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Puff Daddy music biography continued...

1969 in Harlem, New York, Combs dropped out of Howard University to become a record company executive and never looked back. He rapped on record as Puff Daddy as early as Supercat's 1993 "Dolly My Baby" with The Notorious Big. Combs' performance career in the international spotlight as "Puff Daddy" began in 1997, releasing "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", followed by "I'll Be Missing You". Both singles were successful, though "I'll Be Missing You" was written by Marvin L. Blair (a tribute to B.I.G. with guests Faith Evans and 112), and was heavily criticized for sampling The Police's "Every Breath You Take" and adding little. Combs, plus various labelmates known as the Family, released 'No Way Out', an LP, in 1997. The album also produced the hit singles "It's All About The Benjamins," which featured Lil Kim, The Lox and The Notorious B.I.G. and had a popular rock remix, which was worked on by Rob Zombie and the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, among others; and "Been Around The World," a song that featured Combs' labelmate, Mase, and the late Notorious B.I.G., and was probably best remembered for having sampled David Bowie's "Let's Dance" and Lisa Stansfield's "All Around The World". The song's video starred many celebrities, such as Wyclef Jean, Quincy Jones, and Combs' future love interest, Jennifer Lopez. "I'll Be Missing You" won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, while 'No Way Out' won Best Rap Album, proving that Combs the performer could equal Combs the promoter.



By the late 1990s Combs was receiving criticism for watering down and overly commercializing hip-hop for a mainstream market and as overusing guest appearances by other artists as well as samples of past hits for the majority of his own hit songs. He continued to record, however, and released Forever in 1999, followed by the Saga Continues in 2001). Five years later, Combs, who had changed his stage name to Diddy, came out with Press Play, creating a sound that critics described as "New Wave-meets-Hip-hop, sexy electro-pop with a urban street beat." At the same time, Combs added fragrance producer, Broadway actor and television executive to his resume. "I've achieved a great deal of success, but music is my passion," Combs has said. Fans couldn't be happier.