|
Call him what you like, but the fact is P. Diddy is responsible for more classic hip-hop records than most MCs, promoters or producers could ever hope to be. From hardcore landmarks like Biggie’s indelible Ready to Die album and cuts like “All About The Benjamins” and “I’ll Be Missing You,” to infectious remixes for the Queen of hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige, his resume more than speaks for itself. And that’s without even getting into his fashion empire and fledgling (but promising) movie career.
Sean Combs was born on November 4, 1969, in Harlem to Melvin and Janice Combs. The murder of his father when he was just two years old forced his mom Janice to move Sean to Mount Vernon, New York. Sean attended Howard University in Washington, D.C, but his life took a dramatic turn when he took an internship at Uptown Entertainment, where he met the man who would become his mentor, industry leader Andre Harrell (former President of Bad Boy Entertainment). Shuttling back and forth from Washington D.C. to New York City, Combs' energy and commitment earned him the leap from intern at Uptown to Director of A&R at the age of 19.
Shortly thereafter, in 1991, he engineered the careers of Uptown artists Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, producing their music and influencing their image by tapping into the style and flare of urban youth. This combination ushered in the new musical genre of hip-hop soul. In 1993, Sean left Uptown , but he reemerged later the same year with his own company, Bad Boy Entertainment. The company's big break came with Notorious B.I.G.'s multi-platinum debut Ready to Die. Bad Boy quickly took off, signing, developing and producing such acts as Faith Evans (then wife of Notorious B.I.G.), female trio Total, and male vocal group 112.
While Bad Boy Entertainment was reveling in its success, a feud developed between Combs’ company and Suge Knight’s Death Row Records. The heated rivalry played itself out on records by Death Row’s Tupac Shakur and Bad Boy’s Notorious B.I.G. Then, in 1996, the rivalry took a deadly turn. Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Notorious B.I.G. was murdered six months later.
In 1997, Combs released the his first solo effort, No Way Out, featuring the single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down,” which held the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart for nearly two months. The album also featured a Grammy-winning tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G., entitled "I'll Be Missing You," which was a remix of the Police's 1993 song "Every Breath You Take." The album went on to win two Grammy awards, including Best Rap Album of the Year.
In 1999, Combs released his second album, Forever, which failed to match the success of his debut. Meanwhile, Combs celebrity status skyrocketed with his romantic relationship with Jennifer Lopez. Legal troubles began to follow Combs on a constant basis, beginning with assault charges stemming from an alleged beating of Interscope Records executive Steve Stoute. The charges were reduced to second-degree harassment, and Combs entered a one-day anger management class as punishment.
The biggest legal battle Combs fought came in 2000 when he and Lopez were present during a shooting at a New York City club. After Combs and Lopez fled the scene, a stolen gun was found in his car. In the end Combs was acquitted of all charges, but the incident cost him his relationship with Lopez, who broke up with him on Valentine’s Day 2001. In addition, his credibility as a rapper and popularity with the public had suffered dramatically. He talent was questioned due to his incessant use of samples, inciting many in the hip-hop world to accused him of diluting the genre. In the months that followed, Combs worked hard to change his image and even went so far as to change his rap name from Puff Daddy to P. Diddy.
In 2001, Combs released P. Diddy & The Bad Boy Family … The Saga Continues. The singles “Bad Boy for Life” and “I Need a Girl” succeeded in putting Combs back in the rap game, while 2002’s We Invented the Remix sealed the deal. Around the same time, Combs began taking small parts in independent films such as Made and Monster’s Ball.
MTV called up Combs to usher in a new season of Making the Band in 2002. Six contestants were chosen in 2003 to become the next voices in hip-hop.
|
