The 12 months is 1999. Sean “Diddy” Combs’ “White Parties” are already the speak of the city, regardless of having began only a 12 months prior. Sitting down with Entertainment Tonight, the rap mogul within the making can’t assist however hype up his now-infamous gatherings.
“You’re gonna hear about my events. They’re going to be shutting them down. They’re most likely going to be arresting me doing all sorts of loopy issues simply because we need to have a superb time, you recognize?” he declared.
Fast ahead to 2024, and that’s precisely what occurred — phrase for phrase.
Combs — often known as Puffy, Love, and Diddy — is now behind bars, awaiting trial for intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy prices, amongst others. With over a 100 sexual assault lawsuits towards him and extra rising every day, his once-exclusive events, which featured alleged “freak-offs,” at the moment are on the centre of a sprawling authorized and ethical reckoning.
If discovered responsible in his trial set for May 2025, the person who as soon as dominated the music trade may face anyplace from 15 years to life in jail.
But how did Diddy go from hip-hop royalty to going through a mountain of prison prices? Let’s check out the rise — and fall — of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The Rise of Sean “Diddy” Combs
Childhood, Family, and Education
Sean Combs was born on November 4, 1969, in Harlem however grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. Tragedy struck early — his father, Melvin Combs, was killed in a taking pictures when Sean was simply two years outdated. Melvin had ties to convicted drug supplier Frank Lucas.
Raised by his mom, Janice, Combs grew up Roman Catholic and even served as an altar boy. By highschool, he’d earned the nickname “Puff” for his behavior of “huffing and puffing” when annoyed. After graduating from Mount Saint Michael Academy in 1987, he enrolled at Howard University to check enterprise however dropped out after two years to chase his music goals.
In 2014, he returned to Howard for an honorary doctorate, however that diploma was revoked in 2024 amidst mounting scandals.
Internship at Uptown Records (1990)
In 1990, Combs landed an internship at Uptown Records in New York, the place he was mentored by Andre Harrell. It was right here he first showcased his expertise for recognizing and shaping stars, working intently with Jodeci and Mary J. Blige to refine their kinds. This knack for artist improvement would quickly grow to be a cornerstone of his profession — and his rise to fame.
Bad Boy Records (1993)
Combs didn’t final lengthy at Uptown Records, getting fired simply three years later. He later admitted it was on account of his cockiness and outsized ego.
But he didn’t waste time — by 1993, he’d launched Bad Boy Records and secured a cope with Arista Records. One of his first strikes was signing a then-unknown rapper named Christopher Wallace — who would quickly rise to fame as Notorious B.I.G AKA Biggie Smalls.
“Pretty Wild” Party Lifestyle
By 1994, the discharge of Biggie’s Ready to Die had made Bad Boy Records a family title. With chart-topping artists like Faith Evans, Total, and Father MC on its roster, the label was unstoppable. Diddy’s manufacturing crew, “The Hitmen,” collaborated with a few of the largest names in music, together with Usher, Lil’ Kim, and Mary J. Blige.
But behind the music, Diddy’s occasion way of life was already notorious. In an eyebrow-raising 2016 interview with Howard Stern, Usher — who lived with Combs for a 12 months at age 16 — referred to as the early ’90s “fairly wild” and declared that he would by no means let his personal youngsters round that way of life.
East Coast-West Coast Rivalry
By the mid-’90s, the hip-hop world was divided. The East Coast-West Coast rivalry was in full swing, with Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight of Death Row Records taking public photographs at Bad Boy Records, Diddy, and Biggie.
What began as a conflict of egos and labels shortly escalated, setting the stage for one of the crucial notorious and tragic chapters in rap historical past.
Tupac and Biggie Shooting (1996, 1997)
The late ’90s noticed hip-hop rocked by tragedy. Tupac Shakur was killed in a Las Vegas drive-by on September 7, 1996, adopted simply months later by Biggie Smalls in an analogous taking pictures in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997.
Both instances stay unsolved, fuelling conspiracy theories that implicate figures like Suge Knight and even Diddy. Notably, the continuing trial of Tupac’s suspected killer, Duane “Keefe D” Davis — arrested in late 2023 — solely factors extra fingers at Diddy, whom Keefe D accused of ordering a million-dollar hit on Pac.
Jennifer Lopez Club Shooting (1999)
In 1999, Combs and then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez had been having fun with an evening out at a Times Square Club when photographs had been fired. Combs and his protégé Shyne confronted weapons prices, however whereas Combs was acquitted, Shyne served ten years in jail.
The incident ended Combs’ relationship with Lopez, and years later, Shyne — now a politician — claimed he was made the “fall man” for his former mentor.
The Fall of Diddy
For over twenty years, Diddy remained a cultural pressure. He managed artists underneath Bad Boy Records, acted in TV reveals, and launched music like The Saga Continues and The Love Album: Off the Grid. Along the best way, he cycled by stage names, from “Puff Daddy” to “Love.”
But by November 2023, his once-untouchable legacy started to unravel when ex-girlfriend Cassie filed a stunning sexual assault lawsuit. What adopted was a cascade of allegations and authorized troubles that marked the start of his dramatic fall from grace.
Cassie’s Sexual Assault Lawsuit (November 2023)
In November 2023, singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura shook the world with a lawsuit towards Combs. Their decade-long, on-and-off relationship, which resulted in 2018, appeared amicable on the floor — till Cassie accused him of rape, intercourse trafficking, and years of emotional and bodily abuse.
The case was settled inside a single day, main many to marvel what Combs may be hiding behind a large payout.
Cassie’s claims sparked a wave of comparable sexual assault lawsuits, however Combs denied all of them, as his once-glittering repute started to crumble.
FBI Raid (March 2024)
In March 2024, the FBI raided Combs’ houses in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York as a part of a intercourse trafficking investigation. Combs, who was vacationing on the time, had not addressed any of the lawsuits towards him, nor the raid.
Cassie Assault Video Leaked (May 2024)
In May 2024, CNN launched stunning footage of Combs bodily assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie in 2016. The grainy lodge surveillance video confirmed Combs grabbing Cassie by the neck, throwing her to the bottom, kicking her, dragging her down a hallway, and throwing a vase at her.
The leak pressured Combs to handle the Cassie state of affairs publicly for the primary time, apologising for his actions in a since-deleted Instagram video.
Later, his authorized staff claimed the Department of Homeland Security leaked delicate grand jury supplies to smear him, however a decide rejected the argument.
SA Lawsuits Keep Pouring In
As the fallout continued, sexual assault lawsuits towards Combs stored piling up. New claims appeared to floor each week, with women and men accusing him of assaults going again to the early 2000s. Many alleged they had been drugged earlier than being attacked, including a disturbing sample to the accusations.
The lawsuits additionally put a highlight on Combs’ interior circle. So far, R&B singer Aaron Hall and rapper Jay-Z have been talked about, however followers consider extra huge names may come to mild.
Diddy Arrested (September 2024)
On September 16, 2024, Combs was arrested in New York on prices together with racketeering conspiracy and intercourse trafficking.
100-Plus SA Cases Come In (October 2024)
Even whereas he was behind bars, the sexual assault lawsuits towards Combs stored piling up.On October 1, 2024, over 100 victims got here ahead with accusations of sexual abuse and exploitation towards Combs.
Shockingly, one of many alleged victims was simply 9 years outdated when the assault occurred.
Diddy Denied Bail
Combs walked into his bail hearings assured he’d stroll out — solely to have his request denied not as soon as, not twice, however 3 times. Now, he’ll be spending the approaching months behind bars as he awaits his trial.
