Preview

Short Biography: Puff Daddy

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2090 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Short Biography: Puff Daddy
SEAN JOHN COMBS, the rap and clothing impresario still best known as Puff Daddy, a sobriquet he has now abandoned, stood before a conference table in his company's Midtown Manhattan headquarters recently, addressing his designers.

Dressed in a black baseball cap, a black T-shirt and black cut-off denim shorts - his only flash a large square diamond stud in each earlobe - he projected a decidedly serious mien. The designers listened intently. When he paused, as he did several times, there were no questions. They knew to wait until he solicited their advice.

"There will be only three 'Sean John' T-shirts in the coming collection," he said. A few designers let out wispy sighs at such a seemingly self-destructive edict; after all, clothes with the Sean John name, initials or crest make up a big slice of his company's sales. "I'm putting you on rations," he said, laughing. "From now on, I want people to read the name without seeing the name. You get me?"

Messing with the name is no small gamble, nor is it the only one he is taking. Sean John is already a well-known brand - at least in households with teenagers, who spend about $42 billion a year to look good.

Mr. Combs's company, Sean John, has about $400 million of that business, most of it from urban styles like baggy, crotch-at-the knee trousers, conspicuously branded T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts, or "hoodies." But Mr. Combs, who sometimes goes by the rapper name P. Diddy but is known to associates as Puffy, is looking to expand well beyond the urban niche.

A stack of other rap and rhythm-and-blues celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Beyoncé have decided they have the style to create clothes, but Mr. Combs is the one who analysts say has the best chance of making the transition to the mainstream.

That could be particularly lucrative for Mr. Combs, who, unlike most of his competitors, has maintained control of his company. (By contrast, Russell Simmons, another rap impresario, sold his Phat Fashions to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    He coined himself “Biggie Smalls” and was eventually found by Mister Cee. Mister Cee was a popular DJ and featured Biggie in The Source magazine. The article was well publicized and it caught an Uptown Entertainment producer's attention. At that time, it was Sean “Puffy” Combs. You should already know that Puffy brought Biggie to Bad Boy Entertainment with him after he left Uptown. He then changed his name and became "The Notorious B.I.G.…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Drake

    • 4000 Words
    • 16 Pages

    ^ "Str8hiphop.com Alumni Artist Drake Has Made It to BET’s 106 & Park". Str8 Hip Hop. May 7, 2007. http://www.str8hiphop.com/node/2462. Retrieved July 14, 2009.[dead link]…

    • 4000 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sean Combs

    • 520 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Maybe you haven’t heard of Sean Combs but you certainly did hear of his alter ego Puff Daddy/P. Diddy. Combs isn’t just one of those rappers. Business, music, charity, politics,… Nothing is unknown territory to him.…

    • 520 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kanye West has been the topic of conversation through his seventeen year career as a hip-hop artist, but he is more than just a basic rapper. He is the movement of today's pop culture as he is also, "a producer, songwriter, and a high end fashion designer" (Biography.com Editors). Kanye is not only the best hip-hop artist ever, but he is the best solo musician of all time. For instance, "in the span of three short years, Kanye West went from hip-hop beat maker to worldwide hit maker, as his stellar production work for Jay-Z led to a major-label recording contract and, ultimately, a wildly successful solo career" (Birchmeier). Kanye is having the best career in the music industry and there's evidence to prove that he is the best musician of…

    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ll Cool J

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages

    From a paper boy to a ripped stud that wears a Kangol, LL Cool J has a very unique journey into the rapping game.…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    [i]Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969) better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper and businessman…

    • 1653 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ap Yams Thesis

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The ability to use his short-comings to boost for sucsess landed him an internship at the age of just 16 at Diplomat Records then Asylum Records. Through these professional opportunities, Steven or Yams was gaining the notoriety and connections that would stimulate his thirst for his spot amongst the hip-hop moguls such as his role model Sean Combs. He began shaking hands and networking amongst local musicians and other Dj’s, allowing the flow and sell of music to go smoothly and creatively. At the age of just 17, he founded the group A$AP MOB along side of A$AP Bari and A$AP Illz in hopes to one day make a lasting impression similar to Sean Comb’s “Junior Mafia/Bad Boy Family” including acts like Notorious B.I.G and Lil Kim. Along wih his genius marketing moves through maticulous social media networking and promoing, A$AP Rocky was offered a 3 million dollar contract from RCA Records for two-years due to Yams’ promotion and noteriety. Once signed with RCA Records, A$AP Yams furthered his movement with A$AP Rocky creating his A$AP Worldwide Label. With a push from A$AP Rocky, Yams was encouraged to bring himself to the spotlight, spreading the beauty behind the mark. The face of A$AP Yams is forever memerable and legendary,…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    West coast rapper rivalries. Biggie "represented" the east coast and was with Sean "Puffy" Combs record company, Bad Boy Records. Biggie's main rival was 2Pac Shakur who was from the West coast and was signed with Sug Knight's Death Row Records. Both rappers sang and "predicted" their murders. It is believed that Biggie was killed in retaliation to 2Pac's death. It is believed that Biggie was responsible for 2Pac's murder because they were constantly competing through the media. 2Pac claimed that he had slept with Biggie's wife at the time, Faith Evans, who dined this. Weather or not it is true this is a prime example of their competition. In 1994 2Pac was outside a record studio, which Biggie was currently inside. 2Pac was attacked and blamed Biggie. Sug Knight and Sean "Puffy" Combs are often associated in the…

    • 680 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Life Story of Jay-Z

    • 6107 Words
    • 25 Pages

    Originally from Marcy Houses housing project in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City,[9] Jay-Z was abandoned by his father Adnes Reeves and shot his brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry[10] when he was twelve years old.[11] Jay-Z attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn, along with rapper AZ, until it was closed down. After that he attended George Westinghouse Information Technology High School in Downtown Brooklyn, with fellow rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey, but did not graduate.[12] He claims to have been caught up in selling drugs, to which he refers in his music.[11]…

    • 6107 Words
    • 25 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sean Combs Research Paper

    • 2413 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Sean Combs also known as Puff Daddy is one of the most influential music composers/ producers in hip hop today. He has overcome poverty after growing up on the hard streets of Harlem New York to become one of the biggest names of today’s celebrities. Of course he didn’t attain this goal without a lot of hard work in producing number 1 hits with artists such as Mary J. Blige and the Notorious BIG. Diddy has come a long way in his life and now is very successful in the music, television, and fashion industries. He is the true epitome of an entrepreneur, and as he would say, “ Don’t chase the money, chase the dream” (Puff). P Diddy is responsible for more classic hip hop records than most artists, mc’s, or producers to date (Ronin).…

    • 2413 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lil Wayne Research Paper

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Lil Wayne is a popular hip-hop artist around the world today and is an inspiration to youth to engage in opportunities presented to them.…

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    jay z

    • 1666 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Embodying the rags-to-riches rap dream, Jay-Z pulled himself up by his bootstraps as a youth to eventually become the reigning rapper of New York City and, in turn, a major-label executive following his short-lived retirement from music-making. In the wake of his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z's albums sold millions upon millions with each release, and his endless parade of hits made him omnipresent on urban radio and video television. He retained a strongly devoted fan base and challenged whatever rivals attempted to oust him from atop the rap game, sparring most memorably with Nas. Jay-Z and his Roc-a-Fella associates greatly influenced the industry and established many of the trends that pervaded during the late '90s and early 2000s. He consistently worked with the hottest producers of the day (Clark Kent, DJ Premier, Teddy Riley, Trackmasters, Erick Sermon, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz), and if they weren't hot at the time, they likely would be afterward (the Neptunes, Kanye West, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder). He similarly collaborated with the hottest rappers in the industry, everyone from East Coast contemporaries like the Notorious B.I.G. ("Brooklyn's Finest") and DMX ("Cash, Money, Hoes"), to the best rappers from the South (Ludacris, Missy Elliott) and the West Coast (Snoop Dogg, Too Short). After his self-declared retirement from rapping in 2003, he assumed the presidency of the seminal rap label Def Jam and, as an industry executive, embarked on another phase in his illustrious career.…

    • 1666 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The one and only, The Notorious B.I.G. The name was Christopher Wallace, to many of us, biggie smalls. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 21, 1972. He was a gemini, just like me. He was raised in the extremely poor and ghetto Brooklyn neighborhood. As growing up he called himself biggie, due to his weight. Years and years later, practicing his flows and rapping, he made it into the big game. He was rapping with Diddy, Tupac and all the most famous and legendary people. His songs were going off the charts, he was making a living and a great one at that. From going to nothing in a crappy neighborhood to making it big time with the cash, to his nice cars to luxurious house and cars. He was living the famous life, until his scandal with his best friend Tupac became. He knew that his wasn’t going to be the end of it. They fought the east against west and as biggie, rapped against his ex best friend; they battled till the end. As Tupac ended up being shot but survived. Some of Tupacs gang shot and killed Biggie at only 25 years old. His life will forever be remember as one of the best men alive.…

    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hip Hop Research Papers

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages

    We’ve seen over the history of hip-hop, acts like Dr. Dre, P Diddy, and Kanye West have their names linked to ghost writing. “Rappers Delight” was the first rap song to put hip-hop on the map, and that wasn’t even an original song. While Dre and Diddy have never been looked at as true rappers, Kanye is the interesting name that has always gotten a pass. Respected as both an artist and a rapper, Kanye has managed to find a balance on both sides of the force.…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Eminem Research Papers

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages

    My public figure is Eminem, he is the rapper. While doing the writing task 2, I’ve spent a lot of time on his songs, tried to understand what his slang words in the song. And tried to know his personality or his opinion throughout the songs. As far as I know that Eminem is the only rapper who called themselves a Rap God and actually proved it. The song “Rap God”, which was released in October 2013, as the third single comes from Eminem’s eight album, The Marshall Mathers LP2. Eminem spits a total of 1,560 words on this super-lyrical track. It earned him an entry in the 2015 Guinness Book of Records for "most words in a hit single."…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics