For over two decades, Sean “Diddy” Combs has established himself as a prominent entrepreneur in hip-hop, extending his influence into various industries such as record labels, fashion, television, and liquor.
However, U.S. prosecutors allege that behind the scenes, Combs was involved in coercing and abusing women, backed by a network that silenced the victims through intimidation and violence.
Combs has pleaded not guilty and refutes the accusations. Trial proceedings are set to commence with opening statements on Monday.
Here’s a timeline of significant events marking his career trajectory:
1990 – 1999
1990: While attending Howard University, Combs started his music career with an internship at Uptown Records in New York.
December 28, 1991: A tragic incident occurred when thousands tried to enter a gym at City College in New York for a celebrity basketball game promoted by Combs. Nine people lost their lives, and the mayor’s report suggested that Combs’s planning was partly to blame.
1992: Combs served as one of the executive producers for the show “What’s The 411?”.
1993: After being dismissed from Uptown, Combs founded his label, Bad Boy.
1994: Bad Boy launched the Notorious B.I.G.’s album “Ready To Die.” Shortly after, Tupac Shakur survived a shooting in New York, accusing Combs and Biggie of foreknowledge of the attack. Shakur was later killed in Las Vegas in 1996.
1996: Combs faced a conviction for criminal mischief, stemming from a threat made against a photographer.
1997: Biggie was murdered in Los Angeles. Combs, then known as Puff Daddy, released “I Miss You” in tribute to him.
1998: Combs won two Grammy Awards—one for the best rap album for “No Way Out” and another for best rap performance with Faith Evans for “I’ll Be Missing You.” That year also marked the founding of his Sean John fashion line.
April 16, 1999: Combs and his bodyguard were accused of attacking a music executive, leading to Combs being mandated to attend anger management classes.
December 27, 1999: Combs was arrested for gun possession after a shooting incident at a New York City nightclub in which three were injured. Witnesses claimed Combs was shot during the event, and he later faced allegations of having paid $50,000 to a driver to take responsibility for a firearm found in his vehicle.
2001 – 2008
March 17, 2001: Combs was acquitted of charges linked to a nightclub shooting incident. One of his associates, Jamal “Shine” Burrows, was convicted for the shooting and served nearly nine years. Two weeks later, Combs announced his new stage name, P. Diddy.
2002: Combs became the creator and host of the talent show “Making the Band.”
February 1, 2004: Combs took the stage at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, performing alongside Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. A week later, he won a Grammy for his collaboration on “Shake Ya Tailfeather.”
April 2004: Combs made his Broadway debut in “A Raisin in the Sun.”
2005: He officially changed his stage name to just Diddy, dropping the “P.”
March 2008: Combs resolved a lawsuit from a man alleging an assault by Combs after an Oscar after-party. Later that May, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2015 – 2022
2015: Combs was arrested following an incident on the UCLA campus during his son’s football practice, though charges were eventually dropped.
2016: He established the Harlem Charter School and promised a $1 million donation to Howard University.
2017: Combs topped Forbes’s list of the highest-paid celebrities, claiming to have earned $130 million.
2018: Kim Porter, the mother of three of his children and his former partner, passed away at the age of 47 due to pneumonia.
2022: Combs received a lifetime achievement award at the BET Awards.
2023 – 2025
September 15, 2023: Combs plans to release “The Love Album – Off the Grid.”
November 16, 2023: R&B singer Kathy filed a lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of years of abuse, including violent acts. The case is expected to be resolved privately the next day. Combs denied the allegations through his attorney.
November 23, 2023: Two additional women also accused Combs of sexual abuse in lawsuits. His legal team described the claims as false. A wave of further lawsuits followed, with various individuals alleging sexual assault against him, including singer Dawn Richard, who claimed prolonged psychological and physical abuse. Combs continued to deny all allegations.
March 25, 2024: Federal agents conducted searches of Combs’ homes located in Los Angeles, Florida, and Miami Beach.
May 17, 2024: A video surfaced showing Combs involved in a violent encounter with Kathy at a hotel in Los Angeles in 2016.
September 16, 2024: Combs was arrested at a Manhattan hotel. Charges of sex trafficking and assault, which were sealed the following day, accused him of using his business empire to coerce women into sexual performances. Combs refuted these claims, with his lawyers framing it as an unjust prosecution of “imperfect people.”
May 5, 2025: The trial proceedings for Combs began.
