Sean 'P Diddy' Combs Biography

Hiphop performer, producer and businessman

"I hope [people] see that I have a good head on my shoulders, I'm not just poppin' Cristal and throwing parties."
- Sean 'P Diddy' Combs

Full name: Sean John Combs
Famous for: Hiphop performer, producer and businessman. Bad Boy Worldwide (entertainment, marketing, fashion, food)
Combs details: Born - November 4, 1970 Live - USA



Born in Harlem, Sean Combs was raised by his single mother after his father was murdered when he was two years old.

At the age of 18, Combs attended Howard University, majoring in business administration, where he spent most of his time promoting parties, selling term papers and exams, and running an airport shuttle service, than any actual studying.

After two years, Combs left Howard and gained an internship at Uptown Records, which later turned into a job as a talent director. Combs rapidly rose to the level of vice president and produced hits for artists such as Mariah Carey, New Edition, Method Man, TLC, Boyz II Men, and his most frequent collaborator Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Biggie Smalls).

In 1993, after leaving Uptown Records earlier that year, Combs established Bad Boy Entertainment. This was the start of a hugely successful business empire. Combs soon built a reputation not only as someone who had natural ability to spot and develop talent, but also as an astute entrepreneur and music producer. Since 1993 Bad Boy Entertainment has grown to become Bad Boy Worldwide; a $300 million conglomerate that includes a record label, a marketing company, and Justin's restaurants, with the $315 million rapper-actor-producer-designer as the owner and head of the company.

In 1997, Combs began to branch out and created his own rapping persona of Puff Daddy. With the release of Can't Nobody Hold Me Down and I'll Be Missing You, a tribute to the Notorious B.I.G. and a huge commercial hit, Combs had solidified his career as a performer. He continued to collaborate with other performers to produce the 1997 album, No Way Out, and Forever in 1999. He has recently released another album in October 2006 which features the likes of Kanye West, Christina Aguilera and Nas.

Despite numerous lawsuits, run-ins with the police, and a widely publicized feud between east and west coast rappers that is blamed for the death of Notorious B.I.G., Combs continued to dedicate himself to his music career. He pursued unusual collaborations with the likes of David Bowie and Britney Spears in an attempt to innovate and find a new sound.

In addition to his music career, Combs gained a reputation as a savvy businessman for his other endeavours, including:

• a clothing line,
• his Blue Flame advertising company,
• his MTV reality show Making the Band,
• a restaurant chain,
• and branches of Bad Boy Entertainment into technology, books and films.

In 2002, Combs was named one of the 40 Richest People Under 40 by Fortune magazine. With a current estimated net worth of over $300 million, Combs has become something of an American icon and, against all odds, one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs.On November 2nd 2003 Combs ran the New York City Marathon two days before his 34th birthday. Despite having a bad knee, cramps and minimal training he managed to raise $4 million for New York Public Schools.