Since Sean “Diddy” Combs has been under the microscope, a number of former business partners and figures from his personal life have taken the spotlight. His alleged Bad Boy Records co-founder and former friend Kirk Burrowes was one person who stepped into the spotlight after 50 Cent’s new Netflix documentary Sean Combs: The Reckoning. In the documentary, he outlined some of his personal, professional and legal disputes with the record executive over the years, and revealed a handful of shocking accusations about the rapper and business mogul’s character.
With Burrowes’ story coming to light years later and the documentary placing a spotlight on his ongoing legal battle, many questions have begun to arise. Here’s a deeper dive into who Burrowes, his net worth and the potential future of his career.
How did Burrowes and Sean Combs meet?
Burrowes and Combs’ partnership dates back to the earliest days of the rapper’s public life. In fact, the duo knew each other before the formation of Bad Boy Records, when Combs was organizing parties and live events. One event, a 1991 AIDS fundraiser, resulted in tragedy after tickets were oversold, and the venue was packed beyond capacity. A crowd rush occurred resulting in the death of nine people and dozens of injuries for others. As a result, Combs sought to avoid punitive damages for himself while building his music empire. According to Burrowes, Combs opted to leave himself out of Bad Boy’s initial charter.
Burrowes claims Combs gave him a 25 percent ownership stake in Bad Boy Records during the label’s inception. Combs’ mother maintained the other 75 percent. During Sean Combs: The Reckoning, Burrowes offered detailed records of his partnership with Combs. As he explained in the docuseries, he would write “everything down, every day, so I could keep track of everything I needed to do.” These written records ultimately outlined an alleged pattern of malfeasance dating back to Combs’ earliest days as a music mogul.
What role did Kirk Burrowes play in establishing Bad Boy Records?
Burrowes was not the face of the Bad Boy Records label. Instead, it seems that Burrowes was more integral to the financial and accounting aspects of the business. He worked behind-the-scenes as a fixer for both Bad Boy Records and Combs’ personal budget. Unfortunately, as Burrowes explained in the docuseries, this relationship came with a lot of baggage. In 2003, Burrowes sued the disgraced mogul for a litany of predatory actions. His filing claimed that he forced him to witness nudity, physical aggression, sexual assault and other degrading sex acts.
Burrowes also claimed that Combs had violently coerced him out of his 25 percent ownership stake in the label. As the story goes, Combs allegedly stormed into Burrowes’ office brandishing a baseball bat and commanded his partner to give away his shares under the threat of violence. Burrowes says he received no financial compensation for giving up his shares. He claims that he has been blackballed from the industry ever since. The 2003 suit was ultimately dismissed, and Burrowes’ name was subsequently purged from Bad Boy’s charter. This effectively erased him from the known history of the label.
Is Bad Boy Records still in business?
Today, Bad Boy Records is still a functioning record label. Many of the label’s contracts are currently in limbo, due to the state of Combs ongoing legal battles. Combs is still the owner of the company, though he is unable to oversee business operations. In 2023, he began taking efforts to return many of the master publishing rights held by the label to his artists and their families.
Who is signed under Bad Boy?
The modern day roster of Bad Boy Records is quite thin compared to what it once was. During their heyday, Bad Boy held contracts with big name artists, including The Notorious B.I.G., Shyne, Dirty Money, Faith Evans, The LOX, Pitbull, Machine Gun Kelly and more. In 2025, the only music acts still signed exclusively under the Bad Boy Records umbrella are Janelle Monáe, King Combs, Quincy, and Combs.
By contrast, Death Row Records, once owned by the rapper’s rival Suge Knight, was purchased and revamped by Snoop Dogg in 2022. While neither label boasts the genre-defining talent they once held, Death Row currently holds contracts with notable names, such as Merkules, October London, D Smoke, Tha Dogg Pound and The Eastsidaz.
What is Kirk Burrowes’ net worth?
Unfortunately, there is very little information available to the public regarding Burrowes’ net worth. Despite being present during the height of Bad Boy Records’ popularity, Burrowes claims to have been penniless. During an interview segment of The Reckoning, Burrowes explained that he was “basically blacklisted and banned” from the music industry.
Despite his years of hardship, Burrowes plans to continue his life’s work in the entertainment industry. In 2018, he launched an independent TV and film network, known as Pop Life Entertainment. If things continue to trend upward for the business, the executive may develop a larger net worth.
“I’m back, stronger than ever, with incredible stories to tell and the infrastructure to make them real,” he said during a recent discussion with Netflix’s Tudum. “It is my opportunity to finally speak my truth. Guided and empowered by my Lord and Savior, I remain steadfast. The battle is not over, but neither am I.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sold more records, Death Row or Bad Boy?
Sales records suggest that Bad Boy significantly outsold Death Row Records during the height of the beef. During the peak of Death Row’s popularity, the label reported sales of roughly 150 million units, while Bad Boy sold over 400 million units.
How much money does Sean Combs have left?
At one point in time, Combs was considered among the wealthiest moguls in the music industry. He boasted a net worth of over $1 billion, as verified by Forbes. Today, it is estimated that Combs has burned through a majority of his wealth even though he remains exceptionally wealthy. According to a December 2024 report in Fortune, he is estimated to have a net worth of under $300 million today.