Sean Combs

Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Combs worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record label, Bad Boy Records, in 1993. He embarked on his recording career following the mainstream success of his first signee, the Notorious B.I.G., for whom he served as manager and hype man. Released in the wake and memory of his unsolved murder, Combs' debut studio album, No Way Out (1997), was met with critical acclaim, peaked atop the Billboard 200 and received septuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its two preceding singles, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (featuring Mase) and "I'll Be Missing You" (with Faith Evans featuring 112), both peaked the Billboard Hot 100—the latter became the first hip hop song to debut atop the chart. His second and third albums, Forever (1999) and The Saga Continues... (2001), both peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 despite mixed critical reception, while his fourth, Press Play (2006), peaked atop the chart once more. Combs then formed the musical group Diddy – Dirty Money—with R&B singers Kalenna Harper and Dawn Richard—to release the collaborative album Last Train to Paris (2010), which peaked at number seven and was supported by the single "Coming Home" (featuring Skylar Grey). His fifth studio album, The Love Album: Off the Grid (2023), was met with moderate critical and commercial response, and served as his first release without a major label.^[6][7]


Outside of music, he has worked in production for other media, including MTV's reality series Making the Band. He launched the clothing retailer Sean John in 1998, for which he won Menswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2004, having previously been nominated in 2000. Combs was the brand ambassador for the vodka retailer Cîroc from 2007 to 2023, and co-founded the television network Revolt in 2013. Zack O'Malley Greenburg estimated Combs' net worth at US$1 billion in 2022, making him one of the wealthiest musical artists.^[8][9]


Combs has been the subject of several misconduct allegations, which began in late 2023 after Cassie Ventura, with whom Combs had a long-term relationship, filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against him for sexual assault, which was settled out of court.^[10][11] In the following days, three more lawsuits were filed by additional claimants, with similar allegations of misconduct ranging from 1991 to 2003.^[12][13] In the wake of the allegations, various companies and brands dissociated themselves from Combs, and an honorary doctorate from Howard University was revoked.^[14][15] In March 2024, several properties tied to Combs were raided by the Department of Homeland Security as part of an ongoing investigation.^[16][17] In May 2024, surveillance footage of Combs physically assaulting Ventura at a hotel in 2016 was released, and Combs issued a video apology stating his actions were inexcusable.^[18]

Early life

Sean John Combs was born on November 4, 1969, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Raised in Mount Vernon, New York,^[19] his mother Janice Combs (née Smalls) was a model and teacher's assistant,^[20] and his father, Melvin Earl Combs, served in the U.S. Air Force and was an associate of convicted New York drug dealer Frank Lucas.^[19][21] At age 33, Melvin was shot dead while sitting in his car on Central Park West, when Combs was two years old.^[22] Combs has a sister.^[23]


Combs was raised Roman Catholic and served as an altar boy.^[24] He graduated from the all-boys Catholic school, Mount Saint Michael Academy in 1987. He played football for the academy, and his team won a division title in 1986.^[25] Combs said he was given the nickname "Puff" as a child, because he would "huff and puff" when he was angry.^[26]


Combs was a business major at Howard University, but left after his second year.^[27] In 2014, he returned to Howard University to receive an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities (revoked in 2024 amid his misconduct scandal)^[15] and to deliver the university's 146th commencement address.^[28]