NEW YORK – Once hip hop’s flashy impresario credited with commercialising the genre, Sean “Diddy” Combs has seen his star plunge as federal authorities raid his homes amid sex trafficking accusations and assault lawsuits.
The artist, who’s gone by various monikers including Puff Daddy and P Diddy, was widely credited as key to hip hop’s journey from the streets to the bottle-service club.But despite his efforts to cultivate an image of a smooth party kingpin and business magnate, multiple lawsuits describe Combs as a violent man who used his celebrity to prey on his victims.
The pair met when Ventura was 19 and he was 37, after which he signed her to his label and they began a romantic relationship. His disciple The Notorious B.I.G. became hip hop’s king following the release of his landmark debut album “Ready to Die” in 1994, up until his shock murder in 1997. The single “I’ll Be Missing You” was a tribute to Biggie and an instant hit, with other major tracks including “It’s All About The Benjamins” and “Been Around the World.”