The ascendance and downfall of Sean 'Diddy' Combs chronology
Rewritten Article:
Dive into the intriguing life of Sean "Diddy" Combs, a business mogul who's been at the heart of hip-hop for over two decades. From his humble beginnings to his broader empire, this guy spun his hitmaking skills into a label, fashion brand, TV network, dealings with liquor companies, and a spot on a reality TV show.
But a darker side has emerged, with US prosecutors claiming that behind the scenes, Combs allegedly manipulated and abused women with the help of a network of associates. They claim these accomplices helped hush victims through blackmail and violence.
Combs maintains his innocence, pleading not guilty and denying the allegations. As jury selection for his trial gears up on May 5, let's revisit the highlights of his rise and fall.
1990: Fresh off his stint as a Howard University student, Combs scores an internship at Uptown Records in New York.
1991: A tragedy unfolds at a celebrity basketball game promoted by Combs and the rapper Heavy D. Nine lives are claimed when thousands of fans stampede a gym at City College of New York. A mayoral report points fingers at Combs for poor planning.
1992: Combs earns his stripes as an executive producer on Mary J Blige's debut album, What's the 411?.
1993: Post-firing from Uptown, Combs establishes his own label, Bad Boy, inking a lucrative deal with Arista Records soon after.
1994: Bad Boy drops Notorious BIG's iconic album, Ready to Die. Two months later, Tupac Shakur survives a shooting, alleging Combs and Biggie had advance knowledge of the attack, a claim they both deny. Shakur is later killed in a 1996 shooting in Las Vegas.
1996: Combs finds himself in hot water, convicted of criminal mischief after threatening a photographer with a gun.
1997: The tragedy continues, with Biggie being killed in Los Angeles. In response, Combs, then called Puff Daddy, drops I'll be Missing You, a tribute to his slain star.
1998: Combs racks up two Grammys, one for best rap album for his debut No Way Out and another for best rap performance by a duo or group for I'll Be Missing You with Faith Evans. This year also marks the foundation of Combs' Sean John fashion line.
1999: A series of incidents mar Combs' reputation:
- April 16: A confrontation with Interscope Records music executive Steve Stoute in his New York office results in charges against Combs and his bodyguards in a music video dispute. Combs later completes an anger management course.
- December 27: Combs is arrested on gun possession charges and accused of offering his driver $50,000 to claim ownership of the 9mm handgun discovered in his vehicle. Some witnesses claim Combs was among those shooting in the nightclub.
More recently, Combs has faced a wave of sexual abuse allegations, dating back to the 1990s. As the outcome of his trial draws near, the hip-hop icon stands firm, denying all allegations against him.
In 1991, the entertainment world was tainted with tragedy as a celebrity basketball game promoted by Sean "Diddy" Combs and Heavy D led to the deaths of nine people due to poor planning, according to a mayoral report.
Fast forward to 1996, Combs found himself embroiled in a crime-and-justice story, being convicted of criminal mischief after a confrontation with a photographer.
The general-news headlines in 1999 were not kind to Combs either, with allegations of coercing his bodyguards in a music video dispute and gun possession charges.
As pop-culture icons, celebrities like Combs often find themselves in the center of scandals. In the late '90s, the general-news reports were filled with such controversies involving Combs.
In recent years, the accusations of sexual abuse against Combs in the 1990s have become a part of the broader discussion on crime-and-justice and the treatment of women in the entertainment industry. Despite these allegations, Combs continues to maintain his innocence and stand firm in the face of these accusations.
