MDC is five miles from the public housing projects in BedfordStuyvesant, where Combs' biggest Bad Boy Records star, Biggie Smalls, grew up, but over 20 miles from the middle-class suburb of Yonkers where Combs himself was raised after his father was killed when he was a toddler. Smalls was murdered in Los Angeles in 1997, but Combs, who was privately educated, went on to amass a fortune and global fame by marrying street attitude to luxury consumer capitalism.
But that all crashed and burned last week. On Wednesday a New York judge rejected a $50m (£38m) bail package for Combs - in part because of witness intimidation allegations - in advance of his trial on three criminal counts, including racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution.
It is a staggering fall from grace, even in a world of US celebrity now littered with them. At his peak, Combs could be seen driving down Broadway in New York in a open-top Bentley. It was the era of opulent bling, and he was its king.
"Puffy connected a lot of dots, connected people to a different kind of glamour and aspiration, and brought hip-hop into a different place in the world," Vibe magazine's former editor Alan Light told the Guardian this year.
"He saw the connections to the fashion world, to the entertainment world. He wanted to see how large it could be." Combs launched a perfume; a clothing line, Sean John; a brand of vodka, Cîroc, and owned a $65m superyacht, Maraya, and a black private jet. He threw famous White parties in the Hamptons and St Tropez; he was profiled in Vogue as recently as 2017, promoting a line of "demure" jewellery.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 21, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 21, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Consumer champions
BT has left my father, 80, with no phone for months.
Money hacks How to save a bundle on children's clothes
Charity shops can be a goldmine for bargains - use the Charity Retail Association's online search page to find ones that stock children's clothes, or in London, head to one of FARA's 14 stores that specialise in kids' clothes.
University students Why are tuition fees going up and who does it affect?
The government has announced fees in England will rise to £9,535 in 2025. Shane Hickey gives you the lowdown on the changes
British Airways owner IAG's profits up 15%
Strong demand for transatlantic travel has bolstered the profits of International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, with the UK national carrier outperforming rivals despite widespread European flight delays.
Taking the plunge Seven date ideas that won't break the bank
You certainly don't need to spend a fortune to have a fun and romantic time, whether it's your first date or the 101st.
The price of love How much does dating cost - and who pays the bill?
Hinge+ costs £14.99 for a week, £24.99 for one month, £49.99 for three months and £74.99 for six months. One week of HingeX costs £24.99, a month is £44.99, three months £89.99 and six months comes in at £129.99.
China offers £646bn to local government but balks at big stimulus
China has announced 10tn yuan in debt support for local governments and other economic measures, but stopped short of a \"bazooka\" stimulus package many analysts expected.
Secret diary of TV freelancer Brutal hours, fear, panic - and finally a kick in the teeth
An anonymous producer writes about their experiences of the brutal hours, low budgets and high stress of television production
Shares plunge for housebuilder Vistry after new profit warning
Shares in the FTSE 100 housebuilder Vistry have plunged after it issued a second profit warning in as many months and said cost overruns on building projects were worse than previously thought.
Families may get post office compensation, says minister
The postal minister has said that family members and employees of post office branch owners who have not been eligible to make claims over the Horizon IT scandal may be allowed to apply for compensation.
