“The D the I the D the D the Y the D the I the D, it’s Diddy (Hold up) it’s Diddy (That shit’s crazy).” This is the chorus of the hit self-titled song Diddy performed by Puffy, aka Puff Daddy, aka P.Diddy, aka Diddy, aka Sean Jean Combs, aka Sean “Love” Combs, and Pharrell. Whatever you want to call him you can’t deny he has created hits, his musical legacy is set in stone but what about the other parts?
As a society, we have to grapple with whether we can separate the art from the artist or should we? Art is something that we need, all forms of art. Music is one of those universal mediums that everyone can enjoy no matter who you are. It has the power to change your mood, it can take you back to a time and place that you hold so dearly in your heart. It can make you feel like a kid again.
The song Diddy was released in 2001, during that time a lot of his music was in heavy rotation, he made music for the generation. Not only was he a larger-than-life presence, but you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing him somewhere especially if you lived in NY. I was glued to MTV/BET in my youth and Diddy basically ran the channels. He was always on whether it was with new artists or a spring break (bling) party, which I, to this day am still upset that I wasn’t old enough to attend.
Diddy was a prominent celebrity with massive cross-over appeal. Everyone knew who he was in the early 2000s, he wasn’t just a “producer-rapper” he was a household name, or names. But there were two things that I always wondered, why did he keep changing his name, and why in the song Diddy does the chorus spell out Diddy did? Is it because Diddy did it or Diddy did it again? As in… create another hit song or something else.
Put on a tin foil hat with me for a second, many people assume that artists use hidden messages in their music. Some artists like Taylor Swift, actually play into their fans wanting to “dive-deeper” into their music. I know we’ve all heard the rumors and allegations surrounding Diddy, but they all just kind of seemed like just that, rumors. Although, as more people start to come forward and press charges against Diddy those rumors and allegations are starting to look more like an open secret. Comparable to R.Kelly or Harvey Weinstein, as in people in the know, know, but they’ve been sworn to secrecy and have been threatened with lawsuits and being blackballed from the industry.
His image is one of a fun-loving music producer with an ear of gold. He knows what goes into making a song a hit. He knows how to get you out of your seat, and most of all he knows how to throw a party. Call it charisma or “rizz” as the kids are saying now but he has an aura that pulls you in. And when the cameras are on, he knows how to put on a show, when ever you’re watching a Diddy party via a screen the feeling of FOMO is undeniable. He throws those “had to be there” type parties where allegedly anything goes. From the legendary summertime all-white parties to his infamous birthday parties, Diddy knows how to have a good time…maybe too good of a time.
That leads us to former Bad Boy associates who have attended such events, spilling some of the beans. It’s no secret that alcohol and drugs play a big part in the music game and tend to be free-flowing at these types of parties. Recently Cassie Ventura sued Diddy about these events among other things that she was forced to take part in. Diddy of course denied the allegations but quickly settled with Cassie for an undisclosed amount of money.
Cassie who dated Diddy for about 10 years was in the fold, she saw what was behind the curtain behind the curtain. For years we’ve heard the stories, like the “real” reason Ma$e stepped away from the satanic music industry to find God. Allegedly he was at one of these parties and opened up the wrong door and apparently what he witnessed was too much for the the multi-platinum recording artist. Money and Fame are tempting things, especially when you don’t have them. And when you get around a presence like Diddy who knows how to handle it all and then some, it can be very intimidating.
I don’t blame the victims for giving in to what they thought was the way the industry works and trying to appease a boss who can make or break your career even before it starts. The downside of fame and fortune is the fame never really goes away. The money can dry up, but the notoriety will never disappear. I don’t know what happens next for the Harlem-born mega-producer, only time will tell. Although I don’t think we’ve seen the last of people coming forward with their stories about Diddy.
So did Diddy do it? According to the song… Diddy did.
NOTE: Diddy has released a statement via his social media.
