Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Said It Was ‘F***ed Up’ That Biggie’s Murder Overshadowed His Own Success 

Sean “Diddy” Combs released his debut album, No Way Out, several months after the murder of the Notorious B.I.G., or Biggie. In the album, Diddy reckoned with Biggie’s death. They had worked together for years, and he said he felt lost in the aftermath. Still, it frustrated him that the conversation around his debut album had so much to do with the slain rapper.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs didn’t like that Biggie’s murder overshadowed his album release

In 1997, Diddy released No Way Out. That same year, he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone and became frustrated that the magazine continually asked him questions about Biggie’s death. He’d wanted to use the publicity to promote himself.

“My plan was f***ed up. My plan is f***ed up right now, too. Like, this is what you want to talk to me about,” he told the magazine. “When I was doing my Rolling Stone cover, I wanted to talk about the success that I had, the moves I made for black culture, things like that — how I’ve had an impact on the pop culture. But no matter what, this is what you all want to talk about. I’m not mad at you for talking about it; this is what the readers want to hear. But it’s f***ed up.”

He didn’t like that he gained popularity because of Biggie’s death.

“I’ve gotten my fame through tragedies. My successes have been overlooked,” he said. “You think that’s pleasant for me? That’s not pleasant for me. I’m even more popular now because of the tragedy of Biggie. Not popular in a good way.”

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs took a magazine cover instead of Biggie

Diddy appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1997, but other Bad Boy executives thought Biggie should take the spot. The label’s president, Kirk Burrowes, thought Biggie was the obvious choice.

“I was telling Sean, ‘Let’s make it Biggie. You still have a chance [for a cover in the future],’” Burrowes later told Rolling Stone. “He’s like ‘No, he’s dead. I’m putting out [Combs’ debut album, No Way Out] in July. I need to be on the cover of Rolling Stone.’”

Other Bad Boy employees felt Diddy was too interested in album sales after Biggie’s death.

He said he struggled to understand the rapper’s death

Diddy said that Biggie’s murder was difficult for him to understand.

“I haven’t got over trying to understand how people could be so cold, so f***ed up,” he said. “Biggie didn’t do nothing to nobody. I can officially say, B.I.G. didn’t do nothing to nobody. There are some people that, you know, reap what they sow or get what they deserve. He didn’t do nothing to nobody. Yeah, he had a temper. He got into fights. But nothing he should be killed for.”

He felt that someone killed Biggie because of his talent.

“It’s crazy to me still,” he said. “Nobody can tell me that just ’cause you a rapper, at the end of the day you get killed because you the flyest rapper? Motherf***ers are so jealous just ’cause you the best?”

At this point, Biggie’s murder remains unsolved.