The ominous reason behind P Diddy's original stage name 'Puff Daddy'
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Hip-hop titan Sean 'P Diddy' Combs, famously known by a plethora of stage names over the decades, finds himself in the spotlight at a New York City courthouse, standing trial over allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering.
The 55-year-old celebrity, alongside his legal team, stoutly refutes the charges levelled against him, asserting his innocence as the proceedings pass the third week mark. Amidst ongoing legal battles and with P Diddy's purported criminal acts seizing public attention, many fans are only now uncovering the roots of his original moniker, Puff Daddy.
Launching into fame in 1997, Combs skyrocketed to success when "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," his first single, dominated the charts.
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Throughout the years, he's opted for diverse aliases, starting as the infamous Puff Daddy before later adopting the tags P Diddy and Diddy.
Pulled straight from Combs' own accounts, "Puff Daddy" traces back to his childhood moniker "Puff," stemming from his childhood habit of "huff and puff" antics whenever he lost his temper, reports the Mirror US.
The epithet "Puff" laid the foundation for his initial foray into the rap game as Puff Daddy, clinching the top spot with his opening single in 1997.
By then, Combs had already established himself as a major force in music, having founded Bad Boy Records in 1993 and crowning himself as its chief.
In a bid for reinvention after being acquitted of gun possession and bribery charges in 2001, he swapped out Puff Daddy for P. Diddy, setting his sights on a fresh start.
Sean Combs, the renowned rapper, had announced a name change from Puff Daddy to P Diddy back in 2001. "No more Puff Daddy - the first week in June, we're going to have a name-change ceremony," Combs stated at the time, adding: "I'm not doing it as serious as Prince. I just want something fresh. I'm rocking with P Diddy just now."
He subsequently released his album, The Saga Continues, under the new moniker, although he had previously used the alias in record credits for his work with other artists.
Combs attributed the origin of the name P. Diddy to his friend, the late rapper Notorious B.I. G. who was tragically shot and killed in 1997.
Meanwhile, Combs' ongoing sex trafficking trial, which has featured testimony from his ex-partner Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, is expected to continue for at least five more weeks.
In a recent development, imprisoned rapper Suge Knight has urged his long-time rival Combs to take the stand in the trial. Suge, currently serving a 28-year sentence for a 2015 fatal hit-and-run, believes Combs should defend himself in court to "humanize" himself and persuade the jury to "give him a shot".
Suge commented that Combs' silence makes him appear "scared to face the music" and advised him to "have his faith in God."
He added, "I feel if he does tell his truth, he really would walk."
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