Sean Combs becomes Puff Daddy again

March 29, 2014 by Jesusegun Alagbe

   

 

After nearly 10 years of name changes, the rap mogul returns to the alias under which he became famous.

After ‘Puffying’ and ‘Diddying’ for almost a decade, Sean Combs is once again Puff Daddy. Teasing the lead single for his new album, the rapper revealed that he is changing back to the alias with which he first became famous.

The announcement came quietly, via a short trailer for Big Homie, Combs’ upcoming track with Rick Ross and French Montana. The video offered more contemplative piano music than actual rap, leaving the real revelation to the title cards.

Thirteen years after declaring “No more Puff Daddy,” the mogul of Bad Boy Records is back where he started.

“For the record, I did not change my name,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “I always have been and always will be PUFF DADDY!”

Combs has released two solo albums as Puff Daddy, one as P Diddy, and two as Diddy. The latest, 2010’s Last Train to Paris, was by far the least successful of the rapper’s career. It peaked at No. 7 on the United States Billboard chart, and No. 24 in the United Kingdom.

Puff Daddy’s fifth studio album, MMM, is due this year.

Sean Combs, the richest hip hop artiste

Not only is Diddy ahead of other hip hop artistes on the rich list chart, he is also officially the first rapper in history to crack the $600m (N96bn) net worth mark. Diddy’s net worth increased by $70m (N11.2bn) last year alone, thanks in large part to his 8-figure endorsement deal with Ciroc Vodka.

He also continues to benefit from his long-established fashion and media empire. Diddy actually owns a significant piece of equity in Ciroc, which was recently valued at $1bn (N160bn). If Ciroc is sold today, Diddy would reportedly earn $150m (N24bn). But it doesn’t stop at vodka. Recently, it was revealed that Diddy and a group of investors bid $200m (N32bn) to purchase Fuse TV from the Madison Square Garden Company.

Diddy wants to combine Fuse TV with a cable channel he already owns called, Revolt TV. The combined new network would be a home for music, news, interviews and live music.

Profile

Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, Diddy, and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. Combs was born in Harlem but grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding Bad Boy Records in 1993.

He signed the ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ and profited from the success of the artists he signed. He released his debut album No Way Out in 1997, which has been certified seven times platinum and was followed by other successful albums such as Forever (1999), The Saga Continues… (2001) and Press Play (2006). In 2009, Combs formed the musical group Diddy – Dirty Money and released the critically well-reviewed and commercially-successful album Last Train to Paris (2009).

Combs has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and is the producer of MTV’s Making the Band.

His non-music business ventures include the clothing lines Sean John and Sean by Sean Combs, a movie production company, and two restaurants.

In 2013 Forbes estimated Combs’ net worth at $580m (about N93bn), making him the richest figure in hip hop.

He is also a perfume designer, creating a brand called “I Am King” under the Sean John line. The perfume is a fragrance for men, with Combs dedicating it to Muhammad Ali, Barack Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Combs also has an impressive collection of vehicles.

Diddy has a silver version of a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder supercar. He gave his old white Gallardo Spyder to pop sensation, Justin Bieber, as a gift for the latter’s 16th birthday in 2010. The car costs $300,000 (N51m).

He also owns a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, which is a handmade convertible that is manufactured in the United Kingdom. While it is based on the platform of the 2003 Rolls Royce Phantom, its styling can be traced to that of the 100EX, a concept car that the company developed in 2004 to celebrate its 100th year. The two-door luxury vehicle can comfortably seat up to four passengers. It has a 6,749 cc, V12 engine and six-speed automatic transmission. It uses the iDrive system that was developed by BMW, its parent firm. The iconic Rolls Royce ornament on the hood, called the Spirit of Ecstasy, can be retracted whenever the driver chooses or whenever the car is locked. It has backward opening coach doors. It is the most expensive Rolls Royce currently in the market. Diddy has a white-coloured version of this that he uses regularly. The car costs $440,000 (N74.8m).

He owns estates

Diddy is reportedly looking at a Beverly Hills mansion, but wants to know if he’ll be able to throw parties in it before he buys it.

The I’ll Be Missing You star is supposedly keen on the $12m (about N2bn) house that spans 11,200 sq. ft. The secluded mansion is situated in the gated Beverly Ridge area, a wealthy community that will give Diddy privacy.

The home was custom built by American Football star, Keyshawn Johnson, in 2003, before being sold to Paris Latsis, the former fiancé of hotel heiress, Paris Hilton.

Reality TV star, Kim Kardashian, was also interested in buying the pad when it went on the market last year, before she reportedly bought an $11m place in Bel Air.

But before he signs on the dotted line, Diddy apparently wants to make sure the community gives him the green light to host gatherings and hang-outs for his many friends.

While Diddy continues the hunt for his perfect house, his current 66th-floor New York apartment has been put up for sale at $7.9m (about N1.2bn).

The city pad boasts a piano room, a living room with a built in 90-inch flat screen TV, plus views of the Central Park.

Combs also owns a $14.5m (about N2.3bn) home that he bought in November 2003. The house was previously owned by famed music industry mogul, Tommy Mottolla.

This guy has a mega yatch

Sean Comb owns a yacht named “The Majraya”. He loves his yacht due to its excellent infrastructure, which includes a top-deck party floor with bar, stage and projector screen.

Amenities that add to the luxury feel of the yacht is mainly its living area that features creamy leather sofas complemented with pillows. It also offers a private quarter behind the sliding doors. It requires approximately 10-member staff to maintain the ship.

The yatch costs a whopping $65m (N1.1bn). The money is a ‘chicken change’ to Puff Daddy. After all, he is the richest hip hop artiste.

Sources: theguardian.com, en.wikipedia.org, celebritynetworth.com, belfasttelegraph.co.uk