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Staff post about: Sean Diddy Combs Become an Author

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The Birth of Diddy: Sean Combs Makes His World Debut

Born on the dangerous streets of Harlem and exposed to violence at an early age, the odds were stacked against Sean Combs, a.k.a. Diddy, from day one. Nobody believed he would amount to much, let alone go on to become one of the most successful and well-known musicians, producers and entrepreneurs of our time.

Bad Boy on the Rise: Sean Combs Makes His Mark

With help from Arista Records founder Clive Davis, Combs was able to create his own music label, Bad Boy Entertainment. A few of the acts he had previously signed to Uptown, including Christopher Wallace (a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G.) and Craig Mack, signed on to Combs’ new company, allowing Combs to hit the ground running. In its first year, the young label released Mack’s Flava In Ya Ear, which proved to be a huge success. This was followed with albums by B.I.G., which also went on to become multi-platinum.

Lesson #1: Defy The Odds

“As a young black man, I don't want to pull the race card, but it certainly seems like the odds were against me,” says Combs. “Eighty percent of my friends are dead or in jail. It’s just something I have to live with.”

Lesson #2: Play To Win

“I came in to win,” says Combs. “This is why I stay up late while other people are sleeping; this is why I don’t go out to the Hamptons.”

Lesson #3: Create a Lifestyle

A line of Sean John clothing, a line of Sean Jean Navigator custom SUVs, a new Unforgivable fragrance, an upcoming line of Sean Jean Elite shoes – Combs has saturated the market in an attempt to move from being an urban clothing label to becoming a lifestyle brand. He has attempted to incorporate his sense of style into all of his products, creating a lifestyle based on urban sophistication and sensibility and appealing to young adults worldwide to embrace this lifestyle.

Lesson #4: Live Big, Think Bigger

Fortune magazine recently named Combs one of the Most Influential Minorities. But, Combs has no interest in being a minority of any kind. “I admire Andre Harrell and Berry Gordy the most, the people who came up from the black community,” says Combs. “But the people that I'm going to be greater than are Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Clive Davis.”

Lesson #5: Stay Focused

“I am a very focused person,” says Combs. “Right now I'm in a real, real strong creative zone. You know, musically I'm in that zone. Fashion, designer-wise, I'm in that zone. I'm in a zone right now. I'm like Jordan in the fourth right now, ladies and gentlemen.” Between all his business ventures, court battles, marathon runs and his family, if it weren’t for Combs’ ability to focus on one important thing at a time, he would have succumbed to the pressure long ago.

It’s a Rap: How Sean Combs Achieved Success

“I have learned to enjoy the ups for what they are, because those are the moments that feel like they go by the quickest,” says Combs. As one of the highest grossing hip-hop stars in history, Combs has been enjoying his current ‘up’ for quite some time now. From the crime-filled streets of Harlem to the lavish luxuries of Hollywood, Combs has shot to international stardom. What were his factors of success?

Sean Combs Quotes

Sean Combs Quotes

Sean by Sean Combs

Adolescents the world over might know him as Puffy Daddy or P. Diddy, but in 2004, the fashion world got a taste of the real creativity behind rapper-producer Sean Combs. That was the year Combs’ Sean John Collection of clothes earned him the title of Top Menswear Designer of the Year from The Council of Fashion Designers of America. His music may be criticized for its lack of innovation, but on that night in June 2004, Combs beat out fashion veterans Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors to take home the award. Playing no small part in receiving this award was Combs’ line of contemporary women’s wear Sean by Sean Combs.

Sean Combs Godzilla

In 1998, a film was released that would introduce Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to a new audience of music listeners. Starring Matthew Broderick and Hank Azaria, “Godzilla” opened in theatres across America to mixed reviews. It was yet another remake of the classic Japanese film “Gojira”, but this time, there were a few twists, one of which was the film’s soundtrack featuring rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in a joint venture with the guitarist of famed English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page. For Sean Combs, Godzilla was his chance to show people he wasn’t just a one-genre musician; he could rock it out with the best of them.

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