Whether as Puff Daddy, Diddy, or Brother Love, Sean John Combs’ impact on the music business transcends generations — let’s take a closer look at his biggest moments.
The relentless Sean Combs has quite possibly lived more lives than a cat, evolving over the three decades from Puff Daddy to P. Diddy to Diddy to simply “Love.” No matter the moniker, however, there’s no disputing his impact from the moment he stepped on the scene.
As the founder of Bad Boy Records, Sean John apparel, and Combs Enterprises, the “Mo Money Mo Problems” rapper/producer has dipped his toes in every pool, from spirits and libations to fashion and music, while successfully keeping himself not just afloat, but a fixture.
On Sept. 12, Combs was honored with the Global Icon Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at New Jersey’s Prudential Center. According to MTV, the Global Icon Award — which has also been awarded to such artists as Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers — “celebrates an artist or band whose unparalleled career and continued influence have achieved a unique level of global success in music and beyond.”
With this marking his first VMAs performance since 2005, Diddy reminded us just how he has remained one of the premier artists, producers, and label executives in the game across multiple musical generations.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
In addition to his own music from millennial chart-toppers “Must Be Love” with Cassie Ventura and “Last Night” with Keyshia Cole dating back to the original “I Need a Girl” release featuring Usher and Loon, Diddy has given the world the gift of some of R&B and hip-hop’s greatest talents to date including The Lox, Mary J. Blige, 112, Faith Evans, Total, and The Notorious BIG.
Now, it’s time for Combs to reclaim his throne as a solo artist.
In celebration of the impresario’s latest album release The Love Album: Off the Grid, Boardroom gathered some of the need-to-know facts about the Grammy award-winning New York native in the music industry — let’s talk best-selling Diddy albums and singles to date, and stay tuned for an overview of the new LP.
Diddy’s Best-selling Single: “I’ll Be Missing You” (1997, 3x Platinum)
Diddy albums and singles sales data based on RIAA Gold and Platinum certification.
In collaboration with Faith Evans and featuring Bad Boy R&B group 112, “I’ll Be Missing You” earned triple-Platinum certification from the RIAA as of July 1997 just two months after the single’s release by shipping three million certified units. “I’ll Be Missing You” was created in memory of Bad Boy Records superstar and Evans’ late husband, The Notorious BIG, who was fatally shot in March of the same year.
At the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998, the song won Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group.
Other Best-selling Diddy Singles:
- “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” (1997): 2x Platinum
- “Coming Home” (2010): 2x Platinum
- “Been Around The World” (1997): Platinum
- “Come With Me” feat. Jimmy Page (1999): Platinum
- “Hello Good Morning” (2010): Gold (500,000 certified units)
- “Satisfy You” (1999): Gold
- “Victory” (1998): Gold
Diddy’s Best-selling Album: No Way Out (1997, 7x Platinum)
As the debut studio album under the Puff Daddy & The Family moniker, the No Way Out album went on to reach 7x Platinum as of September 2000 and remains his best-selling album to date. The beloved LP was followed by Forever (1999), The Saga Continues (2001), and Press Play (2006) — the first and third of which went on to achieve legitimate commercial success in their own right, but none threatened the pedestal upon which the undisputed No. 1 entry on the list of best-selling Diddy albums still stands today.
Alongside “The Family” — referring to the numerous features throughout the album — No Way Out boasts appearances from big names like Busta Rhymes, Lil’ Kim, Jay-Z, Mase, Twista, and Foxy Brown. It was awarded Best Rap Album at the 40th Grammy Awards.
Other Best-selling Diddy Albums:
- Forever (1999): Platinum
- We Invented the Remix (2002): Platinum
- Press Play (2006): Gold
The Love Album: Everything We Know About the New LP
Seeing as this will be his first solo album release in 17 years, you can bet that Combs’ impressive fan base is nothing less than eager and excited for what he has in store. Leading up to the release of the album, he has released collaborations including “Gotta Move On” with Bryson Tiller (and the official Queens Remix assisted by Yung Miami and Ashanti) and “Creepin’,” produced by Metro Boomin’ and featuring vocals by The Weeknd.
Taking a step outside Bad Boy, the album will be released under Love Records in collaboration with Motown Records on Friday, Sept. 15; the one-album record deal with Motown was first revealed in 2022.
The Love Album is slated to include 23 tracks featuring artists like The-Dream, Swae Lee, Justin Bieber, 21 Savage, French Montana, Jazmine Sullivan, Burna Boy, Babyface, John Legend, H.E.R., Teyana Taylor, and a special reunion from Dirty Money, a.k.a. Dawn Richard and Kaleena.
Read More:
