A sixth lawsuit has been filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Today (May 21), New York Times reported that a former model named Crystal McKinney filed a lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of forcing her to perform oral sex on him.
According to the lawsuit, McKinney, who was 22 at the time, first met Diddy in 2003, when an unnamed fashion designer invited her to attend a Men’s Fashion Week event at a restaurant in Manhattan. The suit notes that she had met Diddy that night, and was invited by him to accompany him to his recording studio. McKinney says she was given alcohol and marijuana, and later, says she came to realize it was laced.
The suit claims that Diddy led McKinney into a bathroom, pushed her head down to his crotch, and forced her to perform oral sex on him, despite her refusals. McKinney said she then lost consciousness, and woke up in a cab, realizing she had been sexually assaulted.
This is the sixth lawsuit filed against Diddy in recent time. Last November, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura sued him for sexual abuse, and said suit was settled within 24 hours. Shortly after,Joi Dickerson-Neal and a woman identified as Jane Doe filed two other sexual assault lawsuits against Diddy. The following month, a woman also identifying as Jane Doe accused Diddy of gang-raping her when she was 17 years old. Back in February, Lil Rod accused Diddy of sexual misconduct.
Last week, a video allegedly featuring Diddy physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie in 2016 surfaced online. Diddy has since taken to social media, filming an apology, despite denying allegations of abuse last November, when Cassie first sued him.
Last week, Diddy’s homes were raided by the Department of Homeland Security in a reported sex trafficking investigation stemming from a series of lawsuits against the rapper. As Diddy’s legal troubles mount, his A-list friends are now being placed under the microscope. Ashton Kutcher is reportedly expected to be subpoenaed in the investigation, which has unearthed some comments he’s made over the years about his well-documented friendship with Diddy.
During a 2019 appearance on Hot Ones, host Sean Evans asked Kutcher for some details about “Diddy parties,” which had become a favorite topic on the web series. (The question was also spurred by an Instagram photo of Kutcher partying with Diddy.) While Kutcher’s answer seemed innocuous at the time, it reads differently in light of the allegations against Diddy.
“I’ve got a lot I can’t tell,” Kutcher told Evans while pausing to think of another anecdote, only to quip, “I can’t tell that one either.”
According to The Daily Beast, the two have been close since their early days on MTV:
Combs’ Making the Band was another huge property at MTV at the time and helped foster their friendship, Kutcher and Combs told James Corden in a 2018 joint interview.
“I gave [Kutcher] a call one day and said, ‘I heard that you are going to punk me, and I just don’t think that’s a good idea,’” Combs told Corden, when the host asked how the two met.
“I think it was some version of, ‘If you do that, that will not end well for you, but I think we should work out a deal,’” Kutcher amended.
Kutcher being pulled into the Diddy scandal is also raising eyebrows after his best friend and That ’70s Show co-star Danny Masterson was convicted of rape. Kutcher and wife Mila Kunis wrote letters to the judge asking for leniency that they did not expect to go public. Once the letters were published, Kutcher resigned from the board of the anti-child sex abuse organization he founded with ex-wife Demi Moore.
You can see Kutcher talking (about how he can’t talk) about Diddy parties at the 11:03 mark below:
Following the raid of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami homes this past Monday (March 26), Combs’ team has broken their silence. Today (March 27), Combs’ attorney Aaron Dyer has issued a statement to HipHopDX, maintaining Combs’ innocent.
In the statement, Dyer called the raids “a gross overuse of military-level force” and decried how his children and employees were interrograted and handcuffed.
“This unprecedented ambush – paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence – leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,” said Dyer.
Though Combs himself was not arrested, a man named Brendan Paul who was alleged in a suit to be Combs’ “drug mule,” was taken into custody for possession of marijuana and cocaine. At the time of writing, it is unclear if the arrest was in relation to Combs.
You can read Dyer’s full statement below.
“Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way.
This unprecedented ambush – paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence – leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s net worth finally reached a billion in October 2022. Replacing Kanye West on the Forbes list, the American rapper, actor, producer, and record executive first worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record company, Bad Boy Records, in 1993. At Bad Boy Records, he would sign iconic artists such as Notorious B.I.G, Mase, and more. In addition, he’s released a wide portfolio of multi-platinum albums.
Despite growing up in a violent environment that directly impacted his family, he rose above the circumstances. He developed a keen entrepreneurial spirit at 12 years old when he began working as a vendor for a local newspaper company. Throughout the years, Diddy’s expanded his portfolio to include a number of ventures and investments, including Revolt TV, Ciroc, and more. Below, we broke down exactly how Diddy accumulated a billion-dollar net worth by 2024.
He Got His Start at Uptown Records
NEW YORK, NEW YORK–NOVEMBER 12: Hip-Hop Producer/Executive/Label Head Andre Harrell relaxes in a nightclub VIP area by chatting with Sean “Puffy” Combs on November 12, 1994 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives)
After graduating from high school, Diddy initially enrolled in business school at Howard University. However, he dropped out after two years after talking his way into an internship at New York’s Uptown Records. During his first experience in the music industry, he developed artists such as Jodeci and Mary J Blige. Diddy was able to move up the corporate ladder into an executive position.
However, Diddy was fired from Uptown Records in 1993 and embarked on the next chapter of his career. Harrell, who fired Diddy, later clarified in the Bad Boy documentary Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A Bad Boy Storythat he “fired Puff only to make him rich. I told Puff he needs to go and create his own opportunity.” Either way, Diddy’s termination would inspire him to his own record label.
Founding the Bad Boy Entertainment Record Label, he brought artists such as Notorious B.I.G, Carl Thomas, and Faith Evans with him. In addition, he utilized his industry notoriety to begin creating his own music. He produced Notorious B.I.G’s Ready to Die and Life After Death, the two respective albums now amongst the holy grail of rap albums. In addition, he released Platinum albums such as No Way Out and Forever. While Diddy’s sound was rooted in hip-hop, his penchant for soul and R&B fused into his sound. At Bad Boy Records’ peak, it was worth over $100 million.
His Alcoholic Beverage Company Is His Most Profitable
MIAMI BEACH, FL – DECEMBER 01: Sean “Diddy” Combs attends press conference for Ciroc Vodka at Fontainebleau Miami Beach on December 1, 2009 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Carlos Marino/FilmMagic)
While seemingly every famous rapper has delved into the alcoholic industry, Diddy was the pioneer of the trend. Back in 2007, he took over Ciroc Vodka as a majority owner. He would utilize his image to pivot the brand from a minor player to a multi-billion dollar powerhouse. The brand has branched out significantly from its original product offerings including various flavors and ready-to-drink products. Ciroc launched four flavors of vodka-spiked, ultra-premium canned cocktails. In an interview with Forbes, Diddy stated, “When it came to our innovation, we wanted to disrupt the market. When I was looking at the landscape, it wasn’t giving me luxury. We’re making the category sexy.”
Diddy owes the bulk of his net worth to Ciroc Vodka, where he’s making an estimated $60 million per year. However, Ciroc is not his only venture into the alcoholic beverage space. In addition, he owns the luxury tequila brand DeLeon. All of these brands fall under the umbrella of Combs Wines & Spirits. All of his companies fall under his recently re-branded Combs Global, which contains a portfolio that ranges from alcohol to cannabis products. The two billionaires in hip-hop, Diddy and Jay-Z have each had highly successful ventures into the alcoholic beverage world.
Diddy Disrupted the Clothing Industry
Sean “Diddy” Combs during Sean “Diddy” Combs Launches Sean John Elite Footwear Collection in Miami at Dolphin Mall in Miami, Florida, United States. (Photo by Rodrigo Varela/WireImage)
If alcohol has been Diddy’s primary source of net worth, then clothing is a close second. Back in 1998, he launched the Sean John clothing brand under the umbrella of sportswear. The brand would soon branch out into other lanes of fashion. Once exceeding $450 million in sales on an annual basis, Sean John was one of the premiere clothing brands in the US. However, the brand went starkly downhill after Diddy sold his majority stake in the company back in 2016. By 2021, Sean John had filed for bankruptcy. It would take Diddy re-purchasing the brand for $7.5 million to save it.
The billionaire’s clothing initiative began in a cubicle at Bad Boy Records. Jeffrey Tweedy, Sean John’s president for two decades, spoke about the initial process in an interview with GQ. He stated, “I got several calls from [Diddy] about starting a brand. He had a three-year plan already laid out, from what the collection looks like to what we do with it to where we market it how we market it to who we put it on. Diddy had done his homework.”
Diddy Is Building A Black-Owned Media Powerhouse
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 25: Rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attends the REVOLT & AT&T Summit on October 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Diddy has also dived into the television network space. Launched in October 2013, Revolt TV was created with the intention of being “unapologetically hip-hop.” The network has lived up to that mantra, giving hip-hop artists the opportunity to promote their work through mediums such as Revolt-hosted podcasts, music video blocks, and covering social justice issues targeting African Americans. More recently, Diddy has expressed interest in acquiring a majority stake in BET as Paramount Global explores a potential sale. The initiative is a part of Diddy’s long-term vision to own a black-owned media powerhouse.
While rappers such as Childish Gambino and 50 Cent have had successful ventures into acting, Diddy was one of the first hip-hop acts to dive into the networking side of television. At the time, Comcast agreed to carry minority-owned networks as part of its deal to purchase a minority-stake of NBCUniversal. This is when Diddy came in with Revolt, a network that he announced on the steps of Notorious B.I. G’s childhood home.
Diddy Proven To Be An Intelligent Investor
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 27: Mark Wahlberg (L) and Sean Combs visit Extra at The Grove on February 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)
Outside of driving his own businesses, Diddy has proved to be an intelligent investor. For example, he’s currently a partner of Aquahydrate, one of the biggest water companies in the world. Investing a cool $20 million in the company along with Mark Wahlberg. Both are now part of a company that’s worth over $2 billion.
Diddy has also begun to invest in the cannabis market. Back in November of 2022, he acquired the licenses to buy various weed businesses in three different states. The overall deal was worth around $185 million. The deal would make Diddy the owner of the largest black-owned cannabis company in the nation. His dive into the industry was rooted in steadfast anger, as he expressed his frustration at the lack of Black representation in the industry. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, he stated “Two percent? All the years, all the pain, all the incarceration…to me, it was important to do a big deal like this.”
Net Worth Surpassed $1 Billion in 2022
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs speaks onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Of course, Diddy’s business ventures haven’t had a 100% success rate. For example, he attempted to move into the auto parts world by creating the SJC Wheels Company back in 2005. At the time, the worlds of lavish cars and hip-hop were tied together. Therefore, the move had some definite promise on the surface. However, the company’s highly expensive line of wheels would fail to appeal to its target audience. SJC Wheels would file for bankruptcy a year after its inception.
From failed business ventures to getting fired from Uptown Records, Diddy would use these experiences to mold him into one of the hardest workers to come out of the music industry. From the alcohol to fashion industries, Diddy and Jay-Z’s ability to succeed with a wide-range of business ventures stands them from the rest of the crowd. Replacing Kanye West as America’s second hip-hop billionaire in 2022, his wealth and notoriety have continued to shoot up with age.
Following various allegations and lawsuits filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs, the rapper, producer, and entrepreneur has stepped down from Revolt, a music-centered television network he cofounded in 2013, according to TMZ, who first broke the news
What was Diddy’s role at Revolt
Since finding Revolt in 2013, alongside Andy Schuon, Combs served as a chairman for the network, however, was not actively involved in the network’s operations, according to a post from Revolt’s Instagram.
“Sean Combs has stepped down from his position as chairman of Revolt,” read the post. “While Mr. Combs has previously had no operational or day-to-day role in the business, this decision helps to ensure that Revolt remains steadfastly focused on our mission to create meaningful content for the culture and amplify the voices of all Black people throughout this country and the African diaspora.”
At the time of writing, TMZ reports that this is currently temporary, however, it is unknown if Diddy plans to step back into his role as a chairman.
Last week, Cassie and Diddy reached a settlement regarding her lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault. Now, though, Diddy is facing two new lawsuits from other women.
As NBC News reports, Joie Dickerson-Neal filed her suit in the New York Supreme Court yesterday (November 23). In it, she accuses Diddy of drugging her via a drink she left unattended at a restaurant where they were having dinner together, in 1991. He then allegedly took her to a place where he was staying, where he sexually assaulted her.
The lawsuit also alleges Dickerson-Neal is a “revenge porn” victim, as Diddy allegedly recorded the alleged sexual assault and showed it to others.
Dickerson-Neal’s filing said it was Cassie’s lawsuit that “forced her to face his assault again.” Ultimately, the lawsuit accuses Diddy of assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, sex trafficking, and revenge porn. She is seeking compensatory damages for mental and emotional injury, distress, pain and suffering, and injury.
In response to Dickerson’s lawsuit (which was filed under the New York Adult Survivors Act before its expiration on November 24), a Diddy spokesperson told XXL, “This last-minute lawsuit is an example of how a well-intentioned law can be turned on its head. Ms. Dickerson’s 32-year-old story is made up and not credible. Mr. Combs never assaulted her, and she implicates companies that did not exist. This is purely a money grab and nothing more.”
Rolling Stone also reports about a different new lawsuit filed against Diddy. The alleged incident at the center of the complaint is said to have taken place in 1990 or 1991, when Diddy and singer-songwriter Aaron Hall alleged took turns raping the Jane Doe plaintiff and her friend.
The lawsuit claims of an incident that took place at Hall’s apartment after an MCA Records-hosted event, “While at Hall’s apartment, Jane Doe was offered more drinks and was coerced into having sex with [Sean] Combs. After Combs finished doing his business, Jane Doe laid in bed, shocked and traumatized. As she was in the process of getting dressed, Hall barged into the room, pinned her down and forced Jane Doe to have sex with him.”
Days later, Diddy allegedly visited the home where Doe and her friend were staying and got violent: “He was irate and began assaulting and choking Jane Doe to the point that she passed out. Combs was searching for Jane Doe’s friend because he was worried that she would tell the girl he was with at the time what he and Hall had done to them.”
Following news of Cassandra Ventura, also known as singer Cassie, filing a lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging rape and physical abuse, new developments have surfaced surrounding the producer and rapper. According to TMZ, Diddy is currently the subject of a secret NYPD investigation.
It is unclear if this alleged investigation is in relation to Cassie, however, the publication reports that there is strong evidence that the complaint leading to the investigation involves sexual assault.
According to TMZ, the publication was informed by law enforcement that there is an open case at NYPD with the name, “Sean Combs,” and said case is an active case. However, the case file is reportedly locked, “essentially meaning it’s a sensitive case where access is restricted.”
NYPD issued a statement to TMZ, saying, “The NYPD takes sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so we can perform a comprehensive investigation, and offer support and services to survivors.”
Based on the statement, TMZ gathers that authorities may be speaking with more than one alleged victim.
The publication has also looked into law enforcement in other jurisdictions, including Miami, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles, however, have found that no police report has been filed pertaining to Cassie or Diddy, and no other investigations have been launched.
Diddy recently returned to his first love, music, with a new album titled, fittingly, The Love Album: Off The Grid. Unlike many of his past projects, though, it was less of a rap album than a survey of modern R&B, from throwback neo-soul sounds to the murky “PBR&B” style pioneered by The Weeknd a little over a decade ago.
But Diddy being Diddy, he couldn’t just put out an album or even go on a tour. He’s always got his hands in a lot of pies, and this time, it looks like he wants to extend his empire into movies. Today, the music mogul shared a trailer for Off The Grid: The Movie, a film inspired by his new album. The trailer, which features songs from the album, finds Diddy and go-star Eva Apio circling each other emotionally while struggling to keep each other at arms’ length.
From shooting flamethrowers in the desert to apparently running from and eventually kidnapping a police officer, Off The Grid appears to depict a Sid & Nancy-style relationship and all its self-destructive consequences. In a press release, Diddy said of his co-star: “This movie is an extension of the album’s soul. It’s not just about the music but about the stories, emotions, and experiences behind each song. Working with Eva Apio was an incredible experience; her talent and energy brought my vision to life.”
The trailer alleges the short film is coming soon to theaters. For now, though, you can check out the trailer above and listen to The Love Albumhere.
Many of the year’s biggest award shows unfold in the spring and summer months. Still, just before fall comes, the MTV Video Music Awards are slated on the schedule. The 2023 ceremony is set to take place on September 12. Both Lil Wayne and Doja Cat have already been named as performers. They each just shared their “Kat Food” and “Demons” singles respectively, but we’re curious to see what songs they’ll bring to the stage later this month. In addition to that, Diddy was also confirmed as an act who will be taking the stage next week.
“IT’S OFFICIAL, the hip-hop legend @Diddy is your 2023 #VMA Global Icon Award Recipient!!!” the award show’s official Twitter account announced on Tuesday (September 5) morning. Along with that big news, they confirmed that the New York native will be putting on a rousing performance either before or after he’s given his flowers. “Tune in to @MTV on September 12 to see him accept the award AND perform,” their message concluded.
The latest tracks we’ve heard from Diddy have been two collaborations. There’s “Mandem” with Giggs, as well as “Act Bad” in tandem with the City Girls and Fabolous. It’s possible that either of those could be his performance piece of choice for the VMAs. We’re placing our bets on the latter as it was declared the Song of the Summer by some music lovers. Seeing as he’s confirmed to have new heat on the way soon, it’s possible that Sean Combs could use his big televised moment to debut something totally new too.
Just days after he makes his presence felt at the 2023 MTV VMAs, Diddy is expected to release his latest LP, The Love Album: Off the Grid. At the end of August, the Bad Boy confirmed a star-studded tracklist. It includes guest appearances from The Weeknd, Summer Walker, and many more. Read all about that at the link below, and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s net worth finally reached a billion in October 2022. Replacing Kanye West on the Forbes list, the American rapper, actor, producer, and record executive first worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record company, Bad Boy Records, in 1993. At Bad Boy Records, he would sign iconic artists such as Notorious B.I.G, Mase, and more. In addition, he’s released a wide portfolio of multi-platinum albums.
Despite growing up in a violent environment that directly impacted his family, he rose above the circumstances. He developed a keen entrepreneurial spirit at 12 years old when he began working as a vendor for a local newspaper company. Throughout the years, Diddy’s expanded his portfolio to include a number of ventures and investments, including Revolt TV, Ciroc, and more. Below, we broke down exactly how Diddy accumulated a billion-dollar net worth by 2023.
Diddy Got His Start at Uptown Records
NEW YORK, NEW YORK–NOVEMBER 12: Hip-Hop Producer/Executive/Label Head Andre Harrell relaxes in a nightclub VIP area by chatting with Sean “Puffy” Combs on November 12, 1994 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives)
After graduating from high school, Diddy initially enrolled in business school at Howard University. However, he dropped out after two years after talking his way into an internship at New York’s Uptown Records. During his first experience in the music industry, he developed artists such as Jodeci and Mary J Blige. Diddy was able to move up the corporate ladder into an executive position.
However, Diddy was fired from Uptown Records in 1993 and embarked on the next chapter of his career. Harrell, who fired Diddy, later clarified in the Bad Boy documentary Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A Bad Boy Storythat he “fired Puff only to make him rich. I told Puff he needs to go and create his own opportunity.” Either way, Diddy’s termination would inspire him to his own record label.
Founding the Bad Boy Entertainment Record Label, he brought artists such as Notorious B.I.G, Carl Thomas, and Faith Evans with him. In addition, he utilized his industry notoriety to begin creating his own music. He produced Notorious B.I.G’s Ready to Die and Life After Death, the two respective albums now amongst the holy grail of rap albums. In addition, he released Platinum albums such as No Way Out and Forever. While Diddy’s sound was rooted in hip-hop, his penchant for soul and R&B fused into his sound. At Bad Boy Records’ peak, it was worth over $100 million.
His Alcoholic Beverage Company Is His Most Profitable
MIAMI BEACH, FL – DECEMBER 01: Sean “Diddy” Combs attends press conference for Ciroc Vodka at Fontainebleau Miami Beach on December 1, 2009 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Carlos Marino/FilmMagic)
While seemingly every famous rapper has delved into the alcoholic industry, Diddy was the pioneer of the trend. Back in 2007, he took over Ciroc Vodka as a majority owner. He would utilize his image to pivot the brand from a minor player to a multi-billion dollar powerhouse. The brand has branched out significantly from its original product offerings including various flavors and ready-to-drink products. Ciroc launched four flavors of vodka-spiked, ultra-premium canned cocktails. In an interview with Forbes, Diddy stated, “When it came to our innovation, we wanted to disrupt the market. When I was looking at the landscape, it wasn’t giving me luxury. We’re making the category sexy.”
Diddy owes the bulk of his net worth to Ciroc Vodka, where he’s making an estimated $60 million per year. However, Ciroc is not his only venture into the alcoholic beverage space. In addition, he owns the luxury tequila brand DeLeon. All of these brands fall under the umbrella of Combs Wines & Spirits. All of his companies fall under his recently re-branded Combs Global, which contains a portfolio that ranges from alcohol to cannabis products. The two billionaires in hip-hop, Diddy and Jay-Z have each had highly successful ventures into the alcoholic beverage world.
Diddy Disrupted the Clothing Industry
Sean “Diddy” Combs during Sean “Diddy” Combs Launches Sean John Elite Footwear Collection in Miami at Dolphin Mall in Miami, Florida, United States. (Photo by Rodrigo Varela/WireImage)
If alcohol has been Diddy’s primary source of net worth, then clothing is a close second. Back in 1998, he launched the Sean John clothing brand under the umbrella of sportswear. The brand would soon branch out into other lanes of fashion. Once exceeding $450 million in sales on an annual basis, Sean John was one of the premiere clothing brands in the US. However, the brand went starkly downhill after Diddy sold his majority stake in the company back in 2016. By 2021, Sean John had filed for bankruptcy. It would take Diddy re-purchasing the brand for $7.5 million to save it.
The billionaire’s clothing initiative began in a cubicle at Bad Boy Records. Jeffrey Tweedy, Sean John’s president for two decades, spoke about the initial process in an interview with GQ. He stated, “I got several calls from [Diddy] about starting a brand. He had a three-year plan already laid out, from what the collection looks like to what we do with it to where we market it how we market it to who we put it on. Diddy had done his homework.”
Diddy Is Building A Black-Owned Media Powerhouse
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 25: Rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attends the REVOLT & AT&T Summit on October 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Diddy has also dived into the television network space. Launched in October 2013, Revolt TV was created with the intention of being “unapologetically hip-hop.” The network has lived up to that mantra, giving hip-hop artists the opportunity to promote their work through mediums such as Revolt-hosted podcasts, music video blocks, and covering social justice issues targeting African Americans. More recently, Diddy has expressed interest in acquiring a majority stake in BET as Paramount Global explores a potential sale. The initiative is a part of Diddy’s long-term vision to own a black-owned media powerhouse.
While rappers such as Childish Gambino and 50 Cent have had successful ventures into acting, Diddy was one of the first hip-hop acts to dive into the networking side of television. At the time, Comcast agreed to carry minority-owned networks as part of its deal to purchase a minority-stake of NBCUniversal. This is when Diddy came in with Revolt, a network that he announced on the steps of Notorious B.I. G’s childhood home.
Diddy Proven To Be An Intelligent Investor
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 27: Mark Wahlberg (L) and Sean Combs visit Extra at The Grove on February 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)
Outside of driving his own businesses, Diddy has proved to be an intelligent investor. For example, he’s currently a partner of Aquahydrate, one of the biggest water companies in the world. Investing a cool $20 million in the company along with Mark Wahlberg. Both are now part of a company that’s worth over $2 billion.
Diddy has also begun to invest in the cannabis market. Back in November of 2022, he acquired the licenses to buy various weed businesses in three different states. The overall deal was worth around $185 million. The deal would make Diddy the owner of the largest black-owned cannabis company in the nation. His dive into the industry was rooted in steadfast anger, as he expressed his frustration at the lack of Black representation in the industry. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, he stated “Two percent? All the years, all the pain, all the incarceration…to me, it was important to do a big deal like this.”
Diddy’s Net Worth Surpassed $1 Billion in 2022
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs speaks onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Of course, Diddy’s business ventures haven’t had a 100% success rate. For example, he attempted to move into the auto parts world by creating the SJC Wheels Company back in 2005. At the time, the worlds of lavish cars and hip-hop were tied together. Therefore, the move had some definite promise on the surface. However, the company’s highly expensive line of wheels would fail to appeal to its target audience. SJC Wheels would file for bankruptcy a year after its inception.
From failed business ventures to getting fired from Uptown Records, Diddy would use these experiences to mold him into one of the hardest workers to come out of the music industry. From the alcohol to fashion industries, Diddy and Jay-Z’s ability to succeed with a wide-range of business ventures stands them from the rest of the crowd. Replacing Kanye West as America’s second hip-hop billionaire in 2022, his wealth and notoriety have continued to shoot up with age.
IT’S OFFICIAL 
