Before Sean “Diddy” Combs was embroiled in his widely publicized legal woes, he was regarded as one of the most successful music and media moguls. Born on November 4, 1969, in Harlem, Diddy rose to fame in the early 1990s, thanks to his eye for talent. He was the mastermind behind bringing acts such as The Notorious B.I.G. to the forefront thanks to his Bad Boy Records. 

While Diddy has long been regarded as a billionaire, as of March 2025, Celebrity Net Worth listed his net worth at $400 million. That could be partially due to the many deals and business relationships he lost due to the sex trafficking allegations against him. Nevertheless, for those unfamiliar with the mogul and asking themselves who is Diddy, the answer is multifaceted. 

Diddy Excelled After Tragedy

Born to parents Janice and Melvin Combs, Diddy was just three years old when his father was tragically gunned down in 1972. The military veteran was rumored to have been entangled in New York City’s drug trade, which has long been reported to have contributed to his death. Diddy previously stated that Janice told him the death was due to a car accident. However, during a 2006 interview with Oprah Winfrey, he shared that he began to unravel the truth about his father’s demise as he got older. 

“I put two and two together. I noticed that guys from the streets in Harlem always seemed to know my family’s last name. ‘I used to run with your father,’ they’d tell me. All my uncles were street hustlers as well,” he stated. 

Janice worked as a teacher assistant to support Diddy and his sister Keisha. She enrolled him in the Mount Saint Michael Academy. It was here that Diddy excelled in football, though his passion was always the music industry. He briefly attended Howard University from 1987 to 1989 as a business major but dropped out to pursue music. 

He Began as An Intern

Diddy’s career began humbly as an intern at Uptown Records in 1990. He worked closely with Andre Harrell, the founder of the label, who acted as a mentor for Diddy. Due to his work ethic and eagerness to learn, he climbed the ranks, landing as a talent director and a key executive. During this time, he played a pivotal role in helping develop the careers of Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. Unfortunately, he was fired from the label in 1993. While the reasons vary, some have attributed the split from Uptown to Diddy’s poor attitude. 

This led him to establish Bad Boy Records that same year. He brought along his first and arguably his biggest act, The Notorious B.I.G., a fellow New Yorker who also went by Biggie Smalls. In just a short time, Biggie became one of the most influential rappers of the 1990s. His debut album, Ready to Die, was released in 1994. The album arguably put the entire label on the map thanks to Biggie’s hits such as Juicy, One More Chance, and Big Poppa, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard 200. 

With his in-house production, Diddy went on to sign more acts including Mase, the Lox, Mary J. Blige, and Total, all of which received gold and platinum plaques. They also worked closely with other blockbusters such as Usher, Mariah Carey, and more. 

Diddy’s Solo Music Was Also a Success

While he had a love for discovering talent, Diddy also had his own ambitions as an artist. Using his original moniker Puff Daddy, Diddy unveiled his own album and released his first single, Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down, in December 1996. The hit record remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 28 weeks, peaking at number one. 

Sadly, before he could unveil his solo album, Diddy’s brightest star Biggie was gunned down in March 1997. His death has long been attributed to Bad Boy’s feud with Death Row Records, which housed Biggie’s rival, Tupac Shakur, who was also murdered in September 1996. This caused Diddy to briefly push his own album back, eventually releasing No Way Out in July 1997, selling over 500,000 copies in his first week. The album featured the heartfelt tribute, I’ll Be Missing You, dedicated to his friend and signee. The single featured 112, as well as Biggie’s widow, Faith Evans. The tribute won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

In August 1999, Diddy continued his own run with his follow-up album, Forever. While it did reach platinum status, the album sold a little over 2000,000 units in its first week, a steep dip from his debut album. However, legal woes soon followed, with the mogul finding himself living up to his “Bad Boy” persona. 

Diddy’s Controversial Arrest Forced a Rebrand

In December 1999, Diddy his former girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, and his signee Shyne found themselves at the center of a violent nightclub incident. While inside Club New York in Times Square, a shooting broke out inside after an argument between Diddy and a patron. Ultimately, all three were arrested for weapons and other charges. In the end, Diddy was found not guilty, despite a woman claiming he fired the bullets that struck her. Throughout the years, Shyne has maintained that he took the blame for Diddy, also claiming it was his former boss who shot the woman. The label head also paid a multimillion-dollar settlement in the case. 

Following the case, Diddy rebranded himself, dropping Puff Daddy for good and going by P. Diddy. This allowed him to tap into his television endeavors, with his widely popular Making the Band series. The first version of the show was unveiled in 2000, showcasing the group O-Town. While the hitmaker was not involved with the initial production, he oversaw seasons two and three. Season two premiered in 2002, with Diddy founding the rap group, Da Band. The troupe, which was showcased through season three, consisted of Sara Rivers, Dylan Dilinjah, Chopper “Young City,”  Babs, E. Ness, and Freddy P, who beat out thousands of competitors to join the label. Their first album, Too Hot for TV, was released in September 2003, which was certified gold. 

Diddy came back with another iteration of the show known as Making the Band 3 and Making the Band 4, which showcased the formation of Danity Kane and Day 26. Danity Kane consisted of Aubrey O’Day, Dawn Richard, Shannon Bex, Wanita “D. Woods” Woodgett, and Aundrea Fimbres. Their self-titled debut album was unveiled in August 2006 and was certified platinum spawning two hit singles, Show Stopper and Ride for You. They released their second album, Welcome to the Dollhouse, in 2008, also achieving commercial success before the group was disbanded in 2009. 

Day 26, which was considered a male version of Danity Kane, was made up of Brian Andrews, Michael McCluney, Qwanell Mosley, Robert Curry, and Willie Taylor. Like their fellow Making the Band alum, their self-titled debut landed at number one on the Billboard 200. Sadly, this was Diddy’s third music group from the show to split up. 

His Empire Also Includes Clothing, Liquor, and a Media Company

In addition to topping the carts, Diddy proved himself as a force to be reckoned with in the business world. While he was growing his Bad Boy roster, Diddy was also growing his clothing brand, Sean John. He inked an exclusive partnership with Macy’s, which carried the line from 2010 to 2023. As of 2016, Sean John was earning annual retail sales of $450 million, making it one of the most urbanwear lines. 

Diddy didn’t stop there. In 2007. He partnered with liquor company Diageo to push the Ciroc line. He promoted and became co-owner of the vodka brand, which was available in multiple flavors. In 2013, he turned his attention to a tequila branch, DeLeón. Unfortunately, he called out Diageo for failing to properly promote both Ciroc and DeLeón. This led to Diddy selling his stake in the latter in 2024 for a reported $200 million. Unfortunately for him, it was this year that more of his legal troubles began to pile on.

He launched Revolt in 2013, a media company that offered a wide variety of original programs. The TV network was home to podcasts such as Drink Champs. The network also kicked off Revolt World, an interactive three-day summit in Atlanta that included workshops, panels, performances and more. 

In late 2023, Diddy’s longtime ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, known widely as the singer Cassie. She accused him in a lawsuit of forcing her to participate in large-scale sexual performances with other men. In her claim, she famously coined these instances “freak-offs.” Additionally, she accused him of being physically abusive. Diddy settled with her just one day later, though he denied any wrongdoing. 

This seemingly opened the floodgates, with countless lawsuits filing in, many accusing Diddy of shocking sexual abuse. The allegations were raised by both men and women, some of whom worked with Diddy. Producer Lil Rod filed a suit in February 2024, claiming he was groped by the father of seven and witnessed several of his associates also assault others. In September of that year, things took a turn when the investigation into the many allegations led to Diddy being arrested. He was officially charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty ahead of his May 2025 trial. Despite such an apparent fall from grace, many still support the 55-year-old. 

How Did Diddy Get so Rich?

Diddy’s path to wealth started with music. However, his many ventures from clothing to media contributed greatly to his massive net worth. Producing and writing for other artists has also helped the entertainer become one of hip-hop’s wealthiest figures. 

Several of Diddy’s former acts have accused him of withholding much of their earnings. Mase, Mark Curry, Danity Kane, and Da Band members are just a few to accuse him of failing to pay them. Such practices may have contributed to his wealth at the expense of his artists. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Was P. Diddy married to Jennifer Lopez?

Diddy and Jennifer Lopez never married. They dated from 1999 to 2001. He also had a relationship with model Kim Porter on and off from the 1990s until it ended for good in 2007. Though they never wed, they share four children together.

How did Kim Porter pass away?

Porter passed away suddenly in November 2018. While suspicions about her death continue to linger, an autopsy ruled that she died of lobar pneumonia. She was reportedly experiencing flu-like symptoms shortly before her death.