Born Sean Combs, Diddy — who has previously gone by Puffy, Puff Daddy and P. Diddy — became one of the most successful producer-entrepreneurs in the history of music.

Combs launched his own label, Bad Boy Entertainment in 1993, and the first artist he went after was Biggie Smalls, setting him the rapper up with opportunities like an appearance on the Who's the Man soundtrack and a collaboration with Mary J. Blige.

Nicknammed Puffy because of his temper and how he would puff his chest out to be intimidating, the rapper began to go by Puff Daddy in 1997, and he released his first album No Way Out under this moniker.

In 1996, the up-and-coming A&R executive moved Bad Boy Entertainment to Arista Records. Other artists who joined Bad Boy's lineup include Faith Evans, 112, Total and, later, Mase and The Lox. Diddy also produced for Lil' Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, SWV, Aretha Franklin and more.

Combs rapped on tracks like Supercat's 1993 "Dolly My Baby" with The Notorious B.I.G. He collaborated on Sauce Money's "I'll Be Missing You" with Faith Evans and 112, and the song won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance. He later worked with artists like David Bowie, Britney Spears and *NSYNC. In 2001 he changed his moniker from P. Diddy to simply Diddy. His relationship with Jennifer Lopez also ended that year.

He and Notorious B.I.G. sparked a public rivalry with Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight of Death Row Records. Rumors tying Diddy and B.I.G. to the 1996 shooting death of Tupac spread after Shakur blamed Puffy and B.I.G. for a previous gunshot attack in 1994. Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down at the Soul Train Awards in March of 1997.

In 2007, the rapper signed a deal to promote Cîroc vodka, and he bought DeLeón tequila with spirits-maker Diageo. In 2023, he accused Diageo of racism, and they soon parted ways. His foray into the spirits industry boosted the celebrity to billionaire status.

Combs and Kim Porter met in 1994 and dated on and off until 2007. Together they had twin girls D'Lila and Jessie and son Christian, but she ended their relationship when she learned he had fathered daughter Chance with Sarah Chapman. The model died in 2018 of pneumonia at the age of 47.

The rapper also dated singer Cassie Ventura for 11 years, and they split in 2018. A video recently surfaced of the rapper abusing Ventura in 2016 after she filed a lawsuit against him which was settled the next day.

The father of seven children has faced multiple other lawsuits, including from his The Love Album: Off the Grid producer. In March 2024, federal agents raided Combs' Los Angeles and Miami properties. He temporarily stepped down as chairman of Revolt TV Network, which he co-founded in 2013 amid the growing number of legal claims against him.