P Diddy Timeline From Media Mogul to Disgraced Celeb

P. Diddy Timeline: From Media Moguel to Disgraced Celeb

Sean “Diddy” Combs is one of the richest and most influential figures in music. He’s a multi-media mogul, with endless connections in the entertainment industry. But, in 2024, his story took a much darker turn. Combs became embroiled in scandal as multiple allegations of historic sex offenses were leveled against him. He was arrested and charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution. So, how did he get to this point?

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re taking a closer look at the timeline of Sean “Diddy” Combs, charting his 1990s rise to his 2020s disgrace.

Combs was born in Harlem, in 1969. His mother was a teaching assistant, his father was in the US Air Force. His father also had ties to a notorious New York drug lord however, Frank Lucas, and was shot dead in 1972, when Combs was two years old. From there, Combs moved through school and attended Howard University, where he majored in business, but eventually dropped out to pursue a career in music. In 2014, he returned to Howard to receive an honorary degree and to deliver that year’s commencement address. That degree was revoked, though, in 2024.

In 1990, Combs gained an internship at Uptown Records, and quickly rose within the label. It was around this time that his reputation for hosting huge parties also emerged. In 1991, a charity fundraiser organized by Combs attracted almost double capacity for the venue, which resulted in a terrifying crush and what came to be known as the City College stampede - where nine people were killed.

In 1993, Combs was fired from Uptown, but started his own label, Bad Boy Records. He signed the then-unknown rapper, Christopher Wallace, The Notorious B.I.G., who would soon become one of the most iconic figures in hip-hop history. And Combs garnered significantly more fame, as a result. He soon adopted the first iteration of his stage name, Puff Daddy, and in 1996 began recording for his own rap debut. His first single, “Can't Nobody Hold Me Down”, came in January 1997. But then, in March, Biggie Smalls was infamously shot and killed. Combs released his second single, “I’ll Be Missing You” with Faith Evans, in May… and his debut album, “No Way Out”, in July.

Biggie’s murder undoubtedly shook the hip-hop community. It also impacted Combs' career, leading him to mainstream success. He won the first of his three Grammys in 1998, with the other coming six years later, in 2004. It was also around his time, however, that the first widely reported controversies and legal issues involving Combs came to light. In 1999, he was charged with assault against Steve Stoute, a record executive who he attacked with a champagne bottle. It was reportedly in response to a crucifixion scene that Combs didn’t approve of, in the music video for a song he worked on with Nas. At the time, as part of his punishment, he was ordered to attend an anger management class.

Later that year, in December 1999, Combs made headlines following gunshots at a club. He, Jennifer Lopez and a then-up-and-coming Belizean rapper, Shyne, are said to have been involved in an argument with others at the venue, when weapons were fired. Combs was arrested and charged with weapons offenses, as well as with trying to bribe his driver to take the heat. He was eventually found not guilty, while Shyne was sentenced to ten years in prison. Today, years after serving his time, Shyne is a prominent politician in Belize.

Combs moved into the 21st century with another name change in 2001, from Puff Daddy to P Diddy. And he became more than just a music mogul. His fashion brand, Sean John, picked up a slew of awards in the early 2000s, despite various controversies - including reports of unfair and illegal working conditions for employees, as well as the discovery that some Sean John clothing was made using genuine racoon dog fur.

He started acting, too, including with roles in “Monster’s Ball” (in 2001), “Get Him to the Greek” (in 2010), and “Girls Trip” (in 2017). From 2007 to 2023, Combs was the face of the French vodka brand, Cîroc. In 2013, he co-founded the TV network Revolt. In 2015, he partnered with the actor Mark Wahlberg to buy a majority stake in a sports drinks company. Notably, after three solo records in four years at the turn of the century, his only other solo studio album throughout this time came in 2006, with “Press Play” - which includes a long list of high-profile featured artists, including Nicole Scherzinger, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green and Jamie Foxx.

Combs’ business empire grew and grew but, in the background, his reputation was being shaped by other events. In 2001, the TV host Roger Mills sued Combs, alleging that he (Mills) had been assaulted by Combs’ entourage (on Combs’ orders) after an interview question about the death of Biggie Smalls. In 2003, Combs’ former partner, Kirk Burrowes, also sued him, alleging that he had threatened violence if Burrowes didn’t sign over shares in Bad Boy Records.

In 2008, Combs settled out of court following yet more allegations that he had punched a man, pushed a woman and spat on another woman, shortly following an Oscars after-party in LA, in 2007. In amongst the growing number of unsavory stories, Combs facilitated another name change in 2005 - this time from P Diddy to Diddy. But that also brought some controversy, when it was legally ruled that he couldn’t use his new moniker in the UK, due to it already belonging to an English DJ.

In 2015, Combs was arrested after fighting his son’s football coach, and allegedly threatening him with a kettlebell - although the charges were ultimately dropped. In 2017, Combs’ former personal chef, Cindy Rueda, sued him over the long hours and unfair conditions that she was made to work in. Rueda’s lawsuit also alleged continued sexual harassment, carried out by Combs and his manager at the time. In 2019, Combs’ former girlfriend, Gina Huynh, alleged (via YouTube) that he had before tried to pay her to have an abortion, and that he had in the past hit her and stomped on her stomach.

Despite all of the above, it appeared in 2023 that Combs was making a return to music, with the release of his fifth studio album, “The Love Album: Off the Grid”. It again included a lot of well known featured artists - such as John Legend, Justin Bieber and the Weeknd - but it didn’t achieve comparable critical or commercial success. Combs was named that year’s Global Icon at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, though. Just weeks afterwards, and the lawsuits that have now come to define his legacy started to come in.

In November 2023, Cassie Ventura, better known as Cassie, filed against Combs, with a long list of allegations. She had been in a long-term relationship with Combs, from around 2007 to 2018. In the lawsuit, she accused him of continued, serious sexual assault, sex trafficking, physical abuse, and of forcing her to be intimate with male prostitutes. Cassie further accused Combs of weapons-related crimes, uncontrollable rage, and of blowing up the rapper Kid Cudi’s car in 2012, at a time when she was dating him. Later, in the same week of November 2023, two further claimants came forward against Combs, also alleging that he had sexually assaulted them, and had subjected them to (and blackmailed them with) revenge porn. In December 2023, a fourth lawsuit was filed in New York, again for sexual offenses.

In February 2024, the producer Rodney Jones filed against Combs, claiming that he had been forced by Combs to arrange and engage with prostitutes, while he watched. In March 2024, multiple properties owned by Combs were raided by the police and authorities, with various items - including computers - reportedly seized. In April 2024, Combs’ son, Christian, was named alongside his father, in another lawsuit citing sexual assault, as well as claims that Combs had tried to cover it up by offering to pay the victim. In May 2024, CCTV footage was released by CNN, clearly showing Combs kicking and beating Cassie in a hotel corridor and lobby.

In the following weeks and months, the claims against Combs continued to mount until in New York, on September 16th 2024, he was arrested and charged. The next day, Combs pled not guilty to all charges against him. According to reports, he attempted to negotiate a $50 million bail, but it was denied. The judge was said to be concerned that Combs, if he were granted bail, would seek to threaten and intimidate witnesses.

Combs has long been linked to controversy, but the true scale of his alleged crimes is only now coming into light. His timeline has taken him from those early days as hip hop’s next big thing… to the emerging truth that his story and lifestyle appears really to be one of the darkest and most disturbing in music history.