Angelic Bad Boy

Background:

"I feel safe in white because, deep down inside, I'm an angel." Sean Combs.

Record producer, entrepreneur and rapper widely known as Diddy (formerly known as P. Diddy or Puff Diddy), Sean Combs is the founder of hip-hop music label Bad Boy Entertainment. He has signed and developed career for such artists as Father MC, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Craig Mack, Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, 112, Ma$e and Carl Thomas. As a rapper, Combs debuted with the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning album No Way Out, which spawned the hit singles "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (featuring Mase), "I'll Be Missing You" (featuring Faith Evans & 112, a tribute to Notorious B.I.G.), "Mo Money, Mo Problems" (Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy & Mase) and "It's All About The Benjamins" (with The Family).

A sharp entrepreneur, Combs owns his own urban clothing line called Sean John and his own restaurant chain named Justin's in New York and Atlanta. In 2004, he reportedly signed a multiyear deal with cosmetics company Estee Lauder to launch a new line of fragrances and recently launched Sean by Sean Combs, a contemporary sportswear collection for women. He was named as the wealthiest star on Fortune's 40 Under- 40 Rich List (September 2002), the richest entertainer on Fortune magazine's 40 Under 40 list (September 3, 2003) and Top Menswear Designer Of The Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (2004).

More privately, 5' 11" tall Combs, who often wears sunglasses and white clothing, was linked to R&B singer Kelis, actress, musician Jennifer Lopez (dating as of 1998; broke up on February 14 2001) and model Kim Porter (has one child with her). He had married once, to hip-hop fashion stylist Misa Hylton, and has one son with her.


Sean John

Childhood and Family:

In a middle-class Harlem household, Sean John Combs was born on November 4, 1969, to parents Melvin Combs (murdered in 1973) and Janice Combs (former model). Sean Combs, who received nickname Puffy when a child because of the way he puffed out his chest on the football field, attended St. Charles Borromeo School New York, New York. He graduated from Mount St. Michael Academy Bronx, New York, in 1987, and then went to study Business Administration at the prestigious historically Black college Howard University Washington, DC, which he dropped after two years.

Sean Combs had married and divorced from hip-hop fashion stylist Misa Hylton, with whom he has one son, Justin Combs (born in 1994). Combs also has anther son from his relationship with model Kim Porter, Christian Casey Combs (born in 1997).


Hip-Hop Dreams

Career:

"We used to talk about wanting to get some money, but that's when hip-hop was based on your dreams and your fantasy. The whole thing now is the dreams and fantasies were achieved, and you don't want to make it the focal point. You can't keep beating that dead horse." Sean Combs.

After studying at Howard for two years, Sean Combs went to the now-defunct Uptown Records and began his career as an intern. Within few months, 19-year-old Sean Combs was appointed as vice president of A&R for Uptown, making him the youngest executive in the music business. He then co-produced Father's Day (Father MC; 1990), Mary J. Blige's multi-platinum debut album, What's the 411? (1992), and Blue Funk (Heavy D & the Boyz; 1992).

Along with childhood pal Christopher Wallace (a.k.a. the late Notorious B.I.G.), Craig Mack and Faith Evans, Combs formed his own label, Bad Boy Records. After failing in signing Tupac Shakur in 1994, Bad Boy launched the debut album by Notorious B.I.G. and had its first hit with the Craig Mack single "Flava in Ya Ear." The also their first hit with Notorious B.I.G.’s hip-hop smash "Big Poppa" in the next year. Afterward, Combs continued to sign more artists to Bad Boy, like Faith Evans, 112 and Total, as well as producing for Lil' Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, SWV, Aretha Franklin and others. Mase and The Lox later joined Bad Boy, following a widely publicized rivalry with the West Coast's Death Row Records.

In 1997, Combs began his performance career by launching debut album No Way Out, which spawned the hit "It's All About the Benjamins" (with The Family, #2 US, #18 UK), "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (featuring Mase, #19 UK), “"I'll Be Missing You" (written by Marvin L. Blair, a tribute to B.I.G., featuring Faith Evans and 112, #1 US, #1 UK, won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group) and "Mo Money, Mo Problems" (Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy & Mase, #1 US). It also delivered such singles as "Been Around The World," a song that featured Combs' label mate, Mase, and the late Notorious B.I.G., and David Bowie's "Let's Dance" and Lisa Stansfield's "All Around The World" sample songs. The music video starred many high profiles, including Wyclef Jean, Quincy Jones and Combs' future companion, Jennifer Lopez. Album No Way Out poled at #1 on the US album charts and #8 on the UK. The multi-platinum also won a Grammy for Best Rap Album.

By this time, Combs had branched out his entrepreneurship by opening the Caribbean and soul food restaurant Justin's in New York City. However, a tragedy happened on March 9, 1997, when partner and friend Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G.' Wallace shot down in Los Angeles after attending the Soul Train Music Awards. Notorious B.I.G's second album, Life After Death, was released posthumously and was considerably successful.

In 1998, Combs signed a development contract with Dimension and established Bad Boy Films. As a performer, Combs was originally cast for the Oliver Stone drama Any Given Sunday, but he dropped out and was replaced by Jamie Foxx, and then recorded single "Come With Me," based around Jimmy Page's guitar riff in the Led Zeppelin classic "Kashmir." As for entrepreneurship, Combs launched clothing label Sean John and opened a branch of Justin's in Atlanta. He also made headlines when along with then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez and protégé Shyne, Combs was arrested in connection with a shooting at Club New York.

Entering the new millennium, Combs continued to have legal problems. He faced physical attack charges from a Michigan television host, and then was detained for driving on a suspended license in Florida. Back to the music scene, Combs entered the profitable pop music land with his quartet-girl group Dream, who have a hit with "He Loves You Not." Combs also stepped on the silver screen, appearing in the acclaimed feature drama Monster's Ball (starring Halle Berry) and in Made (both in 2001). As for humanitarian, Combs finished his first New York Marathon and raised more than $2 million for various children's charities. He also inked a three-year distribution contract with Arista Records, which allowed Combs to maintain the tenure of his company Bad Boy while Universal assumed the promotion and marketing cost for Bad Boy.

2004 saw Combs debuted on Broadway stage, acting in the revival of the Lorraine Hansberry drama "A Raisin in the Sun," a landmark drama about a black family moving into an all-white Chicago neighborhood. In the play, he played Walter Lee Younger, a role originated by Sidney Poitier, opposite Audra McDonald and Phylicia Rashad. In July that year, Combs made his last hip hop album and plan to be a full-time producer at Bad Boys records and manage Sean John. Additionally, Combs, who hosted the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, will soon be seen starring as blues musician Robert Johnson, the so-called King of the Delta Blues, in the HBO Film feature Love in Vain. He is also set to act and produced in his yet untitled film project.

An astute entrepreneur, Combs recently launched Sean by Sean Combs, a contemporary sportswear collection for women. Commenting on his new clothing line, Combs explained: “I want women to come into my world. I want to show the diversity of this young, fun, sexy, sophisticated woman. This is the woman we aspire to have. This is the woman the Sean John man wants.”


Awards

- Grammy: Best Rap performance by a Duo or Group, "Shake Ya Tailfeather," 2004
- Grammy: Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, "I'll Be Missing You," 1998
- Grammy: Best Rap Album, "No Way Out," 1998
- MTV Video Music: Viewers' Choice, "It's All About the Benjamins," 1998
- Billboard Music Award: Top Rap Artist, 1997
- Billboard Music Award: Top Rap Album, 1997