Sean John Combs, professionally known by various stage names including Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, and Diddy, was born on November 4, 1969, in Harlem, New York City. He later grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. His father, Melvin Combs, died from gun violence when Sean was still a child. His mother, Janice Combs, worked as a teacher's assistant and also pursued modeling. During his teenage years, Combs became a father, having a son with his high school girlfriend.
Combs graduated from Mount Saint Michael Academy in New York City in 1987. He enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., but left after two years to focus on his career in the music industry. Despite leaving before graduation, he later received an honorary doctorate from Howard in 2014 in recognition of his contributions to music and business.
Sean Combs's music career is both prolific and influential. His debut album, No Way Out (1997), released under the name Puff Daddy, achieved major commercial success. The album produced five singles, including the tribute track "I'll Be Missing You," dedicated to his friend and collaborator, The Notorious B.I.G., who was tragically killed on March 9, 1997. The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained in the top spot for eleven consecutive weeks, a groundbreaking achievement for a rap single at the time.
No Way Out earned Combs five Grammy Award nominations and secured him the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. The album has sold over seven million copies worldwide. Over the years, Combs has won three Grammy Awards and remains a highly respected figure in the hip-hop industry.
In 2001, Combs officially changed his stage name from Puff Daddy to P. Diddy. That same year, he expanded into acting, appearing in two feature films: Made and Monster’s Ball. In the latter, he starred opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry, further demonstrating his versatility as an entertainer.
Combs has also made significant contributions as a music producer. In 2010, he formed a rap collective that allowed him to collaborate with and develop prominent artists such as Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Red Café, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, and DJ Khaled. This further solidified his influence on hip-hop culture and talent development.
As a businessman, Combs launched his clothing line, Sean John, in 1998. The brand quickly gained acclaim, earning a nomination for the Council of Fashion Designers of America's (CFDA) Menswear Designer of the Year Award in 2000 and winning the award in 2004.
In 2008, he expanded his brand portfolio by releasing a men's fragrance, dedicating it to inspirational figures such as Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr., and Muhammad Ali. That same year, he acquired the clothing line Enyce from Liz Claiborne for $20 million.
Combs also holds equity in a variety of ventures including Aquahydrate, a calorie-free fitness beverage, and Revolt TV, a television network focused on music, news, and pop culture. Through these ventures, he has built a robust entertainment and business empire.
| Net Worth 2021: | 900 million |
