responsibility in part for abdicating security responsibilities to Combs though they knew the event was oversold.
Establishing Bad Boy Records
In 1993, after being fired from Uptown, Combs established Bad Boy Records ,Katherine E. Finkelstein (March 17, 2001). http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9C01E6DC123DF934A25750C0A9679C8B63 Hip-Hop Star Cleared of Charges In Shooting at a Manhattan Club. New York Times . Accessed 2008-06-20. taking then-newcomer The Notorious B.I.G. with him. Both The Notorious B.I.G. and Craig Mack quickly released hit singles, followed by similarly successful LPs, particularly The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die . Combs began signing more acts to Bad Boy, including Carl Thomas (singer)|Carl Thomas , Faith Evans , Father MC , 112 (band)|112 and Total (band)|Total , as well as producing for Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Usher (entertainer)|Usher , Lil' Kim , TLC (band)|TLC , Mariah Carey , Boyz II Men , SWV , Aretha Franklin , and others, and forming The Hitmen (production team)|The Hitmen , an in-house production team.
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, he also helped produce songs for TLC's CrazySexyCool , which was the decade's best-selling R& B album. Songs he helped produced include "If I Was Your Girlfriend" and "Can I Get A Witness".
"Puff Daddy"
In 1997, Combs recorded his first commercial vocal as a rapper under the name "Puff Daddy." His debut single, " Can't Nobody Hold Me Down " spent six weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100| Billboard Hot 100 . His debut album, No Way Out (album)|No Way Out was a #1 album and won the 1998 Grammy Award for best rap album. His second single, " I'll Be Missing You ", in memory of The Notorious B.I.G. debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. He collaborated with Jimmy Page on the song "Come with Me" for the Godzilla (1998 film)|Godzilla film, an EPIC/Sony Soundtrax production. The track, approved by Page, sampled the Led Zeppelin song " Kashmir (song)|Kashmir ". Producer Tom Morello supplied live guitar parts, playing bass on the song. Combs and Page filmed a video for "Come with Me", which reached #2 in the UK.
In 1997, Combs was sued for landlord neglect by Inge Bongo. Combs denied the charges.Stephen M. Silverman (September 25, 1997). http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,621653,00.html Landlord Combs Sued in L.A.. People . Accessed 2010-03-28.
By the late 1990s, he was receiving criticism for watering down and overly commercializing hip-hop and overusing guest appearances by other artists, Sampling (music)|samples and Interpolation (music)|interpolations of past hits in his own hit songs.Keith Farley. Allmusic|class=album|id=r427618|pure_url=yes "Forever" – Overview. Allmusic: 1999.Jason Birchmeier. Allmusic|class=album|id=r538179|pure_url=yes "The Saga Continues" – Overview. Allmusic: 2001.
Club New York
In December 1999, Combs was accused of assaulting Steve Stoute of Interscope Records . Stoute was the manager for Nas . Combs had filmed a video scene earlier that year for " Hate Me Now " that featured Nas being crucified but demanded that the images be removed. Stoute's refusal led to an argument and Puff Daddy's arrest for aggravated assault. This was followed by yet more negative publicity as The Lox left Bad Boy Records and a recording session with Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease , both of The Notorious B.I.G.'s Junior M.A.F.I.A. posse, was interrupted by gunfire.
On December 27, 1999, Combs and his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez were at Club New York, a midtown Manhattan nightclub, when gunfire broke out.William K. Rashbaum (December 28, 1999). http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/28/nyregion/rap-performer-puffy-combs-is-arrested-after-shootings-at-times-sq-nightclub.html? pagewanted=all Rap performer Puffy Combs is arrested after shootings at Times Sq. nightclub. New York Times . Accessed 2009-05-08. After a police investigation, Combs and fellow rapper Shyne were arrested for weapons violations and other charges. The New York County District Attorney 's Office, led by Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos , indicted Combs after his driver, Wardel Fenderson, claimed that Combs had tried to bribe him into taking the weapon after the shooting.Katherine E. Finkelstein (March 15, 2001). http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9C0CEEDA163DF936A25750C0A9679C8B63 Combs Trial Jurors Consider Gun Case Against Rap Star. New York Times . Accessed 2008-06-20.
With a gag order in place, the highly publicized trial began. His attorneys were Johnnie Cochran|Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. and Benjamin Brafman . After the trial was over, Combs was found not guilty on all charges; Shyne was convicted on the same charges 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, would say only that the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.Stephen M. Silverman (February 4, 2004). http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,627628,00.html P. Diddy Settles $3 Million Lawsuit People . Accessed 2008-06-20.
"P. Diddy"
In 2001, after his acquittal on gun possession and bribery charges, Combs changed his stage name from "Puff Daddy" to "P.& nbsp;Diddy". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1249070.stm Puffy becomes P. Diddy. (March 29, 2001) BBC News . Accessed 2008-01-01. He later appeared as a drug dealer in the film Made (2001 film)|Made and starred with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in '' Monster's Ball . He tried to reinvent his image, working on a gospel music|gospel album, Thank You ,Brian Hiatt (February 10, 2001). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1439278/puffy-gospel-album-coming-march.jhtml Puffy gospel album, Thank You , coming In March. mtv.com. Accessed 2011-03-26. but soon faced assault charges by a Michigan television host, Dr. Roger Mills, http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/story/diddy-evidence-omitted Sean Combs - Diddy Evidence Omitted. Contactmusic.com. Accessed 2011-03-26. also known as Rogelio Mills , and then was arrested for driving on a suspended license in Florida. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9D02EFD71131F935A25757C0A9679C8B63 Sean Combs Arrested in Florida On Suspended-License Charge. (April 16, 2001) New York Times''. Accessed 2008-08-14. Combs began working with a series of unusual (for him) artists. For a short period of time, he was the manager of Kelis ; they had 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 (American group)|Dream to his record label. He was also an opening act for 'N Sync on their Spring 2002 Celebrity Tour.
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.
In 2003, Combs ran in the New York City Marathon and raised $2,000,000 for the educational system for the children of New York. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/03/entertainment/main581393.shtml P. Diddy Did It: Finishes Marathon. (November 3, 2003) CBS/AP . Accessed 2008-03-22. 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 both 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 friends were depicted chasing Stan Marsh , one of the show's main characters, around with weapons, literally threatening to kill him if he wouldn't vote in his school election.
"Diddy"
On August 16, 2005, Combs appeared on Today (NBC program)|Today and announced that he was altering his stage name yet again, dropping the "P." and referring to himself simply as "Diddy", saying that "the P was getting between me and my fans."Gilbert Sam Jr (August 2005). http://www.gnextinc.com/news/diddy0816051.html Simply known as the Diddy. GNext. Accessed 2008-06-01. However, London-based musical artist and DJSee http://www.diddyland.com/ Diddyland.comDiddy (DJ)|Richard Dearlove had been performing under the "Diddy" name since 1992 - i.e. nine years before Combs started using even "P. Diddy" - so in November 2005 sought an injunction in the High Court of Justice , London, but accepted an out-of-court settlement of £10,000 in damages, and more than £100,000 in Costs (English law)|costs . As a result, Combs no longer uses the name Diddy in the UK, where he is still known as P. Diddy. http://web.archive.org/web/20061113144442/ http://www.gay.com/news/article.html? 2006/09/13/6 Gay DJ triumphs in battle for Diddy name rights (September 13, 2006) Gay.com. Accessed 2008-01-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5332720.stm Rap star loses Diddy name rights. (September 10, 2006) BBC News. Accessed 2008-01-01.
Combs starred in the 2005 '' Carlito's Way: Rise to Power , played Walter Lee Younger in the critically acclaimed 2004 Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun '' and the A Raisin in the Sun (2008 TV film)|television adaptation which was aired in February 2008. In the same year Combs sold his record company to the Warner Music Group . Tensions still existed between him and former Warner Chief executive officer|CEOs Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles (both formerly of Def Jam ) but they arranged for his imprint to be a part of the company. In an interview with AndPOP Combs said that he was developing a line of men's suits. He later hosted the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards , and was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2005 by Time Magazine|Time magazine.Vivienne Tam (April 30, 2006). http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1187356,00.html Sean (Diddy) Combs. Time Magazine. Accessed 2008-06-01. He even earned a mention in the world of country music : The narrator of "Play Something Country" by Brooks & Dunn and Sean Okundaye says he "didn't come to hear P Diddy", which he rhymes with "something bumpin' from the city."
In 2006, after trying to move Mase away from Bad Boy Records, 50 Cent recorded a diss song, "Hip-Hop", in which he implied that Combs knew about The Notorious B.I.G. 's murder.Reid, Shaheem (September 5, 2006). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1540168/20060905/50_cent.jhtml 50 Goes after Diddy on New Mixtape. MTV. Retrieved 2007-06-04. The feud was resolved, with both rappers appearing on MTV 's Total Request Live|TRL and Sucker Free , respectively, stating that there were no longer problems.Strong, Nolan; Jeffries, Alexis (September 7, 2006). http://allhiphop.com/blogs/news/archive/2006/09/07/18131472.aspx Exclusive: 50 Cent, Sean 'Diddy' Combs Declare 'Cease Fire'. AllHipHop. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
Combs released his first album in 4 years, Press Play (album)|Press Play , on October 17, 2006 on the Bad Boy Records labelTamara Conniff and Bill Werde. (October 4, 2006). http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/feature/article_display.jsp? vnu_content_id=1003220466 Diddy: The Saga Continues. Billboard.com. Accessed 2006-11-22. with guest appearances from Christina Aguilera , Keyshia Cole , Mario Winans (signed to his label 'Bad Boy Records'), Nas, Will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas ), Mary J. Blige, Nicole Scherzinger (of the Pussycat Dolls ), Jamie Foxx , Fergie (singer)|Fergie , Big Boi (of Outkast ), Ciara , Twista , Just Blaze , Pharrell , Brandy (entertainer)|Brandy . The album reached number one on its first week in the charts.
It was reported that Combs would be singing on all the tracks of this album but he did not sing at all on the album's first single, " Come To Me " (featuring Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls ), but rather did his traditional rapping. He did sing on the third single, " Last Night (Diddy song)|Last Night " (featuring Keyshia Cole). " Tell Me (Diddy song)|Tell Me " (featuring Christina Aguilera ) was released as the second single. He was asking fans on his MySpace page http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm? fuseaction=user.viewprofile& friendid=54228937 MySpace.com – Diddy – New York, New York – Hip Hop / Rap / R& B www.myspace.com/diddy. Accessed 2008-01-01. to help him choose the fourth single, which was " Through the Pain (She Told Me) " (featuring Mario Winans).
In October 2007, he was sued by hip-hop promoter James Waldon for allegedly unleashing three violent bodyguard s on him in a New York nightclub. In March 2008, a source for the Los Angeles Times claimed that The Notorious B.I.G. and Combs orchestrated the Tupac Shakur#November 1994 shooting|'94 robbery and assassination attempt on Tupac , substantiating the claim with supposed FBI documents to that effect; the newspaper later retracted the story, acknowledging that the supporting FBI documents had been fabricated. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-naw-quad17mar17,0,4451053.story Times retracts Shakur story (April 7, 2008) LA Times. (Original "An attack on Tupac Shakur launched a hip-hop war". Accessed 2008-06-01.
In June 2008, Combs' representative denied rumors of another name change. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b141831_combs_reverting_puff_daddy_status.html Combs reverting to Puff Daddy status? (June 9, 2008) E& #33; Online. Accessed 2008-06-10. August 2008 saw Combs venture into reality television with the premiere of his VH1 series I Want to Work for Diddy .Frazier Moore (July 31, 2008). http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/tv/26153244.html 'I Want to Work for Diddy' premieres on VH1 as Sean Combs' latest effort to dominate TV. Star-Tribine . Accessed 2008-08-01. After the second season finale of Making the Band#Making the Band 4: Day26 and Donnie Klang|Making the Band 4 , Combs confirmed that he would be heading back into the studio to record his next album.
Combs has stated that he would like to work with Leona Lewis on his new 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."
Under his real name of Sean Combs, he starred in two episodes of Season 7 of CSI: Miami ; 'Presumed Guilty' and 'Sink or Swim' in the role of the lawyer Derek Powell. http://uk.imdb.com/name/nm0004835/ Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs - IMDb
He has created a rap supergroup known as "The Dream Team". The group consists of Diddy, Rick Ross , DJ Khaled , Fat Joe , Busta Rhymes and Red Café .Allen Jacobs (July 13, 2010). http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11516/title.diddy-renames-his-supreme-team-as-the-dream-team Diddy Renames his Supreme team as The Dream Team. Accessed 2010-07-20.Fabolous is also rumored to be in the group. Since 2009 he has recorded and performed as part of the group Diddy - Dirty Money .
In June 2010, Diddy played a role (as Sean Combs) in the comedy film Get Him to the Greek , as Sergio Roma, a record company executive. An Entourage (TV series)|Entourage -series representative announced that Diddy would guest star on an episode of the upcoming season. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Diddy-Kravitz-Entourage-1019723.aspx Diddy and Lenny Kravitz Book Appearances on Entourage. TVGuide.com.
On Thursday, March 10, 2011 Diddy-Dirty Money performed the single "Coming Home" with singer/songwriter Skylar Grey and two female background vocalists Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper, live on American Idol. Forty six minutes into the show, Ryan Seacrest introduced Diddy-Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey. Grey started the performance seated at a piano singing the song's opening refrain. Diddy-Dirty Money's performance lasted four minutes. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1659679/american-idol-diddy-dirty-money.jhtml american-idol-diddy-dirty-money - March 2011 - MTV.com
On April 18, 2011, Diddy appeared in the 21st episode of List of Hawaii Five-0 episodes#Season 1|season one of Hawaii Five-0 as an undercover New York Police Department|NYPD detective.
Business ventures
In 2002, he was featured on 40 under 40 (Fortune Magazine)|Fortune Magazine's "40 under 40" Staff (February 16, 2005). http://www.halifaxlive.com/artman/publish/printer_diddy_book_021605_89099.shtml P. Diddy Sued For $300,000 HalifaxLive.com. Accessed 2009-02-16. and was placed number one in the list of the top ten richest people in hip-hop. In 2011 his estimated worth was US $ 500 million, making him the richest person in the hip hop entertainment business.Zack O'Malley Greenburg (September 22, 2011). http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2011/09/22/who-will-be-hip-hops-first-billionaire-jay-z-diddy-dr-dre-birdman-50-cent/ Who Will Be Hip-Hop's First Billionaire? . Forbes (magazine)!Forbes blogs. Accessed 2011-04-04.
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,Diane Clehane (2000). http://www.lookonline.com/awards2000.html The 2000 American Fashion Awards. LookOnline Accessed 2008-06-20. and won in 2004. http://www.cfda.com/index.php? option=com_cfda_content& task=fashion_awards_display& category_id=31 Past winners. CFDA . Accessed 2008-06-20.
The clothing line was subject to controversy in 2003 when it was discovered that factories producing the clothing in Honduras were violating Honduran labor law.Steven Greenhouse (October 28, 2003). ''A Hip-Hop Star's Fashion Line Is Tagged With a Sweatshop . Available http://www.nlcnet.org/campaigns/setisa/PRESS/nytimes1028.pdf here as pdf. Accessed 2008-06-01. Among the accusations put forth were that workers were subjected to body searches and paid sweatshop wages. http://www.democracynow.org/2003/12/9/sean_puff_daddy_combs_accused_of Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs Accused of Using Honduras Sweatshops for Sean John Line (December 9, 2003) Democracy Now. Accessed 2008-06-01. Charles Kernaghan of the National Labor Committee , who first exposed the factory, is quoted in the New York Times as saying, "Sean Puff Daddy obviously has a lot of clout, he can literally do a lot overnight to help these workers."
Combs responded that there would be a "zero tolerance" investigation at his company, Sean John. He stated to a group of reporters "I'm as pro-worker as they get." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3222521.stm P. Diddy in Sweatshop Row (October 29, 2003) BBC News . Accessed 2008-06-01. On February 14, 2004, Kernaghann announced on Pacifia station that Combs had made some "unprecedented" changes at factories including adding air conditioning and water purification systems, and allowing a union to form. http://www.nlcnet.org/article.php? id=239 Setisa Update (December 17, 2003) NLCnet.org. Accessed 2008-06-10.
In late 2006, MSNBC reported, "Macy's has pulled from its shelves and its Web site two styles of Sean John hooded jackets, originally advertised as featuring faux fur, after an investigation by the nation's largest animal protection organization concluded that the garments were actually made from an animal called a ' raccoon dog '". Combs said he had been unaware of the material, but as soon as he knew about it, he had his clothing line stop using the material. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16329355/ Sean John jackets were made with dog fur (December 22, 2006) MSNBC. Accessed 2008-06-01. In 2008 he appeared in a Macy's commercial.
In November 2008, Combs launched his latest men's perfume under the Sean John brand called "I Am King" dedicated to Barack Obama , Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King . In November 2008, he unveiled a new Times Square billboard for the "I Am King" line to replace his iconic Sean John ad. The giant billboard is currently the largest static ad in Times Square. Model Bar Refaeli was chosen to be the face of the fragrance.
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. http://www.usmagazine.com/p_diddy Diddy. US magazine . Accessed 2008-06-20. He is the designer of the green Dallas Mavericks alternate jersey.Shaheem Reid (December 5, 2003). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1480965/12052003/p_diddy.jhtml Dallas Mavericks Say Diddy's Designing Their Duds MTV . Accessed 2008-06-20.
On September 18, 2007, Combs teamed up with 50 Cent and Jay-Z for the " Forbes I Get Money Billion Dollar Remix."Citation needed|date=August 2008 He also made appearances with Jay-Z on his American Gangster concert tour in 2007.
As of October 2007, Combs has inked a multi-year deal, in which he'll help develop the Ciroc brand, one of Diageo PLC's super-premium Vodka lines, for a share in the profits. The agreement is the latest in which a celebrity is going beyond the typical role of endorser to share in a brand's rise and fall. Diageo said the agreement could be worth more than $100 million for Combs and his company, Sean Combs Enterprises, over the course of the deal, depending on how well the brand performs. Since then, he has launched multiple ventures for Ciroc, many of which were featured during the 2008 presidential election.
Combs acquired the Enyce clothing line from Liz Claiborne for $20 million on October 21, 2008.Linda Hobbs (October 21, 2008). http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2008/10/diddy_enyce/ Diddy buys out clothing line Enyce. VIBE Magazine . Accessed 2009-09-03.
After a prolific Twitter campaign by comedian Chris Gethard , Combs is set to make an appearance at the comedian's live show in January 2010 at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City.Sean Combs (December 31, 2009). http://twitter.com/iamdiddy/status/7244154549 iamdiddy. Twitter . Accessed 2009-12-31. In February 2010, Combs announced on CNN to Wolf Blitzer , that he plans to open a business school in New York. He announced that he wanted a school, "that’s known for building leaders."Drew Jackson (February 10, 2010). http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/02/10/business-school-for-bad-boys/ Business school for bad boys? Richmond BizSense . Accessed 2010-02-12.Oli Simpson (February 2, 2010). http://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a201026/p-diddy-to-open-ny-business-academy.html? imdb P. Diddy to open NY business academy? Digital Spy . Accessed 2010-02-12.
Personal life
Family
Combs has never married, but he is the biological father of five children and the informal stepfather of another child:
His on-again, off-again girlfriend Kimberly Porter has a son, Quincy Jones Brown (born December 1991) with 1980s New Jack Swing romantic singer/producer Al B Sure . http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/08/entertainment/main3341569.shtml Diddy Sued For $19 Million In Damages (October 8, 2007). CBS News. Accessed 2008-11-01. Quincy was featured on My Super Sweet 16 .
Combs' first biological child is Justin Dior Combs (born December 1993), from a relationship with his wikt:high school sweetheart|high school sweetheart , designer Misa Hylton-Brim. In January 2010, it was widely reported that Combs presented his son Justin with a $360,000 Maybach car (and chauffeur) as a 16th birthday present. http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272630105.shtml Diddy – Maybach Purchase for 16-Year Old Son's Birthday, $360K! (January 25, 2010) National Ledger . Accessed 2010-02-10. Justin was also featured on My Super Sweet 16 .
His second child is son Christian Casey Combs (born April 1998) with Kim Porter. Porter is also the mother of Combs' twin daughters, D'Lila Star Combs and Jessie James Combs (born December 2006).KC Baker (November 22, 2006). http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1562190,00.html Inside Diddy's A-List Baby Shower, People.com. Accessed 2008-01-01. In July 2007 Combs and Porter ended their relationship.Brian Orloff (July 11, 2007). http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20044700,00.html Diddy, Girlfriend Kim Porter Break Up. People . Accessed 2008-06-01.
In October 2007, Combs took legal responsibility for Chance, his daughter with Sarah Chapman.
Combs owns a home in Alpine, New Jersey that he purchased for a reported $7 million.Century, Douglas. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/arts/music/11cent.html "Alpine, N.J., Home of Hip-Hop Royalty", The New York Times , February 11, 2007. Accessed September 27, 2011. "These days Mr. Combs hardly needs to crash on a homeboy’s sofa. The house he recently bought here, for a reported $7 million, 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."
Charity work and honors
On October 13, 2006, the mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley , gave Combs the key to the city http://www.channel3000.com/entertainment/10085484/detail.html Chicago Mayor Gives Diddy Key to City. (October 16, 2006) Channel3000.com. Accessed 2006-10-29. and a pair of cufflinks to commemorate the inauguration of an annual October 13 "Diddy Day".As http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-061013diddy-day,1,4674022.story? coll=chi-news-hed& ctrack=1& cset=true reported in the Chicago Tribune on October 13, 2006 He received the honor as a reward for certain charitable work at Law and government of Chicago|Chicago's City Hall .
In 2008 Combs was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/24456438/ns/today-entertainment/t/sean-combs-receives-walk-fame-star/ Sean Combs receives Walk of Fame star|work=today.msnbc.msn.com (May 4, 2008). Accessed 2011-07-30.
In the fall of 2011, Combs presented his hometown Boys & Girls Clubs of America|Boys and Girls Club with a considerable contribution that helped to save the dying organization. It was said that the timing of the contribution was received at the perfect moment, seeing that the Club’s budget for operations has been pressed because of changes to federal, state and private funding.Christpher Minaya (October 2011). http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2011/10/diddy-rescues-boys-girls-club-of-harlem/ Diddy Rescues Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. XXLMAG.COM. Accessed 2011-10-11.
Wardrobe style
In the February 2007 issue of Blender (magazine)| Blender magazine, Combs spoke about his wardrobe. He describes his style in three words: "Swagger. Timeless. Diverse." http://www.blender.com? src=fc Blender Magazine | The Ultimate Guide to Music and More On September 2, 2007, Combs held his ninth annual "White Party" in which all guests are limited to an all white dress code. The White Party, which has also been held in St. Tropez , was held in his Long Island home in East Hampton (town), New York|East Hampton . It featured a white carpet to go along with the white dress code. 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." http://news.aol.com/entertainment/music/story/ar/_a/diddys-white-party-welcomes-stars/20070903084209990001 Diddy's white party welcomes stars (September 4, 2007). AOL News/AP. Accessed 2008-06-01.
Discography
Main|Sean Combs discography|Sean Combs production discography;Studio albums
1997: No Way Out (album)|No Way Out
1999: Forever (Puff Daddy album)|Forever
2001: The Saga Continues...
2002: We Invented the Remix
2006: Press Play (album)|Press Play
2010: Last Train to Paris
Accolades
NAACP Image Awards
* 2009, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special|Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special , A Raisin in the Sun (2008 film)|A Raisin in the Sun (Winner)
MOBO Awards
* 2007, Best International Act (Nominated)
BET Awards
* 2007, Best Male Hip Hop Artist (Nominated)
MTV Video Music Awards
* 1997, Best R& B Video: "I'll Be Missing You" (Winner)
* 1998, Viewers Choice: "It's All About The Benjamins (Rock Remix)" (Winner)
Grammy Awards Grammy Awards for: http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1998/grammys.htm 1998, http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2000/grammys.htm 2000, http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2002/grammys.htm 2002, http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2003/grammys.htm 2003, http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2004/grammys.htm 2004. Accessed 2008-01-01.
Year
Category
Genre
Nominated Work
Result
1998
Best New Artist
General
Himself
nom
1998
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group
Rap
"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down"
nom
1998
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group
Rap
"Mo Money Mo Problems"
nom
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"
nom
2002
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group
Rap
"Bad Boy For Life"
nom
2003
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group
Rap
"Pass the Courvoisier (Part 2)"
nom
2004
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group
Rap
"Shake Ya Tailfeather"
won
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (Albums Executive Produced by Sean Combs)
Rank
Artist
Album
Year
133http:/ / www.rollingstone.com/ news/ story/ 6598713/ 133_ready_to_die "Ready to Die". (November 1, 2003) Rolling Stone . Accessed 2008-01-13. ref>
279http:/ / www.rollingstone.com/ news/ story/ 6626288/ 279_my_life "My Life". (November 1, 2003) Rolling Stone . Accessed 2008-01-13. ref>
Mary J. Blige
My Life
1994
483http:/ / www.rollingstone.com/ news/ story/ 6627614/ 483_life_after_death "Life After Death". (November 1, 2003) Rolling Stone . Accessed 2008-01-13. ref>
The Notorious B.I.G.
Life After Death
1997
References
Reflist|2
External links
commonsWikiquote
Official website| http://www.diddy.com
MTV artist|puff_daddy
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p214335
IMDb name|0004835
Sean CombsBad boy Persondata|NAME = Combs, Sean John |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Diddy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy |SHORT DESCRIPTION = Rapper, producer, actor |DATE OF BIRTH = November 4, 1969 |PLACE OF BIRTH = New York City, New York, United States |DATE OF DEATH = |PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Combs, Sean Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from New York City Category:African-American businesspeople Category:African American film actors Category:African American rappers Category:African American record producers Category:American dance musicians Category:American fashion designers Category:American hip hop record producers Category:American music video directors Category:Bad Boy Records artists Category:Businesspeople from New York City Category:Businesspeople in fashion Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Howard University alumni Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Alpine, New Jersey Category:People from Harlem Category:People from Westchester County, New York Category:Rappers from New York City